Proven Tobacco Cessation Interventions Can Help Hispanics Quit Smoking!
Washington, DC – “The tobacco industry spends more than a million dollars per hour, to promote its deadly products and attract new customers. That is over $9.1 billion a year. According to a report released by CDC, in 2015 Hispanic smokers were less likely than white smokers to receive advice to quit smoking when visiting a health care provider and were also less likely to use proven cessation treatments. We are committed to helping Hispanics who smoke to quit and urge health providers to provide smoking cessation counseling and tailored clinical services to all of their patients,” said Jane L. Delgado, Ph.D., M.S., President and CEO of the National Alliance for Hispanic Health (the Alliance), the nation’s leading Hispanic health advocacy group.
Using self-reported data from the 2000-2015 National Health Interview Survey, researchers compared trends in quit attempts, receiving advice to quit from a health professional, and use of cessation treatment (counseling and/or medication) among Hispanic and non-Hispanic white adult smokers. In 2015, Hispanic smokers who visited a provider in the past year had 51% lower odds of receiving advice to quit than non-Hispanic white adults. Among Hispanic subgroups, Mexican smokers had a significantly lower prevalence of cessation treatment use than non-Hispanic white smokers in 2015. In addition, in 2015, a higher proportion of Hispanic than non-Hispanic white smokers visited a health care provider without receiving advice to quit.
Smoking remains the leading preventable cause of death and disease in the US. Smokers who receive quitting advice from a health professional and use cessation counseling and FDA-approved cessation medications are more likely to quit than those who do not receive advice or use counseling or medications. Providers are critical to help lessen the burden of cancer and other health disparities by supporting their patients who smoke with advice to quit and offering them cessation treatments. The Alliance through its Nuestras Voces (Our Voices) Network Program helps connect people to culturally proficient screening and cessation services and provides technical assistance to address the threats of commercial tobacco use and reduce the impact of tobacco related cancers in underserved Hispanic communities.
According to Dr. Delgado, “We need to ensure that providers ask questions about smoking behaviors of all their patients to educate our communities about the real impact of smoking, provide them with tailored cessation advice, and ensure they get the help they need to quit. Consumers can call the Alliance’s Su Familia Helpline at 1-866-783-2645 for information on ways to quit smoking (including referrals to the Déjeloya quitline), learn how to talk to a loved one about quitting smoking, or to connect to health services in their local community,” concluded Dr. Delgado.
About the National Alliance for Hispanic Health (The Alliance)
The Alliance is the nation’s foremost science-based source of information and trusted advocate for the health of Hispanics in the United States with a mission to achieve the best health for all.
For more information visit us www.healthyamericas.org
About Nuestras Voices (Our Voices) Network
Nuestras Voces Network is working to expand multi-sector networks and their capacity to effectively address the threats of commercial tobacco use and reduce the impact of tobacco related cancers on the nation’s health and wellbeing, with a particular focus on reducing disparities in underserved Hispanic communities.
For more information and to join Nuestras Voces visit www.nuestrasvoces.org.
Media Contact
Company Name: National Alliance for Hispanic Health
Contact Person: Marcela Gaitan
Email: Send Email
Phone: 202-797-4336
Country: United States
Website: www.healthyamericas.org