Public Health and Epidemiology – Tobacco Use
Which Single Achievement in Epidemiology Is of Particular Interest to You?
Tobacco use is of great interest to me because when I was around 17 years old, I tried smoking just to appear cool. I have always been a serious kind of person, and I reason first before taking any foolish steps. However, at that time, I was getting tired of being the ‘goody-to-shoes,’ and I didn’t want to look back one day and realize that I never did any daring thing in my life.
Briefly Describe That Achievement in Epidemiology. In What Era Did This Achievement Occur?
Tobacco use is an area that has experienced epidemiological achievement. Tobacco use has had equally major impacts on society as it is linked to the number one killer in the US: cardiovascular disease. It is also linked to COPD, low birth rates for children, and different cancer types. Tobacco use is cited by the CDC as the leading cause of preventable disability and deaths in the US. However, there has been a remarkable improvement in tobacco use following the introduction of smoking regulations and improved techniques in smoking cessation (WHO, 2017).
In 1964, the first report that showed the negative impact of the health effects of tobacco was published (People, 2020). The following year, new regulations were introduced that required warning signs to be placed on tobacco packages. The warnings highlighted the impact of tobacco on one’s health. In the 1970s, there were new regulations in public health that limited smoking in public areas. In the 90s, some states restricted the use of tobacco. By the time it was the 2000s, states had begun enacting legislation such as the Clean Indoor Air Act (Nesoff et al., 2017). This legislation completely restricts smoking in workplaces as well as in public places. Tobacco use has no specific year where all achievements can be pinpointed because there is a continuous decline in tobacco use percentages in the US. The overall era in which changes began can be seen to be as far back as the 60s to the current day.
Briefly Describe One Important Tool That Can Be Used To Measure Its Occurrence in a Population.
A tool that can be used to measure smoking occurrence in a given population is conducting a survey. A survey can be used to collect information that represents a group or community (Ruel, Wagner III, & Gillespie, 2015). A selected group of participants in a survey can be used to represent the number of persons who smoke in a given area. A census survey is an ideal method to collect such information. The use of questionnaires is also the ideal tool for collecting information. With questionnaires, the participants get to answer the same questions, and the data collected can easily be summarized.
In conducting a census survey, the questions need to be first drafted, and a pilot test must be done. The pilot test for the questionnaire allows for the refinement of the final questionnaire. It also allows for the most relevant questions to be asked in the final data collection. The survey questionnaire is administered to an identified audience, which is likely to give an accurate representation. Distribution of the data instrument can be done through email, hand delivery, or media distribution. Once the questionnaires are filled up and sent back, the data can be summarized in the form of tables or charts.
Please Identify One Specific Source of Public Health Data on That Issue and Write One Paragraph About It. Provide a Description of the Source and a Link (i.e., Hyperlink or URL) Directly to the Data Source.
The CDC is a good source of information. The latest data shows that more than 15% of men and 12% of women in the US (CDC, 2019) are tobacco users. Young people in the thousands commence smoking on any given day. Additionally, most adult smokers express their desire to stop smoking. The information can be accessed at https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/index.htm.
Incorporating What You Learned in This Module About Risk and Rates, What Would You Say Was One Major Factor That Influenced the Achievement of This Occurrence?
One of the main reasons for people wanting to quit smoking is the adverse health effects. Smoking is the leading cause of preventable deaths in the world (Stead et al., 2016). The US records close to 480,000 deaths from tobacco use every year. The continuous relaying of information on the death and dangers of tobacco smoking has contributed to the decrease in its use. People have become more aware that tobacco use can cause cancer, lung disease, stroke, heart disease, COPD, and other immune deficiencies. Health-related issues and diseases have led people to pursue products and cessation programs that have helped in the reduction of smoking and the complete quitting of the habit (Gottlieb & Zeller, 2017).
As more regulations and rules are set up, the number of smokers has declined. The access to information via the CDC resources has allowed for more people to gain knowledge and helpful information and consequently contributed to the smoking decline. I believe total cessation of tobacco use is not possible, but reducing the number of new users is a possibility. When programs, legislations, and projects aimed at reducing rates of tobacco use initiation, there will be better outcomes, including a reduction in the number of tobacco-related illnesses and deaths. Thus, new ways of discouraging tobacco use initiation should be introduced, and the necessary resources should be spent on promoting the same (Berry et al., 2019).
References
Berry, K. M., Reynolds, L. M., Collins, J. M., Siegel, M. B., Fetterman, J. L., Hamburg, N. M., … & Stokes, A. (2019). E-cigarette initiation and associated changes in smoking cessation and reduction: the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study, 2013–2015. Tobacco control, 28(1), 42-49.
Gottlieb, S., & Zeller, M. (2017). A nicotine-focused framework for public health. New England Journal of Medicine, 377(12), 1111-1114.
Nesoff, E. D., Milam, A. J., Bone, L. R., Stillman, F. A., Smart, M. J., Hoke, K. S., & Furr-Holden, C. D. M. (2017). Tobacco policies and on-premise smoking in bars and clubs that cater to young African Americans following the Maryland Clean Indoor Air Act of 2007. Journal of ethnicity in substance abuse, 16(3), 328-343.
People, H. (2020). Tobacco use.
Ruel, E., Wagner III, W. E., & Gillespie, B. J. (2015). The practice of survey research: Theory and applications. Sage Publications.
Stead, L. F., Koilpillai, P., Fanshawe, T. R., & Lancaster, T. (2016). Combined pharmacotherapy and behavioural interventions for smoking cessation. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (3).
World Health Organization. (2017). WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2017: monitoring tobacco use and prevention policies. World Health Organization.
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Question 
Read the module Home page and required readings. Read through this assignment, including the instructions and the Assignment Expectations.
Public Health and Epidemiology – Tobacco Use
Please write an essay in which you first clearly identify a single major achievement in epidemiology (e.g., smallpox, HIV/AIDS, tobacco use, and cholera). Then, briefly describe one important tool that is used to measure its occurrence in a population. Briefly identify one source of public health data on that issue. Finally, incorporating the concepts of risk and rates, briefly discuss at least one major factor that influenced its occurrence.
Instructions
You can submit your paper in Question and Answer format. In other words, list the questions and provide a short answer to each.
Which single achievement in Epidemiology is of particular interest to you? (Some examples include Smallpox, HIV/AIDS, Tobacco Use, and Cholera). Please write 2–3 sentences maximum.
Briefly describe that achievement in Epidemiology (1–2 paragraphs). In what era did this achievement occur? Be sure to cite sources rather than simply stating your opinion.
Briefly describe one important tool that can be used to measure its occurrence in a population. Examples of Tools include surveys, surveillance, and biological monitoring. Please write 2–3 paragraphs about this, and be sure to cite sources rather than simply stating your opinion.
Please identify one specific source of public health data on that issue and write one paragraph about it. Provide a description of the source and a link (i.e., hyperlink or URL) directly to the data source.
Incorporating what you learned in this module about risk and rates, what would you say was one major factor that influenced the achievement of this occurrence? Please write 2–3 paragraphs and be sure to cite sources rather than simply stating your opinion.