Leveraging Community Partnerships for Tobacco Cessation and Prevention Lindsay Hauser University of Virginia Cancer Center Kathryn Goodman Thomas Jefferson Health District
Thumb Wrestling Objective: You score points by pinning your partner s thumb.
Big Picture Virginia Department of Health 35 Health Districts Virginia s Plan for Well-Being Tobacco Free Strategic Plan VDH Tobacco Control Program Central Office Regional Tobacco Control Coordinators Thomas Jefferson Health District (TJHD) 5 Local Health Departments Regional & District Coordinators TJHD Community Health Assessment & Improvement Plan Tobacco Free Community Coalition
Thomas Jefferson Health District 5 Health Departments 240,000 Residents Urban and Rural 2 Hospital Systems Academic & Community
TJHD MAPP2Health Community Health Assessment & Community Health Improvement Plan 2009, 2012, 2016 MAPP Framework 4 Assessments Quantitative and Qualitative Data 100+ Community Agencies & Coalitions District Adopted Health Priorities
TJHD MAPP Process 2012 MAPP2Health Report Priority Area: Tobacco Use Above the Healthy People 2020 Goal Average percentage of adult smokers in TJHD was 17.9% (target 12%). Rolling average of pregnant women reporting smoking was 7.5% (6.2% Virginia). How? The Tobacco Free Community Coalition (TFCC)
2012 MAPP Objectives & Strategies Collect data to better understand the attitudes and behaviors that encourage young people to start smoking. Collect data to better understand the attitudes and behaviors that encourage young people to start smoking. By 2017: Collect data to better understand the attitudes and behaviors that encourage young people to start smoking. Decrease the percentage of adults who smoke from 18% to 16% of TJHD adults. Decrease the percentages of pregnant women who report smoking during pregnancy from 7.5% to 6% of TJHD pregnant women. Collect data to better understand the attitudes and behaviors that encourage young people to start smoking.
TJHD formed...
Coalition Collaborations
Selecting Collaborative Coalition Members Your coalition is only as good as it s members... Need to build strategic partnerships: Bring value to the table Clear understanding of wants/needs/limitations Brings unique niche to coalition Example: State agencies cannot advocate politically so having members who can participate in advocacy would be critical to balance the coalition.
Backbone Partners of TFCC Organization Role in Coalition Health Department Staffing for coalition, technical assistance Hospital Systems Academic and community systems-tobacco treatment specialist for cessation support, funding Universities/Colleges Evaluation support, grant writing, funding Community Service Boards Funding, program development and implementation Employee Wellness Programs Sites for cessation, recruiting Public Schools (GAP in TFCC) PTOs, SHABs, intervention site and feasibility National Organizations Pulse of national initiatives Community Members Boots on the ground, feasibility testing, advocacy
Pieces to a Successful Coalition Mutual Goals
Accomplishments from Collaborative Partnerships Increase in City of Charlottesville tobacco tax Youth tobacco education Collection of youth data to understand youth behaviors Development of more cessation services Education to clinical providers
Charlottesville Excise Cigarette Tax Increase The Surgeon General calls the raising of taxes one of the most effective tobacco control interventions Proven to reduce smoking, especially among kids. Proven more effective in reducing smoking among Blacks, Hispanics, and lower-income smokers. On July 1, 2014 cigarette taxes were increased from 30 cents to 55 cents in the City of Charlottesville! Steps included: Research - identified Charlottesville as the best place to start because they instituted local cigarette tax in 2007 Meetings - met with Mayor(s) and City Council Proposal - approach City Council with the proposed tax increase Vote - unanimous approval in April 2014, to go into effect July 1, 2014 (fiscal year 15)
Boys & Girls Club: Marketing Contest TJHD and UVA Cancer Center partnered to host tobacco prevention marketing art contest City funds for prevention marketing
VFHY Youth Prevention Grant 3-year funded tobacco prevention grant. LARGE Project that couldn t have been accomplished by one organization 2 schools received curriculum 3 year survey administered to over 1,200 students Merchant education Over 18 pledge banner signings in local schools Coalition served as the catalyst for the grant and for implementation of grant aims and objectives Partnership between UVA Cancer Center, Region 10 CSB, TJHD and local schools
Key Findings 31% of students who live with someone who uses e-cigarettes also believe e-cigarettes are less harmful than smoking cigarettes. 51% of students who tried e-cigarettes thought that e-cigarettes were less harmful, compared to 5% of students who had not tried e-cigarettes. 92% of students who tried e-cigarettes thought that 1 or more students in their grade out of 10 use tobacco, compared to 57% of students who did not try e-cigarettes. 14% of students have tried a tobacco product before the age of 16 (Nationally ~7.2%) Findings from this survey propelled TFCC to develop educational materials, with TJHD, about electronic smoking devices (ESDs). TJHD provides educational programming on ESDs.
Tobacco Cessation Support Charlottesville has a long standing community tobacco cessation program: Provides free 8 week support group set up Limited to mostly city residents due to location Smoking rates are higher in surrounding counties, but fewer resources Need for more services in surrounding counties Coalition saw the need and served as the catalyst for the expansion of tobacco cessation services. Partnership between coalition member agencies Members of coalition took on responsibility of hosting classes in surrounding counties by providing guest speakers and financial support Community members from those areas served as facilitators TJHD supported marketing of events
Challenges Dillon Rule Data is difficult to capture Difficult political climate We re in a tobacco state Limited number of tobacco control jobs Geographic differences
Staying Mobilized Coalitions naturally ebb and flow. What s the game plan when you meet your goals? Will the coalition go on because the goal will continue? Will the coalition end after accomplishing a task? Best to have this discussion early when formalizing the coalition Community priorities change
Great American Smokeout ACS event to encourage tobacco users to make a quit plan. Charlottesville hosts a community smokeout in November and mini fresh starts throughout the year Brings together over 20 organizations Provides services to assist people in quitting (nutrition, massage, blood pressure screenings, medication assistance, quit plans, etc) Keeps tobacco related organizations engaged, but is mindful of time and other roles. Planning for big smokeout begins in August- so not a full year commitment Successful event Over 250 people have attended one of these smokeout events Plans to continue format
Next Steps TFCC will continue to operate under the leadership of the agencies with designated tobacco-control staff Quarterly partners newsletter No formal meetings, but stakeholder will meet biannually to reevaluate tobacco environment and needs in community Annual project to keep coalition members engaged Keep members informed of new information and agency updates Helps members network and share successes in place of attending a meeting Ready to Assemble By maintaining the coalition as a informal group it gives us the opportunity to connect members when opportunities arise Can mobilize into coalition around new priorities as they arise
Questions? Thank you! Lindsay Hauser, UVA Cancer Center LH7YN@virginia.edu Kathryn Goodman, VDH Thomas Jefferson Health District Kathryn.Goodman@vdh.virginia.gov