The Smoking Rate in Los Angeles Area - Research Paper Example

? Reduction of Smoking Behavior in COPD in Los Angeles Areas Affiliation with more information about affiliation, research grants, conflict of interest and how to contact Reduction of Smoking Behavior in COPD in Los Angeles Areas Statement The main intension of this research is to reduce the smoking rate in Los Angeles area and therefore, reduce the possibility of diseases like COPD Introduction: Analysis of current situation Various reasons for the current situation Short comings of imposed laws Changes required Recommendations Body: Current situation: Los Angeles is leading in tobacco control and prevention No reduction in the number of patients suffering from various diseases Younger generation has started this behavior on a large scale No new ideas are produced even after conducting various studies regarding the mater. Various strategies and policies: Health promotion strategies Education Sufficient communication Remodeling of Community structure Modifying organizational structure Support and mediation Integration of higher organizations Self analysis on the part of individuals Process: Assessment Longer vision Sufficient communication channel Introduction: Cigarette smoking is one of the major causes of death in the world. It is a fatal habit, which can cause many diseases like COPD, stress and many forms of cancers. According to the American Society Council, the major cause for death in the states is mainly lung cancer, which is caused due to smoking. Apart from this, it causes many health problems, which need treatment that a common man cannot afford. In spite of all the efforts from the government to stop smoking, the number of people affected from various diseases maintained a steady level for the last few years, which needs to be monitored in the coming days, to reduce the intensity of the problem that is being faced by the present generation. “Smoking reduction and the rate of decline in FEV1: results from the Lung Health Study”. (Simmons & Connett & Lindgren & Kleerup & Murray & Bjornson & Tashkin, 2011). Current situation: It is totally impossible to count the number of smokers and people suffering from various diseases due to smoking. The only way to get such a data is to analyze various surveys regarding smoking and the hospital reports. When we evaluate the reports on cigarette control and smokers, we can see that Los Angeles is the worldwide leader in tobacco control and prevention. Compared to all other states in America, Los Angeles has the least smoking rate. The main reason behind this is as follows: Various tax policies adopted by governing council on cigarettes. It can force many people to stop the habit of smoking, due to the amount they have to pay for it. The media has been aggressive on the anti smoking policies. As the main thing, which directly influences the people today is media; the acts put forward by them affect the criteria. Various public policies like smoke free condition in several public areas, also affects the matter. Mainly the control of tobacco, which largely limits the production of cigarettes. Despite of success in these matters, it is seen that the medical reports from various hospitals reveal the fact that instead of a decline in the number of smokers, it maintained a constant level for last 8 years, some of the reports from the hospitals also prove the same facts: The reports from the cancer department of California hospital medical centre shows that, I. From 1990 to 2002 the patients admitted in the hospitals due to diseases like COPD, lung cancer etc has reduced from 50% to 35%, which is mainly due to the various laws imposed. II. For last 8 years i.e. from 2002 to till now, the rate has fluctuated between 35% and 30%, which shows the various shortcomings of the laws imposed. Same facts are revealed from the good Samaritan hospital reports, I. There was decrease in number of patients suffering from various health problems due to smoking, has decreased from 45% to 30% until 2002 II. After 2002, the number haven’t decreased, it maintained a steady level of 30% It has been the most devastating thing to be known for the concerned people who are in charge of this issue. There was a decline in the number, when the laws were first imposed, but it did not continue, the number remained constant. The recent surveys have unveiled many important facts: Apart from adults whose number on the concerned matter declined, the teens have started the behavior on a very large scale. It is same in the case of hospital reports, which show that the patients are mainly admitted for disease like COPD, and various lung problems, which are caused due to smoking. This turns out to be the ultimate proof for the facts. Comparing the death rates, it is evident that 9 out of 10000 people die due to a disease caused by smoking. The main reason behind the current situation is the enforcing in imposing new rules. For developing new rules there should be new ideas, which lack in at the present stage. Despite of various researches and studies, new ideas are not produced. So the situation is getting worse. “New Report on Cigarette Smoking in Los Angeles County” (Smoking. 2011). Health promotion strategies and process: The only way to reduce the smoking rate is to make a strategy, which convince people about the current problem and put an end to smoking, which includes: Health promotion strategies: The main step towards anything is education; a proper health education can make the people understand various issues. It will be good if there is a provision to include it in the syllabus itself. A service for communicating with the people directly through awareness programs and seminars can turn out to be good in this case. The overall structure of the community in which the people are living should be reconstructed in a proper way Creating some rules to avoid smoking in public places Banning the sale of cigarettes to children below the age as instructed by the government. A public negligence should be created against smoking and smokers. Public should be ready to raise their voice for the reduction of smoking. There should be a change in the organizational structure concerned with the related matters. There should be sufficient support from all the organizations. Mediation in this case should be sufficient so that the problems are solved in a better manner. There should be sufficient integration from other organizations such as WHO to get the required support. Individuals should analyze themselves and make the right decisions regarding the behavior of smoking. “New policy of World Health Organization Promoting health and development: closing implementation gap” (Health promotion, 2011). Processes: Assessment of various needs and planning of things accordingly, to have a greater efficiency from the various processes. It is meant not only for the present situation, but it should have the effect in the future also. So the vision should be strong enough to have an impact in the future as well. There should be sufficient channel for communication. News papers can be used as one of them to convey various messages Various social networking sites can be used in spreading the information. Sending bulk emails or messages can also serve the purpose. Sufficient coordination and cooperation among various agencies can also be a great help for this matter. Since it is a public affair, the resources should be allocated in a proper manner. Various steps adopted should be sufficient to evaluate the methods and make the necessary changes required. Research and evaluation activities: Researches should be conducted on a wider range with a definite view about the problem. Researches should have the aim of public interest rather than personal achievements. The associated officials should identify issues regarding the matter. The topic should be specific; it should not deviate from the subject at any cost. It should be able to answer the various questions regarding the matter. The correct sources for the information should be identified, so as to ensure that the facts are genuine. Various methods for collecting the information should be implemented. Surveys can be conducted on wider scale to identify various problems and peoples response about the problem. Investigations can be organized by the concerned departments to get the reports. Analyzing various hospital reports can be useful in the process. All data regarding the subject should be collected with good efficiency Various data should be analyzed by the experts with a view to changing the required ones. From the analysis, the recommendations for the improvements should be provided and effectuated in a better way. The ideas for improvement should be spread among the people. Various factors it should cover are: It must cover various factors around us like, a. Different health problems it can create when consumed on a large scale, people should be aware of the problem regarding their health more than anything, b. The problems it can create on the surroundings, i.e. the various problems leading to imbalance in the environment. c. The research and analysis should produce some kind of ideas as solutions to the current problem. The process should collaborate with other programs like tobacco elimination process or carbon monoxide reduction policy to enhance its activity. The policies should not only cover one task, they should be multi functioning and address various facts like: a. Individual problems like how smoking can adversely affect a particular person. b. Problems it can create in the environment like pollution etc. c. It should also address how damages the structure of our society and its functioning. There should be a mechanism to evolve the present solutions regarding the present problems, as anything can become outdated as time goes on. The measures should ensure the following things: It should be in such a manner that enhances the physical and mental conditions of the people. It should be effective and efficient, as errors can lead to many problems. It should support the various activities chosen for studies, like reducing COPD and other diseases related to it. It should have sufficient flexibility to adjust according to any conditions It should empower the activities of the concerned authorities. As the processes like smoking can produce problems in relationships, in one way or the other, the policies adopted should have the sufficient qualities to strengthen the relationships. It should be acceptable to all sections of the society, so that their effective participation is ensured. It should consider various communities and should not be one that causes disrespect to anyone. “Process evaluation of health promotion interventions Nina Parry-Langdon, Michael Bloor, Suzanne Audrey and Joanne Holliday” (Nina, & Bloor & Audrey & Holliday, 2003). Usage: The policies we adopt should be affective in each stage of our strategy like: Planning, as it is the first thing to be done by any organization before executing. The plan should be one that considers all the issues coming under it. The next stage comes when there is an issue of implementation; if something is not implemented in a proper manner, there is no use of any effort, the policies should be considered so that they go directly into a man’s mindsets. Evaluation should be done to ensure that sufficient importance is given to all the factors. After evaluation if anything does not match, there should be provision for redesigning. “For all the intense efforts to reduce smoking in America over the past two decades, the progress has not been stellar. Today one in four men and one in five women still smoke” (25 Ways to Stop Smoking Cigarettes, 2011). Developing a picture of the Ideal response to your selected issue: If all the points had been considered at an early stage, the problem would not have been this worse. We can understand from the facts that, when the new policies for reducing the smoking were imposed for the first time, the number reduced considerably. But due to the lack of awareness among concerned persons, made the situation got worse, as a result the number remained at a steady level for the last few years. This reveals that many had started the process during last few years or so. If sufficient measures were taken a few years ago, the problem would not have been a subject matter now. Step 3: implement, reflect, and document   activities/processes: what did we do? How did we do it? Outcomes of processes/activities: what were the results?     health education: selecting various methods increased knowledge regarding the matter creating awareness : making it subject matter among people people knows the various effects Effective transmission of ideas: efficient and effective methods changes the mindset of the people imposing various laws: Government should impose rules people will be forced to stop Making of special departments: to concentrate only on this problem immediate solution will be produced for the problem increasing the researches: problems will be identified current problems regarding the matter will be identified     new ideas should be produced: surveys and studies can make it there will be a change in the current system Effective implementation of various ideas: no errors in solutions people will be served better analysis of various ideas: ensure no errors are occurred various errors will be removed proper channel: like media ideas are well reached into one's mind     ensure effective participation so that it acceptable to all sections.         If various organizations have foreseen the problems faced by the state now, the younger generation would not have been exposed to such an environment, where they have the tendency to get addicted to smoking. Also the people who have such a habit will be reduced by some amount. If the current resources like money, media power or others have been considered, the ideas which could arise now have taken control of things by the end of 2002 “HHS Secretary Announces Launch of Unprecedented Anti-Smoking Effort in Los Angeles County” (HHS Secretary Announces Launch of Unprecedented Anti-Smoking Effort in Los Angeles County, 2010). PRACTICE PICTURE OF THE IDEAL RESPONSE TO SELECTED ISSUE Health Education Creating awareness about diseases Effective transmission of ideas Providing the education required for this matter Including the information in the students syllabus Making the subject a general issue among people Producing awareness about various problems caused due to smoking An idea of what COPD is about and how it can be stopped or prevented Using media as a main method Imposing laws regarding the matter Making special departments to sort this out Laws like ensuring of smoke free environments in public places Reducing sales Imposing rules on smoking Handle it directly Analyze the environment for any change in its nature to understand the intensity of smoking Increasing the researches carried out on the matter Take out the points and ways of implementing Analysis on various points Increasing the researches can bring out various files which needs attention Various points coming out of researches and surveys should be considered and taken into account Various sources and methods employed for the matter should also be analyzed. Analysis of the various points on the basis of the current situation. Selecting the method Developing ideas to reach the minds of people Proper channel Decision should be taken to impose various ideas among the people The danger of smoking should be made aware to the people Media can serve as a proper channel to reach the minds of people. The problems faced by regular smokers, the environmental problems, and the effects of smoking on the people including the younger generation should be well known to people. Conclusion: From surveys or researches one can find the methods to reduce smoking rate in the country. It is clear how smoking can dangerously affect the ability of a person; it can act on a person’s patience and skill in doing things, they become addicted to it. It can cause disrespect among people despite the fact of what status the particular person has, ignorance of his thoughts in various matters and many more. So it has become a major problem that needs to be handled right away. Reference List HHS Secretary Announces Launch of Unprecedented Anti-Smoking Effort in Los Angeles County. (2010). Marketwire. Retrieved March 26, 2011, from http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/HHS-Secretary-Announces-Launch-Unprecedented-Anti-Smoking-Effort-Los-Angeles-County-1309788.htm Health promotion. (2011). WHO. Retrieved March 26, 2011, from http://www.who.int/healthpromotion/en/ Nina, P.L ., & Bloor, M., & Audrey, S., & Holliday, J. (2003). Process evaluation of health promotion interventions. The Policy Press. Retrieved March 26, 2011, from http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/socsi/cishe/pages/Publications/p207.pdf Simmons, M. S., & Connett, J.E., & Lindgren, P.G., & Kleerup, E.C., & Murray, R.P., & Bjornson, WM., & Tashkin, D.P. (2011). Smoking reduction and the rate of decline in FEV1: results from the Lung Health Study. European Respiratory Journal. Retrieved March 26, 2011, from http://www.ersj.org.uk/content/25/6/1011.full Smoking. (2011). Teens Health. Retrieved March 26, 2011, from http://kidshealth.org/teen/drug_alcohol/tobacco/smoking.html 25 Ways to Stop Smoking Cigarettes. (2011). ReadersDigestVersion. Retrieved March 26, 2011, from http://www.rd.com/health/25-ways-to-stop-smoking-cigarettes/ Read More