The Cameron County needs assessment outlines the high prevalence of adult smoking in the area (39%) and its severe health implications, including increased risks of cancer and cardiovascular diseases. It highlights existing and proposed interventions to reduce smoking rates, such as raising tobacco prices, implementing smoke-free policies, and enhancing community mobilization efforts. Potential partnerships with local health organizations are also identified to support these initiatives and improve public health outcomes.

1. Cameron County Needs Assessment
Pennsylvania Department of Public Health
By : Caesar Toland ( Health Educator)
5/5/2015

2. Outline
 Background Information
 Prevalence
 Demographic Information
 Objective
 Evidence-based Interventions
 Existing Interventions
 Proposed Interventions
 Potential Partners
 References

3. Background Information
 Negative effects of smoking : Stroke, cardiovascular disease,
coronary heart disease and lung cancer. (surgeon generals report, 2015)
 The number of deaths in the U.S. caused by smoking estimates at
480,000 a year (1 in 5) (surgeon generals report, 2015)
 Financial impact of smoking on our economy: 9.17 Billion dollars
in 2012 spent on marketing and promo expenses.( Federal trade commission,
2015)
 Pennsylvania received grant money to target its county with the
highest prevalence of adults who smoke cigarettes. (county health rankings,
2015)
 County needs assessment determining: Demographics, Existing
interventions, Possible interventions, Potential partners in county
that can help decrease smoking rates.

4. Prevalence
 Adult Smoking is the percentage of the adult population that
currently smokes every day or most days and has smoked at
least 100 cigarettes in their lifetime. 39% of the county has
adult smokers. (county health rankings, 2015)
 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) is a
random digit dial survey , applies to all people that are 18
years of age or older, that are not institutionalized and have
household land line telephones.
- used to measure various health behaviors and health
related qualities of life indicators, all data is weighed by
population and is age adjusted. (county health rankings, 2015)

5. Demographics
Cameron, Pennsylvania
Population - 4,886 compared to 12,773,801 of Pennsylvania
Age – 65 yrs. or older is 22.8% compared to 16.4% of the state
Race – White non- Hispanics is 97.3% compared to 78.4% of the
state.
African Americans is 0.4% compared to 10.6% of the
state.
American Indian is 0.4% compared to 0.3% of the state.
Hispanics is 0.7% compared to 6.3% of the state.
Asians is 0.3% compared to 3.1% of the state.
Rural- is 47.4% rural compared to 21.3% of the state.

6. Objective
 Healthy People 2020
Goals: Reduce illness, disability, and deaths that are related to
tobacco use and secondhand smoke exposure.
Target objective percentage for Adult Smoking by 2020 is 12%
(healthypeople,2015)

7. Evidence-based interventions
 Interventions to Increase in unit price for tobacco products
(price)
 Mass-Reach Health Communication Interventions (Media,
and billboards)
 Mobile Phone-Based Cessation Interventions (Phone
assessment)
 Quit-line Interventions ( Telephone Counseling)
 Smoke-Free Policies ( Public Policies)
 Provider Oriented Interventions ( Doctors informing risk)
 Community Mobilization with Additional Interventions
 (thecommunityguide,2015)

8. Existing Interventions
 Interventions to Increase unit price- Cigarette tax is $1.60 for
Pennsylvania 22nd ranked in the U.S.
 Provider Oriented Interventions
 Mobile phone based interventions - (SmokeFreeTXT teens and
young adults and QuitNowTXT is designed for adults)
 Mass reach health communication Interventions ( radio promo,
internet sites, and television ads)
 Quit line interventions
 Smoke Free Policies (CIAA) Smoke free in Public locations
- Bars have no prevention or restrictions for smoking in public, the
state has preemption …Bad thing unless it is changed by
legislature. (Tobaccofreekids, 2015) (U.S legal Inc., 2014) (CountyHealthRankings, 2015)

9. Proposed Interventions
 Community Mobilization to restrict minors access to
tobacco products ( more community meetings,
activities, school meetings, petitions, letters to local law
men.

10. Potential Partnerships
 Health department of Erie county Pennsylvania
-to preserve, promote, and protect the health and well being of
the people and environment of the county.
-Richard Ortoski can be contacted for leadership ( Board
director), They use community mobilization , and mass reach
for their county.
 American Lung Association in Pennsylvania
- significantly decrease tobacco-related morbidity, mortality,
and economic costs in Pennsylvania.
- Caryn Carr can be contacted for leadership ( public health
educator), Prevent, promote, Eliminate , and Enhance.)
- (American lung association, 2015)

11. Potential Partnerships
 Clinical Outcomes group/ Youth Lungs at Play
- Mission is to help children avoid exposure to second hand
smoke, creating tobacco free zones such as parks
,playgrounds , and recreational areas.
- Leslie Hosterman can be contacted for leadership in the
program. ( creating more mass reach communication such as
signs , posters and stickers that will only help to grab the
attention of smokers in restricted areas.)
- (Clinical outcome group,2015)

12. References
 Orzechowski & Walker, Tax Burden on Tobacco, 2013;
media reports; state revenue department website
(http://www.stateoftobaccocontrol.org/state-
grades/pennsylvania/)
 http://smoking.uslegal.com/smoking-regulations-in-
Pennsylvania/
 http://publichealthlawcenter.org/sites/default/files/resources/t
clc-guide-restricttobadvert-2011.pdf

13. References
 http://www.thecommunityguide.org/tobacco/index.html
 http://www.countyhealthrankings.org/policies/cell-phone-
based-tobacco-cessation-interventions
 http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/tobacco_control_programs/prog
ram_development/quitline_funding/
 http://www.coginc.org/Tobacco-Control-Services/Tobacco-
Control-Services/
 http://www.thecommunityguide.org/tobacco/quitlines.html
 http://www.thecommunityguide.org/tobacco/communityinter
ventions.html
 http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-
objectives/topic/tobacco-use