Tag: health

Cancer Services Program Offers Free Screening

(Binghamton, N.Y.) – During Cervical Cancer Awareness Month this January, the Southern Tier Cancer Services Program (CSP) is reminding women aged 21 and older to get screened for cervical cancer. Unlike other cancers, screening can prevent cervical cancer. Screening tests can find the cells that lead to cancer. These cells can be removed before cancer starts. Screening can also find cancer early when it may be easier to treat. Cervical cancer does not usually cause symptoms when it first starts, which makes regular screening the key to finding it early.

Data from the New York State Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System shows that New Yorkers without health insurance, a regular health care provider, a college degree, or those with incomes lower than $50,000 are less likely to report being screened for cervical cancer following recommended guidelines¹.

“The CSP works to remove barriers to cervical, breast, and colorectal cancer screening,” said Maggie Gareca, Outreach Coordinator. “We provide free cancer screening to eligible people aged 40 and older who do not have health insurance and who live in Broome, Tioga, Chenango, Chemung, and Schuyler counties. The CSP also helps people find a health care provider if they don’t already have one. If cancer is found, we help our clients afford follow up treatments.”

“Cervical cancer screening should begin at age 21, but the risk for cervical cancer increases with age. We encourage people with a cervix not to delay their screening, talk to their doctor, or call the Cancer Services Program at 607-778-3900 to see if you are eligible for free cancer screenings,” said Gareca.

The Cancer Services Program is funded by the New York State Department of Health. For more information about risk factors for cervical cancer, visit https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/cancer/cervical/

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1. New York State Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, Cervical Cancer Screening New York State Adult Females ages 21-65, 2020, https://www.health.ny.gov/statistics/brfss/reports/docs/2022-01_brfss_cervical_cancer_screening.pdf

NYS Department of Health Develops Quit Vaping Materials for Schools

BINGHAMTON, NY – The New York State Department of Health continues to work to reduce vaping among young people. A much larger percentage of youth and young adults use e-cigarettes compared to older adults. Across New York State, 18.7 percent of high schoolers vaped in 2022. In 2023, approximately 10% of Broome and Tioga students reported vaping in the past 30 days, according to the Prevention Needs Assessment Survey and the Community-Level Youth Development Evaluation Survey, conducted by the Broome County Prevention Coalition and the Tioga County Advocacy, Support, and Prevention Coalition.

A 2022 national survey of youth who vape found that more than half of respondents intend to quit. The Department has developed posters, palm cards, and rack cards for middle schools and high schools/young adults, in both English and Spanish, to promote This is Quitting, a free, confidential text-message service, and the New York State Smokers’ Quitline. Tobacco-Free Broome and Tioga, a grantee of the Advancing Tobacco-Free Communities grant is a local partner that can provide these materials to local school districts.

E-cigarettes are by far the most used tobacco product by high school students in New York State. Among high school students, nearly 1 in 5 (18.7 percent) reported vaping nicotine compared to a record low of about 1 in 50 (2.1 percent) who reported smoking cigarettes in 2022. There is some evidence that current vaping among youth could lead to future cigarette use.

This is Quitting is a free, anonymous text message cessation service designed specifically for young people 13-24. This is Quitting, is evidence-based, and was developed by Truth Initiative with input from young people who want to quit vaping. The messages show the benefits and challenges of quitting, to help young people feel motivated, inspired, and supported throughout their quitting process. To date, the initiative has helped more than 600,000 young people nationally on their journey to quit vaping. Young people can join This is Quitting by texting “DropTheVape” to 88709.

(SPENCER, NY) – The Spencer Village Board has passed a 100% comprehensive smoke-free municipal grounds policy. The policy was approved at the September 11^th board meeting and will prohibit the use of all tobacco, cannabis and vaping products at all village owned properties, structures, ballfields and play areas.

The Surgeon General of the United States has declared that there is no safe level of secondhand smoke. Secondhand smoke contains over 7,000 chemicals, including cancer causing agents. It causes premature death and disease in children and adults who do not smoke and causes immediate damage to the cardiovascular system.  Even low levels of secondhand smoke can lead to disease and death.

The Village of Spencer’s previous smoke-free policy prohibited combustible cigarettes at all park grounds. Recently, the village worked with the Tobacco-Free Broome and Tioga program to update this policy to be more comprehensive, prohibiting the use of all tobacco, vaping, and cannabis products on all Village property grounds. This is the second municipality to adopt a fully comprehensive smoke-free policy in Tioga County, following in the footsteps of the Village of Newark Valley.

We want to thank the Village of Spencer for implementing a comprehensive smoke-free policy to protect their community members from the dangers of second-hand smoke exposure. Our 2023 local Community Tobacco Survey found that 65% of Tioga County residents support restricting or eliminating smoking in outdoor public places such as parks, outdoor recreation areas and playgrounds, so this is a win for Tioga County residents.

Updated Smoke-Free signage will be provided to the village by Tobacco Free Broome and Tioga. For more information on implementing smoke-free policies or on quitting smoking, contact Community Engagement Coordinator Grace Merrill at Grace.Merrill@BroomeCountyNY.Gov or 607-778-3928.

Overdose Prevention Program to Further Distribute Free Naloxone for the Public

(BROOME COUNTY, NY) – In collaboration with the Central New York Rotary, the Broome County Health Department’s Overdose Prevention Program is partnering with county-owned, rented, and operated facilities to expand the availability of Naloxone through Naloxone distribution boxes, or Naloxboxes, across Broome County. This initiative is supported by a Rotary Global Grant, which partners with organizations in seven upstate New York counties to increase access to this life-saving medication. The expansion of Naloxboxes is a critical step in Broome County’s efforts to reduce fatal and non-fatal overdoses and save the lives of community members.

Amanda Lewis, who has both administered Naloxone and been saved by Naloxone said, “I am a multiple overdose survivor and there is only 1 reason I’m alive today. I am able to help people just like me, because Naloxone was available to reverse my overdose during a time of crisis.”

Naloxone (brand name: Narcan) is an FDA-approved medication that reverses opioid overdoses by blocking opioids from connecting to brain receptors and restoring normal breathing. The Naloxone provided in the Naloxboxes is administered intranasally (through the nose via nasal spray) and remains effective for up to 90 minutes. Naloxone is safe to use on pregnant individuals, children, pets, and even those who are not experiencing an opioid overdose.

Naloxboxes may vary in appearance, from purple newspaper-style boxes to clear cabinets or plastic totes, but all contain Overdose Response Kits. Each kit includes two 4mg doses of Naloxone nasal spray, fentanyl and xylazine test strips, a face mask for rescue breathing, an instruction card, and contact information for the Broome County Overdose Prevention Program, where community members can request free Naloxone training or additional resources. The kits are free, and all Broome County residents are encouraged to take one or multiple in efforts to have supplies accessible in the event of an opioid overdose.

The project builds on the existing Naloxbox program already present in local businesses, community organizations, hotels, and restaurants, made possible through partnerships with Broome County Mental Health, Columbia University’s HEALing Communities Study, Truth Pharm, and the Addiction Center of Broome County (ACBC). The new county maintained Naloxboxes will be installed in phases, starting at the Broome County Health Department. A second phase, funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention OD2A LOCAL grant, will expand installations in county-operated sites in 2025.

Broome County Executive Jason Garnar said, “Making these life-saving kits more accessible will help reduce stigma and put critical medication in the hands of more people, ultimately saving lives.”

For free Naloxone training, to request a Naloxbox for your organization, or for more information, contact the Broome County Health Department Overdose Prevention Program at 607-778-2805 or overdoseprevention@broomecountyny.gov.

Local Traffic Safety Partners are Offering Free Car Seat Checks by Certified Technicians

(ENDICOTT – NY) — Every year, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) partners with local communities to hold Child Passenger Safety Week, which runs this year from September 15-21. The annual safety week ends with National Seat Check Saturday, a day for parents and caregivers to receive free instruction on how to correctly install and use the right car seats for their children.

The Broome County Traffic Safety Program announced that certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians will be offering free car seat safety checks on:

Saturday, September 21, 2024

11AM-2PM

Endicott Fire Department

224 Madison Avenue, Endicott

Technicians will check car seats, let caregivers know if their children are in the right seats for their ages and sizes, and show them how to install the right seats correctly. “Unfortunately, many parents are overconfident about their car seats,” said Christine Marion, Traffic Safety Education Program Coordinator for the Broome County Health Department. “They think they’re protecting their kids, but almost half of car seats are either the wrong seat for the child’s age and size, or the seats are installed incorrectly. That puts children at risk.” According to NHTSA, motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death for children. Every day in 2022, an average of three children, age 14 and younger, were killed in crashes, and another 429 were injured. “We know parents love their kids,” added Marion “so they’ll do everything in their power to protect them. An easy way to do that is to double-check their car seats — it’s worth making sure.”

When it comes to child passengers, there is a right seat for every age and developmental stage — from infants to teens. Whether it’s a rear-facing car seat, a forward-facing car seat, a booster seat, or a seat belt, a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician can put parents’ minds at ease by discussing correct car seat selection and showing them how to correctly install that seat in their vehicle. Children should stay in each seat and position until they outgrow those limits, and it’s important for all children under 13 to ride in the back seat.

In addition to free car seat checks, there will also be seat belt demonstrations provided by the NYS Police, Safe Child ID Cards provided by the Broome County Sheriff’s Office, injury prevention and safety information provided by United Health Services, and lead education provided by the Broome County Health Department.

If Saturday’s times don’t work for your schedule, but you’d still like to have your car seats checked, find out if a technician is available in your community by visiting www.nhtsa.gov/vehicle-safety/car-seats-and-booster-seats#installation-help-inspection or visiting Safety and Injury Prevention | Broome County (gobroomecounty.com) for a list of local Fitting Stations.   NHTSA.gov also has free resources available to caregivers. Learn about the different car seat types, read NHTSA’s research-based recommendations, and find and compare car seats.

It’s also important for caregivers to register their car seats with the manufacturer so they can be notified in the event of a recall. Download NHTSA’s SaferCar app, which allows users to save their vehicle, car seat, and tire info in a virtual garage. If any of the saved equipment is included in a safety recall, the app will send a notification.

For more information on child car seat safety, as well as how to find other car seat check events, go to www.nhtsa.gov/therightseat

(BINGHAMTON, NY) – LGBTQIA+ young adults ages 18-24 are nearly twice as likely to smoke than their straight peers^[i].  About 1 in 6 (15.3%) of lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults smoke cigarettes, compared to about 1 in 9 (11.4%) of heterosexual/straight adults.[ii] This is on purpose. In the 1990s, the tobacco industry specifically targeted the LGBTQIA+ community with a marketing plan called “Project SCUM.”

In response, Tobacco-Free Broome Tioga, and the Identity Youth Center are partnering to raise awareness during Binghamton’s First Friday events. On September 6^th from 5 p.m. until 9 p.m., Tobacco-Free Broome Tioga will educate community members and youth members of Identity on the connection between tobacco and vape use in the LGBTQIA+ community. Individuals interested in attending should visit 206 State St, Binghamton, NY during the above-mentioned hours.

Tobacco Free Broome & Tioga and Reality Check are funded partners of the New York State Bureau of Tobacco Control.  The Bureau of Tobacco Control implements evidence-based and promising strategies to prevent and reduce tobacco use and envisions a tobacco-free society for all New Yorkers. For more information, visit www.tobaccofreenys.com

(BINGHAMTON, NY) – Over 2.5 million kids in the United States use e-cigarettes, and 85% of them use flavored products^[i]. Youth members of Reality Check have declared October 13th as “Seen Enough Tobacco Day” to raise awareness about the impact of tobacco marketing. This initiative aims to protect themselves and their communities from the billions of dollars spent on tobacco promotions that predominantly target youth and minorities. Each year, Seen Enough Tobacco Day provides an opportunity for youth and community members to call for action, urging the tobacco industry to stop marketing products to young people and eliminate the sale of flavored vapes, which are illegal in NYS.

Tobacco-Free Broome and Tioga has developed a toolkit for schools to celebrate Seen Enough Tobacco Day. They can provide physical and financial assistance to schools that wish to implement the activities in the toolkit. To access the toolkit, please visit our Facebook at Tobacco Free Broome Tioga.

The partnership between Tobacco-Free Broome and Tioga and local school districts stemmed from a regional training on student vaping hosted by the Broome County Prevention Coalition and Tobacco-Free Broome Tioga, which was available to all Broome and Tioga school districts. Any Broome or Tioga school district interested in implementing anti-vaping strategies and activities throughout their district is encouraged to contact our program by emailing Grace.Merrill@BroomeCountyNY.Gov or call (607)-778-3928

For help quitting, call your doctor, and for support, contact the New York State Smokers’ Quitline at 1-866-NY-QUITS or visit www.nysmokefree.com. 

Tobacco Free Broome & Tioga and Reality Check are funded partners of the New York State Bureau of Tobacco Control.  The Bureau of Tobacco Control implements evidence-based and promising strategies to prevent and reduce tobacco use and envisions a tobacco-free society for all New Yorkers. For more information, visit www.tobaccofreenys.com

(JOHNSON CITY, NY) – Did you know that car crashes are a leading cause of death for children 1 to 13 years old? Properly used child safety seats can reduce the risk of death by up to 71%. While most parents are confident they’ve correctly installed their child’s car seat, many still have some form of misuse. In Broome County, only 12% of the child safety seats checked by local Certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians are properly used. Common misuses include loose installation, harness straps not being tight enough, improper location of the chest clip, use of an expired seat, unknown seat history, or improper seat for the child based on age, weight, or height.  To address this, the Broome County Traffic Safety Program, in collaboration with community partners, will be holding a car seat check event.

Friday, August 30^th

3PM-6PM

Johnson City Fire Department

320 Harry L Drive, Johnson City

No appointment necessary! Rain or Shine!

This event will include free child safety seat checks by Certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians, as well as free educational materials and guidance on proper car seat usage. Participants should bring their child safety seat(s), child/children, vehicle, and if available, the car seat and vehicle manuals.  Checks will be conducted on a first-come, first-served basis. No appointment is necessary. 

For more information, you may contact the Broome County Traffic Safety Program at 607-778-2807.

BINGHAMTON, NY – Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable disease and death, claiming nearly 24,000 lives in New York annually. To safeguard our community from the dangers of second-hand smoke and vape aerosol, Mothers & Babies Perinatal Network has implemented a smoke-free outdoor policy. This policy aims to protect both clients, patrons, and staff from exposure to second-hand smoke. Mothers & Babies obtained technical assistance from the Tobacco-Free Broome & Tioga program to help them update their policy to include both vaping and cannabis products and to assist with the policy’s enforcement.

The Tobacco-Free Broome Tioga program is dedicated to educating our community members with effective strategies to decrease tobacco use in their community. We provide technical assistance for businesses and organizations who wish to implement tobacco-free policies in outdoor public areas, protecting everyone from secondhand smoke, especially children. By creating a tobacco-free environment where youth live and play, we shield them from the influence of tobacco and tobacco marketing. We thank Mothers & Babies Perinatal Network for their dedication to protecting residents from secondhand smoke.

Organizations interested in learning more or adopting a policy to make their worksite grounds and entryways tobacco-free are encouraged to take a proactive step towards a healthier environment. They may contact Grace Merrill at Grace.Merrill@BroomeCountyNY.gov or call 607-778-3928 for information and assistance.    

For help quitting, call your doctor, and for support, contact the New York State Smokers’ Quitline at 1-866-NY-QUITS or visit www.nysmokefree.com. 

Tobacco Free Broome & Tioga and Reality Check are funded partners of the New York State Bureau of Tobacco Control.  The Bureau of Tobacco Control implements evidence-based and promising strategies to prevent and reduce tobacco use and envisions a tobacco-free society for all New Yorkers. For more information, visit www.tobaccofreenys.com

(Owego, NY)- Tobacco Free Broome & Tioga Reality Check youth conducted a tobacco litter clean-up throughout the Village of Owego which included the Owego Riverwalk, Draper Park, Ahwaga Park and the connecting riverbank trail. These findings will be shared with the Owego Village Board on August 19^th to educate about the effects of tobacco litter, secondhand smoke exposure, and local policy options to combat these issues within the community. 

What does this mean?

In New York State, the Clean Indoor Air Act, in effect since 2003, prevents smoking inside public workplaces, such as businesses, organizations, stores, schools, etc. However, this law does not prohibit smoking in outdoor areas. Due to concerns about the health effects of exposure to secondhand smoke outdoors, and to respect the rights of individuals to breath clean air, municipalities, agencies and businesses in Broome and Tioga counties (and throughout New York State) have adopted tobacco free outdoor policies.

Why is a tobacco free outdoor policy important?

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has identified tobacco smoke as a human carcinogen placing it in the same category as radon, benzene, and asbestos. The Surgeon General has stated that “there is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke.”  Even low levels of exposure to secondhand smoke can lead to disease and death.

Tobacco Free Outdoor Policies:

• Encourage healthy living habits.  Tobacco use in family-friendly places models unhealthy behavior and normalizes the use of tobacco.  When children see adults smoking, they see smoking as an acceptable behavior and one they might aspire to. In addition, tobacco free policies make it easier for current smokers trying to quit by removing a trigger to smoke.  Studies show that 70% of smokers would like to quit.

• Prevent the harmful effects of secondhand smoke.  Even outdoors, individuals can be exposed to levels of secondhand smoke as high as those indoors, depending on weather conditions and proximity to the smoker.  Because their lungs are smaller, children breathe in 50% more air pollution than an adult. Allergies, asthma attacks and other health problems can be triggered by even small amounts of secondhand smoke exposure.
• Keep grounds cleaner and protect our children. Americans alone discard more than 4.5 trillion cigarette butts every year. According to the National Institutes of Health, Tobacco products containing nicotine are responsible for more than 10,000 telephone calls to poison control centers in the United States each year; the majority of these calls involve accidental ingestion of tobacco products by young children.

Reality Check is an advocacy organization that mobilizes youth against the manipulative tobacco industry by collectively working to educate our communities to help usher in a tobacco free generation.