Community Strategic Plan: Reducing Tobacco Use in Adults, NURS 561

This assignment presents a community strategic plan aimed at addressing the prevalent public health issue of tobacco use among adults. The plan begins with an introduction that highlights the adverse health effects of tobacco, its global prevalence, and the associated economic costs in the United States. It incorporates data, figures, and charts to illustrate the scope of the problem. The plan then explores advanced practice roles and management strategies that can effect change at the community level, emphasizing awareness campaigns, community resources, and the importance of peer support. The assignment also identifies changes and enhancements in community-related services, such as regulating nicotine levels and implementing stricter laws. The strategic plan focuses on counseling, awareness programs, and the use of media platforms to control tobacco consumption. The conclusion emphasizes the importance of community-based services, proper implementation of laws, and decreasing nicotine levels to reduce tobacco use. References and an appendix, including a community assessment, are included to support the plan's recommendations.

Running head: Community strategic plan
Community strategic plan
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
Authors note:

1COMMUNITY STRATEGIC PLAN
Introduction
Community level strategic plan aims to throw light on a prevalent issue that affects
the public health and how with small measures it can be overcome. Tobacco use among
adults poses serious health effects among both youth and adults. Risk factors of tobacco
usage has both biological and social implication. Cardiovascular disease and risk of cancer
increases with over usage of tobacco. Tobacco usage starts from a young age and once the
habit starts it is difficult to get rid for the consumers. Therefore efficient planning strategies
are required to address the issue. Many get into this habit as a result of peer pressure as many
thinks smoking tobacco as a fashion. Degree of inhalation and duration of usage makes the
situation worse and there must be proper awareness on such issues.
Figure 1: Adverse effects of tobacco Source: ("Health Effects of Cigarette Smoking", 2017)

2COMMUNITY STRATEGIC PLAN
The issue is prevalent globally and the number of smokers is increasing day by day.
The number of smokers increased from 721 million in 1980 to 967 million active users in
2012. The increasing number is not a good sign for public health and more population has
been suffering from its serious effects (Hall et al, 2016). According to health surveys
conducted in United States, it was seen that 14 out of 100 adults are involved in active
smoking of tobacco. There has been little decrease in smokers in last five years but still major
of the population consumes tobacco. Little consumption may also pose risk factors for health
so it must be discouraged totally.
Figure: 2 Smoking prevalence Source: (Delaware, 2015)
With respect to the economic trends of US there is a huge amount of spending by
tobacco users (Hu, 2016). According to tobacco companies there is around $25 million spent
in one day in the United States and in around 9.36 billion was spent on tobacco production to
meet the sales. From June 2018 to July 2019 three top companies accounted for 98% of US
dollar sales of tobacco.

3COMMUNITY STRATEGIC PLAN
Advance practice roles for effective change at community level
With the help of efficient strategy there can be positive change brought in the
concerned public issue. There must be advanced awareness among the adults on the
consequences of tobacco usage. There must be proper communicative strategies to reach such
consumers (Hiscock et al, 2018). A one hour lecture or a pamphlet describing about the
serious effects of tobacco can lead to some change but it is not enough to bring in a change.
To bring in a change there must be active participation from everyone like from the
organization of workplace or the relatives and friends whose words can make a difference. It
is important because many times the consumers are unable to initiate such processes and is in
need of help, so with proper guidance from their peers there can be some change initiated.
Hospital organizations must make regular health plan and community guidelines must be
addressed to make effective change at community level. Awareness is the key to address the
issue to make positive change in this issue.
Tobacco usage is associated with an important social factor that affects the persons
dependence (Watkins, Glantz & Chaffee, 2018). Tobacco usage in the form of smoking has
become a form of show off and style that negatively affects the minds in young aged adults
and soon it becomes a habit for majority. This habit soon becomes difficult for the person to
leave thus affecting their health. There is a positive influence also due to increased awareness
from the government tobacco use can be completed among the adults. There are many
initiatives also taken to address the issue like increasing the price of tobacco and making its
availability difficult.
Enhancement in community related services
The existing community services for preventing the use of tobacco gives more
strength for general awareness. There is a strong need to make the relatives and friends also

4COMMUNITY STRATEGIC PLAN
aware of the situation so that they can take counsel them. The hospital organizations must
make it a point to arrange for awareness programme among the adults who consume tobacco.
Everyone must take active participation in community based awareness programmes and help
in making necessary changes.
The strategic plan must be aimed in addressing the issue and bring in a positive
change in a specific time bound (Jamal et al 2018). Regulating the level of tar and nicotine
must be regulated in tobacco products and this can decrease the adverse effects to some level.
Nicotine and tar has serious health effects like cardiovascular disease and respiratory
disorder, so decreasing the levels may help in decreasing the side effects. Proper
implementation of law and orders by government is necessary to make the necessary changes
and it must be ensured that the ingredients are regulated for every product without any
discrepancies. The initiation of plan may not take much time and within some time the effects
may be evaluated. The strategy plan must ensure that there is implementation and awareness
must be made about ill effects of tobacco usage (Hall et al, 2016). Proper help should be
given to the ones who are facing trouble in leaving the habit of tobacco consumption and
experiencing withdrawal symptoms. There must be activities for controlling the tobacco
consumption like workshops and different media platform can also be used.
Conclusion
There is an immense challenge in controlling the use of tobacco among adults in
United States and also globally. To address the issue there must be more community based
services aimed to make them understand about the adverse health effects posed by its
consumption. The goal is to make proper implementation of laws directed for tobacco
consumption (Singh et al, 2017). The community based service must be aimed in counselling
every one dependent or non dependent on use of tobacco so that they can help their peers

5COMMUNITY STRATEGIC PLAN
come out of situation. to make progressive changes there must be proper guidelines in
awareness programmes. The issue can be kept in control by lowering the quantity of nicotine
and tar in the tobacco products with help from the government. Therefore, it can be
concluded that with proper implementation of community strategic plan there can be progress
in awareness among the adults and decrease their consumption of tobacco.

6COMMUNITY STRATEGIC PLAN
References
Hall, W. D., Patton, G., Stockings, E., Weier, M., Lynskey, M., Morley, K. I., & Degenhardt,
L. (2016). Why young people's substance use matters for global health. The Lancet
Psychiatry, 3(3), 265-279.
Hiscock, R., Branston, J. R., McNeill, A., Hitchman, S. C., Partos, T. R., & Gilmore, A. B.
(2018). Tobacco industry strategies undermine government tax policy: evidence from
commercial data. Tobacco control, 27(5), 488-497.
Hu, S. S. (2016). Tobacco product use among adults—United States, 2013–2014. MMWR.
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 65.
Jamal, A., Gentzke, A., Hu, S. S., Cullen, K. A., Apelberg, B. J., Homa, D. M., & King, B. A.
(2017). Tobacco use among middle and high school students—United States, 2011–
2016. MMWR. Morbidity and mortality weekly report, 66(23), 597.
Singh, T. (2016). Tobacco use among middle and high school students—United States, 2011–
2015. MMWR. Morbidity and mortality weekly report, 65.
Singh, T., Agaku, I. T., Arrazola, R. A., Marynak, K. L., Neff, L. J., Rolle, I. T., & King, B.
A. (2016). Exposure to advertisements and electronic cigarette use among US middle
and high school students. Pediatrics, 137(5), e20154155.
Soneji, S., Sargent, J., & Tanski, S. (2016). Multiple tobacco product use among US
adolescents and young adults. Tobacco control, 25(2), 174-180.
Watkins, S. L., Glantz, S. A., & Chaffee, B. W. (2018). Association of noncigarette tobacco
product use with future cigarette smoking among youth in the Population Assessment
of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study, 2013-2015. JAMA pediatrics, 172(2), 181-187.

7COMMUNITY STRATEGIC PLAN
Appendix
Community assessment
HEALTH NEEDS ADDRESSED IN THE
ASSESSMENT
PROCESS AND OUTCOME OF THE
ASSESSMENT
Awareness goals Individuals were communicated who
consumed tobacco and counselled regarding
the adverse effects on health and how with
help one can minimise its use. Non-users
were also instructed to help their friends or
family in overcoming the bad habit.
Resources made known to them There are many other initiatives taken by
government and non-governmental
organization and how to approach for help.
Many times it is difficult for both the
parents and individuals to leave the habit.
Therefore, it is important to know the
resources to avail them. Upon questionnaire
and survey it was revealed that many did not
know about such resources.