Health Promotion Strategies: Addressing Tobacco Related Issues

This essay provides a comprehensive overview of the health and social issues associated with tobacco use, highlighting its detrimental effects on various bodily systems, including the respiratory, cardiovascular, and digestive systems, as well as its impact on sexual health and the central nervous system. It also addresses the social implications, particularly the influence of social media on minors and the challenges faced by smokers in social settings. The essay further explores health promotion strategies, emphasizing the importance of creating supportive environments as outlined in the Ottawa Charter. It discusses the role of communities, governments, and healthcare practitioners in implementing these strategies to reduce tobacco use and promote healthier lifestyles, including policy interventions such as reducing access to tobacco and promoting smoke-free environments. The document is contributed by a student and available on Desklib, a platform with study tools for students.

Tobacco Health, Social Issues And Health Promotion Strategies 1
TOBACCO HEALTH, SOCIAL ISSUES, AND HEALTH PROMOTION STRATEGIES
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Tobacco Health, Social Issues And Health Promotion Strategies 2
Tobacco health, social issues and health promotion strategies
Introduction
Tobacco is one of the most widely abused drugs in the world. People who smoke tobacco
mostly start while still teenagers due to copying their parents or influence on the social media.
Countries in Eastern Europe such as Andorra dominate in the use of tobacco all over the world.
This drug has numerous users as it is cheap, affordable and considered to augment "pleasure."
However, this drug is dangerous in that it contains a substance known as nicotine, which brings
about addiction (“World Health Organization”, 2008, p.10). Eventually, most of its users find it
difficult to quit once they start to use. Mostly, Tobacco is used through chewing, smoking, or
sniffing. According to research done by World health organization, smoking has been rated to be
the most common way of tobacco usage (“World Health Organization”, 2008, p.10). However,
the use of tobacco is associated with more risks than the pleasure its users seek. Instead, the
smoking of tobacco contains more health and Social issues. This document will offer an insight
into the health and social issues as well as the health promotion strategies.
Health issues related to Tobacco
The use of Tobacco is attributed to be a significant hazard to the health of an individual.
According to the scientist, no single product is linked to being safe. Most of them lead to
different complication in an individual body. Moreover, long-term side effects are likely to
couple these complications. Surprisingly, this may happen to people who have never smoked via
second-hand smoke (passive smoking). Some of the adverse effects include impairing the
cognitive functioning; damaging the respiratory system, damage of the cardiovascular system,
interfering with the structure of the skin, destruction of reproduction and sexual organs and risk

Tobacco Health, Social Issues And Health Promotion Strategies 3
of developing Throat, Esophagus & Mouth Cancer (“US Department of Health and Human
Services”, 2010, p.2).
A research was done to indicate that tobacco interferes with the Central nervous system
of the human body. It identified that the use of tobacco tends to alter the moods of individuals
from time to time. Also, scientist pointed out that nicotine one of the ingredient in tobacco cause
the brain to feel energized for sometimes (Asaria et al., 2007, p.2044). Unfortunately, the feeling
tends not to last long and as it wears off an individual is likely to feel fatigue and craving for
more. Moreover, tobacco has been cited to cause physical withdrawal among many users.
Consecutively, this tends to interfere with an individual ability to think. An individual tends to
experience a feeling of depression, great anger, and anxiety. Also, withdrawal is linked to
causing sleep problems and headaches among tobacco users.
The use of tobacco cause damage to the respiratory system especially through smoking.
Mostly, the destruction tends to take place gradually over time. This damage has been linked up
with various problems. Majority of these problems tends to be chronic and non-reversible for
example those that afflicts the lungs. These problems can be:
Emphysema: which is damage caused to the air sacs in the lungs?
Chronic bronchitis is inflammation that affects the lining of the breathing tube of a
person’s lungs.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Lung Cancer (Asaria et al., 2007, p.2044).

Tobacco Health, Social Issues And Health Promotion Strategies 4
Moreover, Research indicates that children whose parent are tobacco smokers tend to be
at high risk of wheezing, coughing and developing asthma attacks when compared to those
whose parent don’t smoke(Hofhuis, De Jongste, and Merkus, 2003,p.1086). Also, these children
tend to raise statistics of those affected by pneumonia and bronchitis.
Inhaling of tobacco smoke is attributed to causing problems related to the cardiovascular
system (Hawkins, Catalano, and Miller, 2013, p. 64.). Research indicates that nicotine causes an
individual blood vessel to become tight. Eventually, this cause damage to blood vessels, which
leads to peripheral artery disease. Furthermore, smoking tobacco causes the blood pressure of an
individual to increase Hofhuis, De Jongste, and Markus, 2003, p.1086). Ultimately, can be fatal
because an increase in blood pressure causes the walls of the blood vessels to weaken and the
blood to clot. The combination of these two risks can make one prone to a stroke. Also,
cardiovascular problems may extend to non-smokers due to exposure to secondhand smoke
(Hofhuis, De Jongste, and Merkus, 2003, p.1086).
Individual normal skin is likely to be affected due to tobacco use. It is a fact that
components of the tobacco tend to alter the structure of the skin surface. Moreover, tobacco users
are at high risk of developing skin cancer (squamous cell carcinoma) due to a suppressed
immune system. Furthermore, usage of tobacco has been linked to result in balding, hair loss and
graying due to nicotine. At some extent, smoking tobacco may affect the toenails and fingernails
of an individual (“US Department of Health and Human Services,” 2010, p.2).

Tobacco Health, Social Issues And Health Promotion Strategies 5
The digestive system is vital for every human being. However, smoking makes one prone
to throat, esophagus and mouth cancer. Eventually, this may lead to complication in that an
Individual may find it difficult to chew and swallow food. Additionally, tobacco smoke may
affect insulin in the human body. A condition is known as insulin resistance. This condition may
put the health of an individual at a higher risk of developing diabetes in comparison to those who
do not smoke (Warnakulasuriya, 2009, p.471).
According to World Health Organization, use of tobacco has been associated with sexual
issues. Among them is sexual dissatisfaction in Women (Pang and Leventhal, 2013, p.269).
Research indicates that tobacco use decreases the lubrication and ability to have an orgasm. In
another instance, the analysis suggests in men tobacco use result to decrease in sexual
performance. Moreover, it tends to reduce the level of sex hormone all this which culminate to
decrease in sexual desire (Pang and Leventhal, 2013, p.269).
Social issues
Smoking Tobacco has been widely discouraged across the world. Mainly, it is because
not only does it encompass many health issues but also numerous social related problems.
Among the social issue is its target. Minors have been rated to be the most vulnerable to
the use of tobacco (Powell, Tauras, and Ross, 2010, p.950). Social media, in particular, has
contributed large percentage in influencing tobacco use. Sometimes celebrity who are key role
models may take photos and self-smoking. As a result, it may create an image in the mind of the
minor in believing that smoking is okay. Mostly minors tend to copy almost everything the
media feed them (`Kickbusch, 2010, p.385)

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Additionally, Smokers who go out with friends and they have set a given activity or
period, which they smoke, may experience many difficulties (Powell.Tauris, and Ross, 2010, p.
950). For example, individual smokers may find it difficult to break the habits because the action
acts as unconditioned stimuli that prompt one to smoke.
Health Promotion Strategy
Identification of health promotion strategy depends on a variety of factors namely: the
problem being addressed (in this case tobacco usage), the population and the context where it
will be applied. Promotion of health has been linked up with various model that is vital for
human health. They include the health belief model, Ecological; Tran’s speculative, planned
behavior as well as social cognitive model (Kickbusch, 2010, p.383).
In as much as Tobacco, use continues to be a health risk. There is a need for health
practitioners and the contemporary society to initiate strategies to promote good health and
combat the prevalent use of tobacco. Ottawa charter offers a good insight into the policy
applicable to developing good health among individuals (Jackson et al., 2006, p.75). Ottawa
charter recognizes the prerequisite of peace to shelter, education, economic system, equity and
social justice, food, Concord as well as housing. Furthermore, it identifies three main strategies
needed to maintain good health (Potvin, and Jones. 2011, p. 244). To address the issue of
tobacco smoking, creating a supportive environment is the best strategy to use.
Creation of supportive environments involves the generation of healthy choices without
just focusing on individual discipline. Some communities make healthy decisions, which help in
the prevention of drug abuse, but others do not have good selections. Golechha (2016, p.7)
indicates that supportive environments are the best when it comes to the making of equable and

Tobacco Health, Social Issues And Health Promotion Strategies 7
healthy choices. Creating a supportive surrounding is among the five strategies for promoting a
healthy lifestyle as stated by Ottawa charter. Favorable surroundings is an essential strategy
because it protects people from the usage of drugs such as tobacco, which can threaten their good
health. Additionally, these environments ensure that every person participates in health
promotion and allows individuals to expand their self-reliance and capabilities.
The approach is fundamental especially for every person involved because it fosters on
health development. These environments focus on where individuals live including workplaces,
school, cities and learning institutions. Most of our communities are interrelated and very
complicated. Nevertheless, health is a significant factor, which cannot be separated from the
community’s objectives. It is the goal of every nation, community or religion to encourage
mutual maintenance, which involves taking care of one another, our physical environment and
our societies. Anon (1987, p.138) states that promoting a healthy community is the responsibility
of every person who lives in the organization. Anon (1987, p.138) further stresses that the nation
is changing regarding working, leisure and life patterns which have different impacts on
individual’s health.
The organization of work in every society should enhance the promotion of a healthy
lifestyle, which is essential for every person. Health promotion is necessary because it helps in
generation of working and living conditions, which are satisfying, enjoyable and stimulating. It is
essential to make a systematic valuation of how tobacco affects our health in the changing
environment especially in the fields of energy production, society, urbanization, and technology.
It is crucial for every person to follow a healthy lifestyle so that the overall public can have

Tobacco Health, Social Issues And Health Promotion Strategies 8
healthy lives. According to Anon (1987, p.138), it is vital to build and protect the physical
environment because it plays a significant role in the promotion of health.
The creation of a supportive environment is an essential step towards reducing the use of
tobacco because it does not only focus on individual discipline. `Kickbusch (2010, 385) explains
that the use of this strategy can help to reduce the number of tobacco users in the most affected
nations. The promotional plan is also essential because it helps in reducing the number of youths
who start smoking at an early age due to influence or taking after their parents. The strategy is
important because it encourages people to live a healthy lifestyle and this is a crucial step in
managing tobacco usage.
Moreover, the strategies can help to reorient health services. It is important to note that to
promote health a lot of attention needs to be focused on the health sector. Furthermore, strategies
in the Ottawa charter helps to recognize health as a significant issue that needs to be invested in
as well as the need to address ecological problems related to an individual mode of living
(Potvinand Jones, 2011, p. 244).
Ottawa charter helps to create a supportive environment (Anon, 1987, p.138). It is of
great significance in that government can be able to make informed decision especially when
imposing legislation. For instance, the government should reduce access tobacco, advert
concerning smoking as well as promoting free tobacco environment (Potvin, and Jones, 2011, p
244). Governments should ensure rights of non-smokers are upheld. Which can be via regulating
smoking in public places, as a result, this is likely to reduce the risk associated with passive
smoking.
Challenges

Tobacco Health, Social Issues And Health Promotion Strategies 9
Health promotion is not without numerous challenges. Mostly there may lack precise
communication channel to communicate with the target group in the community. Evaluating how
group dynamics receive information may pose a challenge. Moreover, it is difficult to keep the
community motivated. In addition, lack of resource may constrain health promotion hence prove
ineffective. Furthermore, the geography of a place may pose a challenge in the promotion of
health operation together with its implementation (Hawkins, Catalano, and Miller, 2013, p.64)
Conclusion
The Health of every human is critical and should not be ignored. Therefore, it is essential
for individuals, community, nation and the rest of the world to incorporate it as a responsibility.
In conclusion, it is evident that the backbone of prosperity in any country its health among
citizens. Hence, it is crucial for a country to adopt health promotion strategies, as this will enable
a state to achieve its goals, for example, economic and social stability.

Tobacco Health, Social Issues And Health Promotion Strategies 10
Reference
World Health Organization and Research for International Tobacco Control, 2008. WHO report
on the global tobacco epidemic, 2008: the MPOWER package. World Health
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US Department of Health and Human Services, 2010. The health consequences of smoking: a
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Asaria, P., Chisholm, D., Mathers, C., Ezzati, M. and Beaglehole, R., 2007. Chronic disease
prevention: health effects and financial costs of strategies to reduce salt intake and
control tobacco use. The Lancet, 370(9604), pp.2044-2053
.Jackson, S.F., Perkins, F., Khandor, E., Cordwell, L., Hamann, S. and Buasai, S., 2006.
Integrated health promotion strategies: a contribution to tackling current and future health
challenges. Health Promotion International, 21(suppl_1), pp.75-83.

Tobacco Health, Social Issues And Health Promotion Strategies 11
Powell, L.M.,Tauras, J.A. and Ross, H., 2010. The importance of peer effects, cigarette prices
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