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The Community Health Assessment For Pinellas County ( Pinellas )

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The health concern that was identified in the community health assessment for Pinellas County (Pinellas) was the high lung cancer incidence rate. The rate of 69.1 per 100,000 population is higher than the state of Florida and the United States average rate (“Community Commons & IP3,” 2016). Possible factors that can contribute to this concern include tobacco usage, lack of health insurance, lack of physical activity, and poor nutrition. A population diagnosis statement for this health concern is risk for increasing number of deaths from lung cancer among the community in Pinellas related to the increased number of tobacco usage as demonstrated by high self-reporting data percentages. Based on this the primary health issue for Pinellas is the increased prevalence of tobacco usage. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2015), the number one risk factor for lung cancer is cigarette smoking. Using other tobacco products such as cigars or pipes also increases the risk for lung cancer. Tobacco smoke is a toxic mix of more than 7,000 chemicals. Vulnerable populations for increased tobacco usage are those living below poverty, the homeless, those with low education levels, those with low income levels, the uninsured, and those suffering from mental illnesses and substance abuse disorders. Three evidenced-based interventions for the health issue are mobile phone-based cessation interventions, comprehensive tobacco control programs, and smoke free

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