Tobacco Initiative
Tobacco use in the North State is significantly higher than the California average. The Enloe Health Tobacco Initiative fights this trend and aims to increase the number of people being screened for lung cancer.
The program provides tobacco treatment and lung cancer screenings for people with a high risk of developing lung cancer.
Additionally, our team is dedicated to supporting the community through outreach, education, and useful resources that promote tobacco awareness and enhance quality of life.
Get Help
Ending an addiction to nicotine can be difficult. We are here to help you. To make an appointment with the Enloe Health Tobacco Initiative team, an Enloe Health provider must refer you to our program. Or you can refer yourself.
Once referred, our community health specialist will call you within a week to schedule your first appointment. Appointments can be in person or over the phone. Both options are completely free.
This caregiver will work with you one on one to develop a plan that is right for you. The plan will include behavioral changes and may incorporate nicotine replacement therapy or non-nicotine medications to ensure you have the best chance of quitting and staying tobacco-free.
What to Expect
First Appointment
Your first appointment will last 30-60 minutes. The community health specialist will go over your tobacco use history, including when you started, triggers, past attempts to quit and more. This helps the caregiver determine what tools might be most effective for you. Together, you two will lay out a plan to handle your triggers.
Follow-up Appointments
Follow-up appointments will be up to 30 minutes long and scheduled based on your needs for support. This is your opportunity to discuss what’s working and what’s not. The community health specialist will adjust your plan and provide you with ongoing reassurance and encouragement.
Lung Cancer Screenings
Smoking cigarettes is the No. 1 risk factor for lung cancer. In fact, it accounts for about 90% of all cases.
Getting screened early and annually is recommended for people considered to be at a high risk for developing lung cancer, but who do not currently have symptoms.
If lung cancer is caught early, it can lead to a better prognosis.
Screening Guidelines
The U.S. Preventative Services Task Force considers you to have a high risk for developing lung cancer and recommends an annual low-dose CT scan if you:
- Are a current smoker or have quit within the past 15 years
- Are between 50-80 years old (for Medicare patients between 50-77 years old)
- Have a 20 pack-year or more smoking history
To calculate pack-year history, multiply the number of years you have smoked by the number of packs you smoke per day. For example, 20 years of smoking multiplied by 1 pack per day equals a 20 pack-year smoking history.
Remember, a screening is not a substitute for quitting smoking. Refraining from smoking is the most effective preventive measure to avoid lung cancer. The main goal of an annual low-dose CT scan is to find cancers early when they are more treatable.
* Most health insurance plans should cover a low-dose CT scan if you are within the recommended guidelines. However, we recommend contacting your insurance to see if you would have any share of the cost.
A Closer Look
During a low-dose CT scan, patients lie on a table and a special X-ray machine delivers a low dose of radiation (about five times less than a conventional CT) to make detailed images of the lungs. The scan is relatively quick and painless.
Appointments usually take about 15 minutes. Please note that X-rays used in low-dose CT scans of the chest do not affect any metal parts in the body, such as pacemakers or artificial joints.
There are many benefits to these screenings. Lung cancer screening finds 80% of lung cancer at an early state, when it is more curable.
The Risks
But just like there are benefits to low-dose CT scans, there are also risks:
- A lung cancer screening may suggest a person has lung cancer when no cancer is present. Further tests will be needed to confirm the results.
- Repeated exposure to small amounts of radiation can eventually cause harm.
