Our Mission
Our purpose for coming together as a state-wide network is to address, combat and reduce tobacco related health disparities among Hispanics living in Utah. Join with us as we strive to make a difference!
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Check out our latest newsletter!
Check out our latest newsletter here!
Enjoy!
Great American Smokeout makes the News!
The Daily Herald, a Utah County Newspaper published RESPIRAUTAH’s event. Read the article here.
Utah State University also published an article previous to the event, and Utah State University’s Health and Wellness Center’s event was featured in The Utah Statesman here. Monica Thunnel, network member from Bear River Health Department was quoted in the article saying “We want to encourage people we know to quit today, even if it’s one day. If they can make it two days, even better. Do anything you can … something that will keep their mouth or their mind or their hands off of that tobacco product.”
Ben Lomond High students released balloons early thursday afternoon. Thanks Saia Hafokas (Weber/Morgan HD) for the pictures!
Great Work Everyone! And see more pictures by clicking HERE.
If you have news from your event, we will continue to post throughout the week.
Great American Smokeout Balloon Release
November 17, 2011 is the annual Great American Smokeout.
In celebration, RESPIRAUTAH, in partnership with the Utah Department of Health and various organizations throughout the state, will be hosting a statewide Balloon Release. For more information on times and locations, click here. Releases will be held at Universities, Local Health Departments, Community Organizations and anywhere else a group would like to participate. All who participate are asked to write on a balloon the name of a person who has been affected by tobacco use, whether it is their own name or the name of a family member or loved one, OR a goal date to quit. (See the above tab on this website, Great American Smokeout, for more information on locations)
The Great American Smokeout was started by the American Cancer Society 36 years ago as a date for smokers to work towards quitting or setting a quit date.
If you or your organization would like to participate, please email us at respirautah@centrohispanouc.org. Let us know if your organization needs balloons or can supply their own, or if you would like to make a donation for the event.
Annual Health Fair with the Mexican Consulate
RESPIRAUTAH will be participating in Centro Hispano and the Mexicano Consulate’s Annual Health Fair. It will be held October 14th from 6pm to 8:30pm at Dixon Middle School (800 W 200 N Provo). We invite all to attend and check out our booth. There will also be many medical screenings available including physical exams, vision tests, diabetes tests, cholesterol testing (make sure to fast 4-6 hours before) and much more. We hope to see you there!
Like us on facebook!
Each year tobacco industries spend $57.9 million to market their products to minority groups such as Hispanics. Support our statewide effort to reduce tobacco use among Hispanics in Utah by liking the R.E.S.P.I.R.A.U.T.A.H. fanpage on facebook. Through the fanpage we will keep you posted on upcoming events and important updates.
Cada año la industria del tabaco gasta $57,900,000 para comercializar sus productos a grupos minoritarios como los latinos en los EE.UU. Visite y “guste” nuestra página de RESPIRAUTAH en facebook y apoye nuestro esfuerzo en reducir el consumo de tabaco entre los hispanos en Utah.
Kick Butts Day 2011
Kick Butts Day 2011 Poster
Newest 2010 Utah Tobacco Facts Report
Adult Youth
Utah general 9.5% 6.0% (Adult smokeless tobacco rate is 2.6%)
Hispanic 14.3% 8.4%
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SMOKING RATES AMONG UTAH HISPANICS REMAIN HIGH: FIGHTING BACK ON NATIONAL KICK BUTTS DAY
Provo, Utah—On March 23, 2011 thousands of people across the country are taking part in Kick Butts Day, a nationwide initiative in the effort to stop tobacco use. As part of the Kick Butts Day celebration, through a statewide effort, the RESPIRAUTAH network and partner agencies such as Centro Hispano are creating greater awareness on how the Tobacco industry targets Hispanics and other minority groups.
Although Utah continues to have the lowest rates of tobacco use in the nation, the problem is far from being solved— particularly among Hispanics. Tobacco use among Utah Hispanics continues to mirror national averages, resulting in further exposure to secondhand smoke, tobacco-related diseases, and even death.
In an effort to provide help and assistance to the Hispanic community regarding this issue, Centro Hispano, a nonprofit organization with a mission to orient and mentor Hispanics in various areas, has created a statewide network called RESPIRAUTAH. RESPIRAUTAH strives to promote tobacco-use prevention and cessation with hopes of reducing exposure to secondhand smoke and increasing quit rates among Hispanics living in Utah.
“It’s an easy assumption among Utah residents that smoking is not a problem in Utah,” said Angelica Nash, coordinator of the Your Health in Action Program for Centro Hispano. She continued by saying, “This is absolutely false. There are nearly 24,000 Hispanics in Utah who smoke, and that is 24,000 too many.”
In a recent study by the Utah Department of Health, it was found that 12.7 percent of Utah Hispanics smoke, compared to 9.3 percent of all Utah residents. It was also found that Utahns with lower income, fewer years of formal education and members of certain minority groups continue to have higher smoking rates than the general population.
With this in mind, a proactive approach to educate and assist Hispanic smokers is critical to the bettering of the Hispanic community. “Our goal is to provide education on the dangers of tobacco and the need to eliminate tobacco-related health disparities among Hispanics living in Utah,” Nash said. “It is critical that everyone understands the implications that come with tobacco use.”
In an effort to assist the Hispanic community with tobacco-use prevention and cessation, the Utah Department of Health funds the Spanish Utah Tobacco Quit Line and a web-based cessation service. Those seeking help can call 1-877-629-1585 or visit utahquitnet.com.
“We are confident that our efforts combined with the efforts of other local organizations and Utah residents will ensure the potential well-being and health of many within the Hispanic community,” Nash said.
About Centro Hispano and RESPIRAUTAH
Centro Hispano was established in 2002 as a community based organization providing services for the Hispanic community. Today, Centro Hispano continues to play an important role in the community by assessing the needs of the Hispanic community and expanding services and programs according to those needs.
RESPIRAUTAH is a statewide network created by Centro Hispano under their Your Health in Action Program. The mission of RESPIRAUTAH is to address tobacco related health disparities among Hispanics living in Utah. They bring together community based organizations, advocates, public health experts and invested community members to promote tobacco-use prevention and cessation and reduce exposure to secondhand smoke.
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What have you been up to?
Hope 2011 has been treating you well thus far! We are doing great thanks to all our awesome network members who are working hard to make a difference in Utah. We are getting ready to make a statement statewide with the National Kick Butts Day on March 31, 2011. We will be putting up fliers/posters/balloons with our partners and network members to let the community know that the Tobacco companies are targeting our Hispanic/Latino families. So stay tuned for the poster….
If you have any ideas of ways we can demonstrate the deadly effects of tobacco and smokeless tobacco let us know. We might use your idea. So let’s all put our thinking caps on and make our voices heard!
