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Gold Standard External Resources for Organizations
Tobacco-Free Workplace
American Cancer Society
A smoke-free workplace is good for everyone. Get tips for creating a healthier environment in your workplace.
Employers concerned about their employees may be able to improve their health and help them be more productive by creating tobacco-free workplaces. Many state and local governments now require workplaces to be smoke-free. Making your workplace completely tobacco-free can have an even greater impact. Both tobacco user and non-user employees may be helped by such policies.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
This brochure provides information on exposure to secondhand smoke in the workplace and the benefits to employers once a smoke-free workplace has been implemented.
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Tobacco use is a leading cause of cancer and of death from cancer. People who use tobacco products or who are regularly around environmental tobacco smoke (also called secondhand smoke) have an increased risk of cancer because tobacco products and secondhand smoke have many chemicals that damage DNA.
Additional Resources
This module highlights the demographics of tobacco use in rural areas along with populations that may benefit from successful tobacco cessation efforts.
For general information on what to consider as you start your program, see Creating a Program: Where to Begin in the Rural Community Health Toolkit.
Public Health Law Center
This section explores policy options for employees to make their workplace smokefree and legal options for employees who remain exposed to secondhand smoke on the job.
Additional Resources
Creating tobacco-free spaces through policy is effective in reducing tobacco use and improving public health. There is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke and evidence shows that secondhand smoke is harmful even in outdoor spaces. While state and federal law regulate tobacco use in limited areas, New York local governments and private entities possess authority to impose more stringent tobacco use restrictions in both indoor and outdoor areas. This fact sheet aims to answer some common questions about developing, implementing and enforcing local and private tobacco-free policies. For more information about tobacco-free policies and other public health interventions, visit our website at tobaccopolicycenter.org.
American Lung Association
Maintaining healthy indoor air quality is an important step for all of your employee’s health. Regardless of whether you work in an industrial, service or office setting, common allergens and irritants may be closer than you realize.
Tobacco Cessation
American Cancer Society
The US Surgeon General has said, “Smoking cessation [stopping smoking] represents the single most important step that smokers can take to enhance the length and quality of their lives.” It’s hard to quit smoking, but you can do it. To have the best chance of quitting tobacco and staying quit, you need to know what you’re up against, what your options are, and where to go for help.
American Cancer Society
Tobacco use is still the number-one source of preventable illness and death in the United States. It's also the single greatest cause of excessive health care spending and productivity losses for employers. Tobacco cessation coverage is one of the most cost-effective health insurance benefits an employer can provide.
American Heart Association
Smoking is the most important preventable cause of premature death in the United States.
American Heart Association
As an ex-smoker, you'll have urges to smoke. Knowing what you may go through while quitting can help you get through it.
American Heart Association
When you quit smoking the feeling of "loss" doesn't last forever. A brand new world is waiting for you.
American Heart Association
Knowing that someone out there understands and shares your struggle can help you stay committed to being smoke-free.
American Lung Association
Although the first steps can be hard, finding your path to a smokefree life is easier with the right help. The American Lung Association’s Freedom From Smoking program is a proven way to quit smoking—and stay quit—even if you’ve tried before and went back to smoking.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Smokers can and do quit smoking. In fact, today there are more former smokers than current smokers.
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Smokefree Women helps you or someone you care about quit smoking by providing quitting advice, tips and support specific to women’s needs, including expecting mothers.
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Not sure how to ask for help? For life's ups and downs you don't have to ride it out alone.
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
The best time to quit is NOW. Regardless of where you are in your decision to quit, this site will give you information, support, and strategies that have been proven to help smokers quit. Deciding why you want to quit is a good start.
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do for your physical health, emotional well-being, and quality of life. Use SmokefreeVET’s tools, resources, and support to help you become tobacco-free.
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Free text messaging programs that give 24/7 encouragement, advice, and tips for becoming smokefree and being healthier.
truth initiative
Re-learn life without cigarettes with our free quit smoking plan.
truth initiative
Give your smokers a better quitting experience.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
BeTobaccoFree.gov provides information from various Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) operating and staff divisions. Topics covered include:About Tobacco | Health Effects | Quit Now | Don't Start
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
Quitting is hard. Many people try several times before they quit for good. But they do succeed. Quitting is hard, but— You Can Quit.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
Want to help someone quit smoking? Get free tools, guides, and resources designed to help them quit smoking and remain smokefree.
U.S. Surgeon General
Tobacco free living means avoiding use of all types of tobacco products—such as cigarettes, cigars, smokeless tobacco, pipes and hookahs—and also living free from secondhand smoke exposure.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Cigarette smoking harms nearly every organ of the body, causes many diseases, and reduces the health of smokers in general.
Food and Drug Administration
Quitting smoking is possible. If you’ve tried to quit, congratulations, that alone is a big achievement. It may take several tries to be successful. By taking small steps, you can learn what works for you. Every try counts. Start here.
Additional Resources
We offer free telephone counseling, self-help materials, free nicotine patches and online help in four Asian languages (Cantonese, Mandarin, Korean and Vietnamese) to help you quit smoking.
Health Education & Health Promotion
American Cancer Society
Every year, on the third Thursday of November, smokers across the nation take part in the American Cancer Society Great American Smokeout event. Encourage someone you know to use the date to make a plan to quit, or plan in advance and then quit smoking that day. By quitting – even for 1 day – smokers will be taking an important step toward a healthier life and reducing their cancer risk.
American Cancer Society
Relay For Life is the signature fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. Relay is staffed and coordinated by volunteers in more than 5,200 communities and 27 countries. Volunteers give of their time and effort because they believe it's time to take action against cancer.
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Health information, whether in print or online, should come from a trusted, credible source. Government agencies, hospitals, universities, and medical journals and books that provide evidence-based information are sources you can trust.
American Cancer Society
This annual report provides the estimated numbers of new cancer cases and deaths in 2017, as well as current cancer incidence, mortality, and survival statistics and information on cancer symptoms, risk factors, early detection, and treatment. In 2017, there will be an estimated 1,688,780 new cancer cases diagnosed and 600,920 cancer deaths in the US.
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
The Cancer Trends Progress Report, continually updated since its first issue in 2001, summarizes our nation's advances against cancer in relation to Healthy People(link is external) targets set forth by the Department of Health and Human Services. The report, intended for policy makers, researchers, and public health professionals, includes key measures of progress along the cancer control continuum and uses national trend data to illustrate where improvements have been made.
Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems
Additional Resources
This is a snapshot of U.S. e-cigarette regulation, prepared by the Tobacco Control Legal Consortium (a program of the Public Health Law Center) and the Public Health and Tobacco Policy Center at Northeastern University
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are battery operated products designed to turn nicotine and other chemicals into a vapor. You then inhale the vapor.
U.S. Surgeon General
The facts on e-cigarette use among youth and young adults.
Public Health Law Center
This is a snapshot of U.S. e-cigarette regulation, prepared by the Tobacco Control Legal Consortium (a program of the Public Health Law Center) and the Public Health and Tobacco Policy Center at Northeastern University.
Nutrition & Healthy Weight
American Cancer Society
While it is not clear exactly how excess body fat, consuming too many calories, and lack of physical activity raise cancer risk, there is no question that they are linked to an increased risk of many types of cancer and that they are a serious and growing health problem.
American Cancer Society
Learn about the benefits of good nutrition, regular physical activity, and staying at a healthy weight. We also offer guidance and tips to help you choose healthier options.
American Heart Association
Healthy eating starts with healthy food choices. You don’t need to be a chef to create nutritious, heart-healthy meals your family will love. Learn what to look for at the grocery store, restaurants, your workplace and any eating occasion.
US Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Personalized nutrition and physcial activity plan.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
The purpose of this document is to help you implement food service guidelines in your government work site or other public facilitya to increase the availability of healthier choices at food service venues, including cafeterias, concession stands, snack bars, and vending machines.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
The Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity Winnable Battle materials below provide a snapshot of the context and background for this priority area, as well as descriptions of some of the systems, policy, and programmatic interventions pursued by CDC and our public health partners at the federal, state and local levels.
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
The NCI fact sheet collection addresses a variety of cancer topics. Fact sheets are updated and revised based on the latest cancer research.
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Good nutrition is important for cancer patients. Healthy eating habits are important during cancer treatment.
NIH: National Heart Lung and Blood Institute
These tools and resources help families and communities better understand nutrition and the important role healthy eating plays in maintaining a healthy weight.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
The Dietary Guidelines is designed for professionals to help all individuals ages 2 years and older and their families consume a healthy, nutritionally adequate diet. The information in the Dietary Guidelines is used in developing Federal food, nutrition, and health policies and programs.
American Cancer Society
Get the facts on how diet, physical activity, excess body weight, and alcohol use may affect your risk of cancer.
American Cancer Society
Being overweight or obese can have far-reaching health consequences, including raising your risk for certain types of cancer. Learn more about the link between body weight and cancer here.
American Heart Association
Reduce calories in. Increase calories out. We'll show you how!
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Staying in control of your weight contributes to good health now and as you age.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
A healthy lifestyle involves many choices. Among them, choosing a balanced diet or healthy eating plan.
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Reaching and maintaining a healthy weight is good for your overall health and will help you prevent and control many diseases and conditions.
US Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Eating healthy is a journey shaped by many factors, including our stage of life, situations, preferences, access to food, culture, traditions, and the personal decisions we make over time. All your food and beverage choices count. MyPlate offers ideas and tips to help you create a healthier eating style that meets your individual needs and improves your health.
Public Health Law Center
Employers across the country are exploring innovative approaches to worksite wellness policies that incorporate a broad vision of health. Increasingly, these initiatives are geared toward improving the health of the workplace through healthy food procurement and tobacco-free policies. As employers seek to reduce health care costs through the improvement of employee health, worksite wellness policies hold great promise in the movement toward greater health, productivity and well-being.
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Despite the limitations of the study designs, there is consistent evidence that higher amounts of body fat are associated with increased risks of a number of cancers.
Physical Activity
American Cancer Society
While it is not clear exactly how excess body fat, consuming too many calories, and lack of physical activity raise cancer risk, there is no question that they are linked to an increased risk of many types of cancer and that they are a serious and growing health problem.
American Cancer Society
Learn about the benefits of good nutrition, regular physical activity, and staying at a healthy weight. We also offer guidance and tips to help you choose healthier options.
American Cancer Society
Get the facts on how diet, physical activity, excess body weight, and alcohol use may affect your risk of cancer.
American Heart Association
Take the first step. Start with walking! Why? It's easy and it works!
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Regardless of size, resources, setting, and type all worksites can provide opportunities to promote physical activity for their employees.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Physical activity is anything that gets your body moving. According to the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, you need to do two types of physical activity each week to improve your health–aerobic and muscle-strengthening.
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
There is substantial evidence that higher levels of physical activity are linked to lower risks of several cancers.
National Institute of Health (NIH)
The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans (PAG or the Guidelines) are an essential resource for health professional and policymakers. Based on the latest science, they provide guidance on how children and adults can improve their health through physical activity.
Community Outreach
U.S. Surgeon General
Step It Up! recognizes the importance of physical activity for people of all ages and abilities. It calls on Americans to be more physically active through walking and calls on the nation to better support walking and walkability.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Cancer takes a toll on communities across the United States. It’s a complex disease that affects people in each city, town, and neighborhood differently. Prevention is the best way to fight cancer. This means getting people to do things that will protect their health—like get screened, quit smoking, and exercise more. It also means bringing together local leaders to support local cancer prevention efforts. Communities like yours can help lead the way.
Vaccines
American Cancer Society
There are vaccines that can help protect young women and men from some HPV infections. These vaccines are used to prevent cancer that can result from an HPV infection. They
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
CDC now recommends 11 to 12 year olds get two doses of HPV vaccine—rather than the previously recommended three doses—to protect against cancers caused by HPV. The second dose should be given 6-12 months after the first dose. For more information on the updated recommendations, read the MMWR:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
HPV is short for human papillomavirus.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Cancer often takes years, even decades, to develop after a person gets HPV.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Nearly all sexually active people will get human papillomavirus (HPV) at some time in their life. Although most HPV infections go away on their own without causing problems, HPV can cause men to develop genital warts, or some kinds of cancer. Getting vaccinated against HPV can help prevent these health problems.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
HPV is a common virus that infects men and women.80% of people will get an HPV infection in their lifetime. Most HPV infections will go away on their own. Infections that don’t go away can cause precancers and cancers.
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Cancer preventive vaccines target infectious agents that cause or contribute to the development of cancer.
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
High-risk HPV types cause approximately 5% of all cancers worldwide. HPV vaccination can reduce the risk of infection by the HPV types targeted by the vaccine.
Additional Resources
Think About the Link® is a prevention and education campaign from the Prevent Cancer Foundation® that aims to raise awareness about the connection between certain viruses and cancer.
Additional Resources
HPV is a virus that has been linked to many different types of cancer. The good news is there are vaccines available to protect against HPV and reduce your cancer risk.
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Three vaccines are approved by the FDA to prevent HPV infection: Gardasil, Gardasil 9, and Cervarix. All three vaccines prevent infections with HPV types 16 and 18, two high-risk HPVs that cause about 70% of cervical cancers and an even higher percentage of some of the other HPV-associated cancers.
Screening
American Cancer Society
Screening increases the chances of detecting certain cancers early, when they are most likely to be curable. Learn what screening tests the American Cancer Society recommends, when you should have them, and how they are covered under some types of insurance.
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Checking for cancer (or for conditions that may become cancer) in people who have no symptoms is called screening.
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of death from cancer in the United States. Studies show that some screening tests for colorectal cancer help find cancer at an early stage and may decrease the number of deaths from the disease.
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Screening for cervical cancer using the Pap test has decreased the number of new cases of cervical cancer and the number of deaths due to cervical cancer since 1950.
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Breast cancer is the second leading cause of death from cancer in American women.
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Mammograms can be used to check for breast cancer in women who have no signs or symptoms of the disease. This type of mammogram is called a screening mammogram. Screening
National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable
NCCRT members are rallying around our shared goal of reaching 80% screened for colorectal cancer by 2018.
Cancer Clinical Trials
American Cancer Society
Clinical trials are studies in which people volunteer to take part in tests of new drugs or procedures. Doctors use clinical trials to develop new treatments for serious diseases such as cancer. In this section you can learn about clinical trials in general, find tools to help you decide if a clinical trial may be right for you, and search for specific studies you may be eligible to take part in.
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Clinical trials are research studies that involve people. Understanding what they are can help you decide if a clinical trial might be an option for you. Or maybe you have a friend or family member with cancer and are wondering if a clinical trial is right for them.
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
This book explains cancer treatment clinical trials and gives you some things to think about when deciding whether to take part.
National Institute of Health (NIH)
It’s your involvement that helps researchers to ultimately uncover better ways to treat, prevent, diagnose and understand human disease.
National Institute of Health (NIH)
ClinicalTrials.gov is a registry and results database of publicly and privately supported clinical studies of human participants conducted around the world.
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
As you think about taking part in a clinical trial, you will face the issue of how to cover the costs of care. There are two types of costs associated with a clinical trial: patient care costs and research costs.
Quality Treatment & Survivorship
American College of Surgeons
Use the Commission on Cancer (CoC) Hospital Locator to find an accredited cancer program near you. The CoC Hospital Locator allows you to search for resources and services each program offers to its patients and enables you to compare services offered by different facilities.
American Cancer Society
When you learn you have cancer, you want to make sure you get the best possible medical care and treatment. Choosing your doctor and treatment center will be one of the most important decisions you’ll make. There are many excellent cancer care centers in the United States, but how do you know where to look?
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
NCI-Designated Cancer Centers deliver cutting-edge cancer treatments to patients in communities across the United States. Find a center near you and learn about its patient services and research capabilities.
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
The NCI Cancer Centers Program is one of the anchors of the nation’s cancer research effort.
Workplace Transitions for People Touched by Cancer eToolkit
A free Web-based toolkit designed to help employers support their employees’ productive return to work after a cancer diagnosis, while complementing existing company policies.
Workplace Transitions for People Touched by Cancer eToolkit
Free resource to help managers support employees touched by cancer. Provides front-line managers with practical guidance from a practical psychosocial, and legal perspective.
American Cancer Society
In this section you'll find information and tips on staying active and healthy during and after cancer treatment. You can also get information on dealing with the possibility of cancer recurrence, and find inspiration and hope in stories about other people whose lives have been touched by cancer.
Cancer + Careers
Cancer and Careers empowers and educates people with cancer to thrive in their workplace, by providing expert advice, interactive tools and educational events.
Cancer + Careers
You’ve just been diagnosed. Now what? We help you think through next steps, including things that may not have crossed your mind.
Cancer + Careers
Employers and their frontline managers need support in helping an employee balance their cancer and career.
Cancer Support Community
Find information on living with cancer, whether you are a newly diagnosed patient, a survivor, or a family member or friend of someone who is living with cancer.
Cancer Support Community
Frankly Speaking About Cancer webinars offer patients and their families educational resources on living with cancer. Leaders in oncology discuss the latest medical information in an easy-to-understand format to empower patients and their families to make informed decisions about their cancer care.
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Once treatment is over, many cancer survivors feel that although they are happy it’s over, they also wonder about what comes next. Many say that they had lots of information and support during their illness, but now there are new questions and concerns to address.
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
The information to help you cope with the many issues and concerns that occur when you have cancer. There are resources available to help you learn about the disease and about the people who can help you.
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
This guide is for parents who have a child with cancer. It has information about childhood cancer, together with tips to help you and your family to cope during this challenging time.
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
When Someone You Love Has Completed Cancer Treatment is for friends and family members of a person who has finished cancer treatment. Until now, many caregivers have focused on getting the patient through treatment. But once treatment is over, many changes and shifts take place for everyone.
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Siga adelante: La vida después del tratamiento del cáncer es para personas que han terminado su tratamiento del cáncer. Es posible que a sus familiares y amigos les interese también leer este folleto.
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
You may be a survivor, friend or family member, or a person who has lost someone to the disease. People often feel that they can make a difference in cancer by taking part in cancer-related activities and helping others.
National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship
The award-winning Cancer Survival Toolbox is a free audio program. It was created by leading cancer organizations to help people develop skills to better meet and understand the challenges of their illness.
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
If you are helping your family member or friend through cancer treatment, you are a caregiver. This may mean helping with daily activities such as going to the doctor or making meals. It could also mean coordinating services and care. Or it may be giving emotional and spiritual support.
National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship
NCCS has developed materials, programs and skill-building tools to enable individuals and their supporters to become effective self-advocates.
The LIVESTRONG Foundation
Survivorship after treatment is an important phase of cancer care. The Institute of Medicine’s (IOM) report, From Cancer Patient to Cancer Survivor: Lost in Transition, recommends that each cancer patient receive a Survivorship Care Plan—a plan for wellness to help you continue to receive the best health care.
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
If you have been diagnosed with cancer, finding a doctor and a treatment facility for your cancer care is an important step to getting the best treatment possible.
The LIVESTRONG Foundation
Ongoing dialogue with cancer survivors through surveys and research led us to discover that a top concern among survivors was the difficulty of returning to physical activity after treatment. In response, LIVESTRONG partnered with the YMCA of the USA in 2007 to create LIVESTRONG at the YMCA, a 12-week physical activity program designed to get survivors back on their feet.
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Springboard Beyond Cancer helps empower cancer survivors to play a key role in managing their own health. It provides survivors with online tools to manage side effects from cancer treatment, cope with stress, improve healthy behaviors, communicate better with their health care teams, and ask for support from family and friends.
Additional Resources
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) enforces the employment provisions of the ADA. This document, which is one of a series of question-and-answer documents addressing particular disabilities in the workplace, explains how the ADA applies to job applicants and employees who have or had cancer.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Cancer survivors often face physical, emotional, social, and financial challenges as a result of their diagnosis and treatment. Learn what can be done.
The LIVESTRONG Foundation
We have online resources available to help you at any point on your cancer journey. Select your stage and concern below to get started.
Prevention
American Cancer Society
About 42% of cancer cases and 45% of cancer deaths in the United States are linked to modifiable risk factors – and thus could be preventable – according to a new study from American Cancer Society researchers.
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
It is usually not possible to know exactly why one person develops cancer and another doesn’t. But research has shown that certain risk factors may increase a person’s chances of developing cancer. (There are also factors that are linked to a lower risk of cancer. These are sometimes called protective risk factors, or just protective factors.)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
You can reduce your risk of getting cancer by making healthy choices like keeping a healthy weight, avoiding tobacco, limiting the amount of alcohol you drink, and protecting your skin.
Vaccines (shots) also help lower cancer risk. The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine helps prevent most cervical cancers and several other kinds of cancer. The hepatitis B vaccine can help lower liver cancer risk.