Is a health promotion campaign successful in retail pharmacies?

A sun awareness campaign with the theme "Be Sun Smart" was initiated by the Alberta Pharmaceutical Association in collaboration with the Alberta Cancer Board, Alberta Health and the Canadian Cancer Society. The campaign aimed to increase awareness and knowledge on the part of pharmacists and their staff and customers of adequate protection from the sun. The evaluation consisted of a precampaign questionnaire focusing on pharmacists' attitudes and knowledge, followed by a post-campaign questionnaire evaluating the campaign and assessing changes in pharmacists' knowledge. Questionnaires were sent to all 697 retail pharmacies in Alberta. The data indicated that responding pharmacists' knowledge was high before the campaign. However, knowledge of skin protection and magnitude of the problem did improve from the pre- to postcampaign survey. Pharmacists' precampaign attitudes varied, 49% agreeing that a tanned person looks healthier, and 96% agreeing that skin cancer is a dangerous disease. There was a high degree of acceptance for educational campaigns within retail pharmacies.

Community smoking cessation contests: an effective public health strategy.

This report describes the follow-up of a community-sponsored smoking cessation contest. The aims of the evaluation were to describe the characteristics of contestants and the quit rates at six weeks, six months and one year. The "Quit to Win" contest was held as part of a larger cancer prevention program in Medicine Hat, Alberta. In order to be eligible for prizes, contestants were required to be smoke-free for six weeks and have their smoking status verified by a "Buddy". Contestants were contacted by telephone at the end of the contest and again at six months and one year. Seventy-five individuals entered the contest. The quit rates, 56%, 27% and 21% at six weeks, six months and one year respectively, compare favourably with other smoking cessation interventions. This study demonstrates that a community-based program can reach a variety of smokers with a relatively simple intervention.

Whole-abdominal irradiation for the management of gastrointestinal and abdominal manifestations of agnogenic myeloid metaplasia.

A patient with a long-standing history of agnogenic myeloid metaplasia developed weight loss and ascites secondary to gastric/small bowel infiltration and peritoneal implants of myeloid tissue. Moderate doses of radiation were very effective in controlling her gastrointestinal symptoms. In contrast to previous reports, clinical improvement after irradiation was a slow, gradual process, requiring 5 months for complete resolution of the patient's ascites. Hematologic suppression may be profound and careful attention to the rate of change in leukocyte and platelet counts is necessary to avoid severe toxicity.