Read more about Stoptober in a short note from Dr. David Wang:
October 1st marks the start of Stoptober, a month-long campaign to raise awareness of the issues connected to smoking.1 Recent studies show that approximately 22% of the global population use tobacco, accounting for nearly 37% of all men and 8% of women.2
It is widely known that smoking poses substantial health risks including, cancer, heart disease, lung disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPDs). Beyond the visible health conditions, regular tobacco use can also impact mobility, productivity and attentiveness.
According to The Economics of Tobacco and Tobacco Control, the tobacco industry is believed to cost the global economy more than $1 trillion (USD) annually in healthcare expenditures and lost productivity.3
In the workplace, tobacco use can lead to a higher number of occupational injuries4 and an increased amount of employee sick days for short and long-term illnesses.5 To ensure high performance and presence, employers benefit from providing workplace support such as cessation assistance which can be implemented through a variety of health insurance workplace policies.6
For employees struggling with addiction or substance abuse, UnitedHealthcare Global’s Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) provides resources and support to help address substance abuse and related consequences such as mental health, depression and anxiety.7 In addition, the UnitedHealthcare Global Health Management Programme focuses on the specific needs of members and their families, wherever they are in the world, to provide access to the resources they need to manage their health and chronic conditions.8 Combined with these resources, members can access mental health and substance use disorder insurance coverage in their plans to help manage additional health concerns.
Stoptober can be a good motivator for smokers to finally kick the habit. However, at UnitedHealthcare Global, we encourage everyone to reach out for help if they are struggling with any form of substance abuse or health conditions that result from smoking. - Dr. David Wang, Associate Medical Director, APAC, UnitedHealthcare Global
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Resources
1: https://www.blf.org.uk/take-action/campaign-with-us/stoptober
2: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/tobacco#
3: https://www.who.int/news/item/10-01-2017-tobacco-control-can-save-billions-of-dollars-and-millions-of-lives
4: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/10643-smoking-and-physical-activity
5: https://www.cdc.gov/workplacehealthpromotion/health-strategies/tobacco-use/evaluation-measures/worker-productivity.html
6: https://www.smokefreeworld.org/smoking-cessation-in-the-workplace/
7: https://www.optum.com/business/employers/behavioral-health/employee-assistance-program.html
8: https://www.uhcglobal.com/en/resources/member-resources/health-management-program