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Partnership aims to reduce tobacco use in two Northern Kentucky communities

Residents of Covington and Gallatin County, Kentucky, are being challenged this fall to "Quit for Good." The effort, which launched on Aug. 17, is the result of a unique partnership between the BUILD Health Challenge, a national program that utilizes community partnerships to improve health, and local entities including the Northern Kentucky Regional Alliance, St. Elizabeth Healthcare, Interact for Health, the Northern Kentucky Health Department, Three Rivers District Health Department, and The Center for Great Neighborhoods. 

Data from partners in the BUILD project show that smoking rates in Covington and Gallatin County are much higher than the national rate of 17% (as reported from the 2016 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey). With a total investment of more than $500,000, partners in the BUILD project are aiming to reduce tobacco use rates by 1% in Covington and 2% in Gallatin County.

To do that, they're utilizing a variety of strategies, including:

• A deep analysis of community health data.
• A partnership with local pharmacies to provide two weeks of free, nicotine replacement to individuals who are trying to quit smoking.
• Mini-grants up to $500 to individuals and community groups to develop and implement creative solutions to raise awareness of the dangers of tobacco use and promote cessation.

"As Interact for Health works to achieve its mission of reducing tobacco use among low-income populations, we're looking to partnerships with community groups to drive systems-level changes and improve health," said Megan Folkerth, Program Officer. "The NKY BUILD project aligns nicely with this work."

For more information on Quit for Good or the BUILD project, visit www.quitforgoodcovington.org and www.quitforgoodgallatin.org.

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