Posted: 3/8/05
Survey finds majority annoyed by second-hand smoke
About 97 percent of non-smokers find second-hand smoke annoying, and 74 percent of smokers do too.
That was one of several findings that Houston County health educator Heather Myhre told county commissions on March 1,
Myhre reported on a survey that she helped conduct in Houston and seven other counties in Minnesota. It was funded by a Tobacco Free Communities grant through the Minnesota Department of Health in th fall of 2004.
ìWe didnít really know what people in our county thought,î Myhre said.
The response rate was good, she added, with 69 percent of 600 participants ages 22-80 responding.
Other key points the Myhre reported were:
ï 73 percent of residents believe that restrictions on smoking in public places do not discriminate against smokers;
ï 89 percent of residents believe that smoking should be limited around the entrances to stores and public buildings;
ï 78 percent of residents believe that smoking should be limited at outdoor recreation areas like parks or fairgrounds.
Bioterrorism discussion
Myhre and public health director Linda Grupa also spoke about their work with a bioterrorism plan for the Strategic National Stockpile plan.
Second district commissioner Kevin Kelleher asked if the county was prepared for something like an epidemic of Asian flu.
Grupa said the availability of vaccine is beyond the countyís control. The federal government needs to be prepared first, she said.
Issues like transportation and security at the site take a broader network of people than her staff, Grupa added.
Another barrier to proper response is the difficulty in sharing data with Wisconsin, Grupa said. Most people in Houston County are born in hospitals in La Crosse, Wisconsin. ìUntil the state has the pieces in place, our hands are a little bit tied,î she said.
Collaborative grant
Grupa also asked the board to consider taking over funding for the Family Home Visiting program in which county nurses work with clients in the WIC program on things like pregnancy education, child development, and parenting.
About $26,000 worth of funding for this presently comes from the Houston County Family Services Collaborative, Grupa said, but this could be cut as early as this summer. She asked commissioners if they would be able to pick up the funding.
ìThis program is going to be on the (chopping) block,î agreed Kelleher, who serves on the collaborative board. Theyíve had severe cutbacks in funding, he said.
ìI canít continue the program without your support,î Grupa said.
Kelleher and commissioners Larry Graf and Ann Thompson expressed support. They said will address it as the collaborative funding situation becomes more clear.
Caledonia Argus
314 West Lincoln St.
P.O. Box 227
Caledonia, MN 55921-0227
507/724-3475
E-Mail: editor.argus@ecm-inc.com