Open AccessA Unique Approach Toward Cancer and Tobacco Control Using Philately As Innovative Tool
Author(s) -
Utpal Sanyal
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
journal of global oncology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.002
H-Index - 17
ISSN - 2378-9506
DOI - 10.1200/jgo.18.22600
Subject(s) - medicine , context (archaeology) , cancer prevention , cancer , tobacco control , bengali , tobacco use , environmental health , family medicine , traditional medicine , public health , population , pathology , artificial intelligence , geography , archaeology , computer science
Background and context: Presently estimated annual cancer cases in India are ∼1 million new incidences and 0.6 million deaths leading to a serious problem. Tobacco habit is very common in India with estimated 330 million tobacco users and is attributed to ∼45% of all cancers. Presently each year ∼0.9 million Indians die due to tobacco related diseases including cancer. Aim: Thus combined awareness programs on cancer and tobacco are essential to educate people for avoiding risks of cancer and other diseases. Strategy/Tactics: In our unique approach, we have included in the PowerPoint & other presentations anticancer and antitobacco philatelic items along with up-to-date data, pictures etc. Cancer awareness presentation is divided in 28 sections covering cause, treatment, detection etc. emphasizing prevention in respect of dietary and lifestyle habits. In our pioneer paper, we have demonstrated that anticancer and other stamps can be used to describe different aspects of cancer covering 12 sections. Further based on universally accepted “caution” describing seven danger signals of cancer, we have created equivalent words in two Indian languages namely Bengali and Hindi spoken by ∼215 and ∼490 million people worldwide. These are included in our presentations to aware people about its symptoms. Our philatelic display on tobacco is divided in 19 sections including tobacco associated diseases, tobacco and women and children, quitting tips etc. Outcomes: Since 2002, we have conducted ∼230 awareness programs in various organizations in urban and rural areas in individual capacity and as Principal Investigator, Tobacco Cessation Centre, Kolkata, during 2005-09. It is found that irrespective of age and educational status, everybody understands the message conveyed through this visual display. A section of people has quitted the tobacco habit while another section could reduce tobacco consumption significantly. Further we have published 70 and 40 write-ups on cancer and tobacco respectively in several widely circulated Indian newspapers, magazines etc. that have reached the community. We have also delivered radio and TV talks. All these efforts have helped, to some extent, to control cancer and tobacco in India. Based on this work I have received prestigious 'I'm like me' award in the preventive healthcare category of the most circulated Bengali newspaper group in West Bengal. This large collection of stamps on cancer has been recognized as the world Record and published in Limca Book of Records 2018 page 30. What was learned: It is learnt that along with other methods this philatelic approach may be adopted for getting excellent results.