2015 APHA Annual Meeting & Expo

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Recorded Annual Meeting Presentations (RAMP) are now available for purchase.
Only $90 for presenters, $140 for registered attendees and $200 for non-attendees.

Online Program

316542
Cancer, alcohol and cancer societies: Marked differences in policies and advocacy between cancer societies around the world


Monday, November 2, 2015 : 9:10 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.

Donald Zeigler, PhD, School of Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago, Evanston, IL
Audio (mp3) recording Recorded Presentation (mp4)
A growing body of research has established that alcohol is a known human carcinogen and that alcohol consumption is an important risk factor for cancers of the pharynx/oral cavity, larynx, esophagus, liver, colon, rectum, and breast. Moreover, cancer risk increases considerably at high consumption levels with no sensible limit of drinking below which the risk of cancer is decreased. Accordingly, to reduce cancer risk, alcohol use should be lowered or avoided entirely. The WHO identified effective population level alcohol control measures (reducing availability, affordability, and promotion/marketing) and called for a 10% reduction in global alcohol consumption by 2025. However, examination reveals a significant divergence among cancer associations throughout the world pertaining to their educational materials, and the degree of their advocacy undertaken to advance comprehensive alcohol control policy. North American cancer societies fall far behind those in Europe and South East Asia in policy advocacy. What are strategies can influence associations to become proactive advocates for evidence-based alcohol policies?

Learning Areas:

Advocacy for health and health education
Chronic disease management and prevention
Public health or related organizational policy, standards, or other guidelines
Public health or related public policy

Learning Objectives:
Discuss evidence linking alcohol consumption and cancer Describe examples of proactive cancer society advocacy Identify examples of organizations displaying lesser education and advocacy of recommended policies

Keyword(s): Alcohol Use, Cancer Prevention and Screening

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am Adjunct Associate Professor of Health Policy & Administration & Center for Global Health, University of Illinois at Chicago. Former Director of Prevention & Healthy Lifestyles at American Medical Association. Extensive experience in public health alcohol policy, college high risk drinking, alcohol in trade agreements, alcohol industry undermining alcohol policies, challenges to implementation of the WHO Global Strategy on Alcohol, and involvement of cancer associations in advancing alcohol policy. Active with voluntary health organizations.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 3003.0: Alcohol and cancer: risks, advocacy, and cooptation