Local tobacco control: application of the essential public health services model in a county health department's efforts to Put It Out Rockland.

In 2000, Rockland County, a small suburban county north of New York City, dedicated $1 million of its Master Settlement Agreement funds to a comprehensive tobacco control program, Put It Out Rockland. Developed and implemented by the county health department, this program used an essential public health services model and an ongoing financial investment, within the context of strong statewide tobacco control efforts, to lower adult smoking rates to 9.7% and to reduce both smoking among youths and exposure to secondhand smoke over the ensuing decade.

Breast cancer screening in Rockland County, New York: a survey of attitudes and behaviors.

Objectives: Higher-than-average breast cancer incidence and mortality rates in Rockland County (NY) may be explained by higher screening rates, but screening frequency has not been measured at the county level. This study was conducted to determine adherence to breast cancer screening guidelines in Rockland, and whether adherence differs by ethnicity, age, educational level, insurance status, and race.

Methods: A telephone survey of screening behaviors and attitudes was administered to a random sample of Rockland County women age > or = 40 years.