Healthy Lungs Initiative

For an update on our progress, view our Spring 2010 Breathing Easy newsletter! 

Launched in March 2008, the Healthy Lungs Initiative is a multi-year collaboration between Cook County Health and Hospital Systems and Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago. Healthy Lungs Initiative uses Lung Health Educators to deliver asthma and COPD education as well as tobacco cessation counseling services in multiple clinic sites throughout Cook County. In addition to positive health impacts, this project promotes an economic win for Cook County.

In September 2009, Healthy Lungs Initiative launched a multimedia campaign targeting African-American and Hispanic people who smoke. The campaign provides information about how to contact the Illinois Tobacco Quitline for assistance. The campaign includes TV and radio PSAs and billboards (see below).

Service delivery September 2008 through June 2010:
     5,707 people have recieved asthma/COPD education.    
     28,090 people have been interviewed about tobacco use.
           Of these, 11,466 current smokers have received cessation counseling and 1,000 former
           smokers have received relapse prevention counseling.

To learn more about Healthy Lungs Initiative, strategies and resources for quitting smoking or other issues related to tobacco use, contact Mamta Gakhar:
Email Mamta
(312) 229-6186