St. Petersburg Councils for Alcohol Prevention

Health administrators in St. Petersburg are working together to target alcohol prevention in school-based programs. Recent research suggests that current prevention actions In Russia are aimed at the importance of a healthy lifestyle as a whole, including prevention of smoking, drugs and HIV. However, there are almost no programs aimed on alcohol prevention. Health committees in Russia and Finland attribute this lack of awareness to uninformed schoolteachers and specialists who are not able to educate children about the risks of alcohol consumption. The pervasiveness of alcoholism in Russia has further convinced health administrators that it is a priority to teach these risks at an early age so that alcohol abuse may be prevented. In order to raise awareness and inform communities about alcohol prevention services, a unified council plans to:

• Train educators and healthcare specialists to inform children and families about the risk of alcohol consumption
• Organize meetings between health councils to monitor progres
• Create a peer-to-peer education network for support 
• Raise public awareness through street advocacy programs

Health officials understand the difficulty and time needed to accomplish such a monumental task. However, they understand this as a necessary step to decrease the widespread use/abuse of alcohol in Russia and improve health and wellbeing of families.

Wellness Programs

Wellness is first and foremost a choice to assume responsibility for the quality of your life. It begins with a conscious decision to shape a healthy lifestyle. Wellness is a mindset, a predisposition to adopt a series of key principles in varied life areas that lead to high levels of well-being and life satisfaction. 

The research suggests that the "wellest of the well" possessed the following qualities, to an uncommon degree:

• high self-esteem and a positive outlook
• a foundation philosophy and a sense of purpose
• a strong sense of personal responsibility
• a good sense of humor and plenty of fun in life
• a concern for others and a respect for the environment
• a conscious commitment to personal excellence
• a sense of balance and an integrated lifestyle
• freedom from addictive behaviors of a negative or health-inhibiting nature
• a capacity to cope with whatever life presents and to continue to learn
• grounded in reality
• highly conditioned and physically fit
• a capacity to love and an ability to nurture
• a capacity to manage life demands and communicate effectively.

A successful wellness program should have 4 main components:

1) Health Screens (data collections)--including health risk assessments and biometric screening

2) Health Improvement Programs--assess data and strategically improve health risks of targeted individuals

3) Compliance Programs--an incentive structure that promotes high participation in a positive manner

4) Reporting--varied methods of individual, aggregate, ROI provide accurate and transparent coverage to assess and modify the program as necessary. 

We can help you reach your goals.

Russia and Smoking

The Russian government is taking steps to address smoking by banning all tobacco advertising.  Hundreds of thousands of people in Russia die each year from smoking-related illnesses; 60 percent of men and 30 percent of women smoke.  Experts say the ban is just the first step in changing the habits of millions. Cigarettes in Russia are cheap and most restaurants are smoker-friendly and public places usually have a place to smoke. The number of Russian women who smoke has more than doubled since the collapse of the Soviet Union, according to new research.

In 1992, seven per cent of women smoked, compared to almost 15 per cent by 2003. In the same period, the number of men who smoke has risen from 57 per cent to 63 per cent.

According to the country's Ministry of Health, it is estimated around half a million people die of smoking-related diseases annually. The Russian government is beginning to take action and has decided to completely ban all tobacco advertising. The government has approved a draft law on joining the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control where the ban must be implemented within five years.

Sergey Polyatykin from the 'No to Alcoholism and Drug Addiction' Fund says "Ads in a way are information in the form of pressure, as they make it easier for a person to start smoking. Banning tobacco ads is just the first step."  

At iGlobalPathways, we can help. We have resources to help anyone who wants to quit smoking. Using motivational interviewing along with education, support and quit plan, it is possible to stop smoking. 

In a recent New York Times article, Clifford Levy reported some alarming news about alcohol abuse in Russia. He states, "drinking has increased sharply since the Soviet Union’s fall in 1991, though heavily intoxicated people have been somewhat less visible on the streets in recent years, in part because the police do a better job of whisking them away." Russia’s president, Dmitri A. Medvedev, has been voicing that sentiment a lot lately, declaring that the government must do something about the country’s status as a world leader in alcohol consumption.

But drinking — vodka in particular — is another thing entirely. It is a mainstay of Russian life, both a beloved social lubricant and a ready means for escaping everyday hardship. Mr. Medvedev is seeking steeper penalties on the sale of alcohol to minors, as well as a crackdown on beer, which has grown more popular among young people. Beer sales at kiosks would be banned, as would large beer containers. The government may seek more control over the market for vodka, still the most common alcoholic beverage.

At iGlobalPathways, we are working to train narcologists, psychologists,  and human resource departments to assess alcoholism, develop treatment programs, and provide family support. We are using internet based videocasting, telehealth media to promote prevention, intervention and treatment of alcoholism.

Why Focus on Grief at Work?

In a recent American Hospice Foundation newsletter, "When an employee is seriously ill, dies or suffers the loss of a family member, productivity, morale in the workplace can suffer dramatically." The cost to employers can be high. According to the Wall Street Journal of 2002, the overall cost of grief in America's workplace totals approximately $75 billion a year. Understanding the basics of grief, how to respond to grieving workers, strategies that support a healthy work environment can help managers, employees and families adjust to loss. We can help, call 713-621-2490 for more information about iGlobalPathways programs and services.