Workplace Mental Helath and Well Being

"Growing up in Miami, I often spent my after-school hours and weekends in the small clinic that my father and mother ran. As I watched my immigrant parents work, I could see that their jobs provided them with not only a paycheck, but also purpose, dignity, and community. The connection between their work and their mental health and well-being was clear. And they knew it. For all the financial hardships and social struggles they faced during those years, their work allowed them to support their family, connect with others, and find meaning. Their work helped them thrive.

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the nature of work, and the relationship many workers have with their jobs. The link between our work and our health has become even more evident.

Today, more and more workers are worried about making ends meet, dealing with chronic stress, and struggling to balance the demands of both work and personal lives. The toll on their mental health is growing. The pandemic also sparked a reckoning among many workers who no longer feel that sacrificing their health, family, and communities for work is an acceptable trade-off. Organizations are also increasingly aware of another trade-off: when the mental health of workers suffers, so does workplace productivity, creativity, and retention.

The pandemic has presented us with an opportunity to rethink how we work. We have the power to make workplaces engines for mental health and well-being. Doing so will require organizations to rethink how they protect workers from harm, foster a sense of connection among workers, show them that they matter, make space for their lives outside work, and support their long-term professional growth. This may not be easy. But it will be worth it, because the benefits will accrue to both workers and organizations. A healthy workforce is the foundation for thriving organizations and a healthy community...
Vivek H. Murthy, M.D., M.B.A. Vice Admiral, U.S. Public Health Service Surgeon General of the United States.."
Workplace and mental healthh 

Protecting Youth Mental Health: U.S. Surgeon Advisory

"Every child’s path to adulthood—reaching developmental and emotional milestones, learning healthy social skills, and dealing with problems—is different and difficult. Many face added challenges along the way, often beyond their control. There’s no map, and the road is never straight.

But the challenges today’s generation of young people face are unprecedented and uniquely hard to navigate. And the effect these challenges have had on their mental health is devastating.

Recent national surveys of young people have shown alarming increases in the prevalence of certain mental health challenges— in 2019, one in three high school students and half of female students reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, an overall increase of 40% from 2009. We know that mental health is shaped by many factors, from our genes and brain chemistry to our relationships with family and friends, neighborhood conditions, and larger social forces and policies. We also know that, too often, young people are bombarded with messages through the media and popular culture that erode their sense of self-worth—telling them they are not good looking enough, popular enough, smart enough, or rich enough. That comes as progress on legitimate, and distressing, issues like climate change, income inequality, racial injustice, the opioid epidemic, and gun violence feels too slow.."
Youth mental health 

U.S. Surgeon General Issues Advisory During COVID-19 Vaccination Push Warning American Public About Threat of Health Misinformation

"U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy is issuing the first Surgeon General's Advisory of this Administration to warn the American public about the urgent threat of health misinformation. Health misinformation, including disinformation, have threatened the U.S. response to COVID-19 and continue to prevent Americans from getting vaccinated, prolonging the pandemic and putting lives at risk, and the advisory encourages technology and social media companies to take more responsibility to stop online spread of health misinformation.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Americans have been exposed to a wide range of misinformation about masks and social distancing, treatments, and vaccines. As of late May, 67% of unvaccinated adults  had heard at least one COVID-19 vaccine myth and either believed it to be true or were not sure of its veracity. Health misinformation has already caused significant harm , dividing families and communities and undermining vaccination efforts. An analysis of millions of social media posts  found that false news stories were 70 percent more likely to be shared than true stories. And a recent study  showed that even brief exposure to misinformation made people less likely to want a COVID-19 vaccine.

"Health misinformation is an urgent threat to public health. It can cause confusion, sow mistrust, and undermine public health efforts, including our ongoing work to end the COVID-19 pandemic," said U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy. "As Surgeon General, my job is to help people stay safe and healthy, and without limiting the spread of health misinformation, American lives are at risk. From the tech and social media companies who must do more to address the spread on their platforms, to all of us identifying and avoiding sharing misinformation, tackling this challenge will require an all-of-society approach, but it is critical for the long-term health of our nation."

Health misinformation is information that is false, inaccurate, or misleading according to the best available evidence. It is not a recent phenomenon, and persistent rumors about HIV/AIDS for decades have undermined efforts to reduce infection rates in the U.S. During the Ebola epidemic, misinformation spread rapidly on social media. A 2014 study - PDF  found that Ebola-related tweets that contained misinformation were more likely to be politically charged and have content promoting discord.

This advisory lays out how the nation can confront health misinformation by helping individuals, families, and communities better identify and limit its spread, and issues a number of ways institutions in education, media, medicine, research, and government stakeholders can approach this issue. It also underscores the urgent need for technology and social media companies to address the way misinformation and disinformation spread on their platforms, threatening people's health..."
Health Misinformation 

Smoking Cessation: A Report of the Surgeon General

"Smoking remains the leading preventable cause of death and disease in the U.S. Although the percentage of adults who smoke is at an all-time low in the U.S., 34 million adults still smoke and therefore continue to be at risk of developing smoking-related diseases.

This report makes it clear that one of the most important actions people can take to improve their health is to quit smoking. This is true regardless of their age or how long they’ve been smoking.

Quitting smoking can be difficult, but there are proven treatments and strategies to help people quit smoking successfully. The report outlines the latest research on these treatments including counseling (in-person and over the telephone with a quitline) and medications approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The report also sheds light on new and emerging opportunities to further promote and support cessation in our country.

We know more about the science of quitting than ever before. Ultimately, the report serves as a call to action to our nation—we can and must do more to ensure that proven cessation treatments are reaching the people that need them.

Full Report

Download Full Report (PDF - 10 MB)

Download Executive Summary (PDF - 305 KB)""

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Smoking cessation

2016 Surgeon General's Report: E-Cigarette Use Among Youth and Young Adults

"E-Cigarette Use Among Youth and Young Adults: A Report of the Surgeon General is the first report issued by a Federal agency that comprehensively reviews the public health issue of electronic cigarettes and their impact on our nation’s young people. It is the 33rd Report of the Surgeon General on tobacco..."
2016 Surgeon General's Report

The Health Consequences of Smoking—50 Years of Progress: A Report of the Surgeon General, 2014

Find the latest Surgeon General's  Report on the Health Consequences of Smoking. 
Surgeon General's Report on Smoking