Health researchers fight cancer at Fort Liberty
For six years, the Fort Liberty Public Health Partnership has been improving the health of military personnel and families.
Since joining forces six years ago to address important public health needs among military families, the Fort Liberty Public Health Partnership has deployed public health protocols for the good of Army families and nearby communities.
Kurt M. Ribisl believes that everyone wants soldiers to be healthy – on or off duty. (Submitted photo)
The partnership began when a Fort Liberty delegation visited UNC-Chapel Hill in 2018 and met with tobacco control policy expert Kurt M. Ribisl. He is the Jo Anne Earp Distinguished Professor in Health Behavior and chair of the health behavior department at UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health and program leader for cancer prevention and control at UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center.
“Everyone wants our soldiers to be healthy — not just to be ready for active duty when they get the call, but also as they transition back to civilian life,” Ribisl said. “North Carolina is the nation’s most military-friendly state, and UNC is one of the top places in the country for doing cancer control work with the military.”
The partnership’s work focuses largely on cancer prevention, with projects aiming to increase rates of HPV vaccination and cancer screening among military members and to reduce the widespread use of tobacco on base.
Tobacco research
Research is a critical underpinning of this effort. Studies show that tobacco use affects combat readiness by contributing to greater injury risk, poorer wound healing and worse night vision. Military personnel who use tobacco have worse physical and mental health and are at greater risk of early discharge compared to their nonsmoking colleagues.
A 2021 community health assessment reported high levels of tobacco use at Fort Liberty, finding that more than 25% of the soldiers started using tobacco after they arrived there. Annual soldier surveys have since revealed a notable rise in vaping and oral nicotine pouches along with a feeling that tobacco use on base is socially acceptable and does not affect job performance.
“Almost 60% of service-member respondents reported current tobacco or vaping use. This increased to 75%, when looking at respondents that live in the barracks,” said Lt. Col. Dr. Teresa Pearce, who recently retired as director of the Fort Liberty Department of Public Health.
These survey results led the partnership to implement a tobacco treatment specialist training program to meet the needs of the on-base providers and clinical staff.
Students making a difference
Carolina public health master’s students can now complete a practicum that allows them to work directly with partnership tobacco control and nutrition programs.
“This partnership provides a valuable training experience for our master’s students to get involved in a public health practice project where they can really make a difference,” Ribisl said.
Alana Austin, a dual-degree student who is from a military family, is the partnership’s military health tobacco prevention and control research assistant. “A partnership like this one develops multifaceted students who will be prepared to function on any team in any interest area because of their exposure to working across organizations,” Austin said. “Working with the partnership has allowed me to apply what I’m learning in class almost immediately.”
As the partnership continues to grow and evolve, UNC will continue supporting the most critical public health needs highlighted by its partners on base and in surrounding areas
There are also plans to create a broader military population health initiative at UNC Lineberger to do cancer control work in other branches and installations throughout North Carolina. That expansion, Ribisl said, depends on whether additional funding can be secured to support a broader scope of work.
“We have a tiny budget, but this is one of the best things we are doing at Lineberger in terms of community outreach and working with public health partners,” Ribisl said.
