The TSET Better Health Podcast

Lung cancer screenings save lives by detecting cancer early, but only 1.7 percent of eligible Oklahomans get screened. TSET and OU Health are teaming to bring screening to more people by launching a Mobile Lung Cancer Screening bus this fall. Episode 48 provides insights on lung cancer screening from OU Health thoracic surgeon Dr. J. Matthew Reinersman and a person who shares their personal experience with screening, and information on the bus from Terry Rousey, TSET associate director of statewide initiatives.

Discovery and Built Environment Innovations are newer TSET grant programs that already are benefiting Oklahoma communities. Episode 46 provides an overview of the new community grant programs and shares two Built Environment success stories. One is a Parks and Recreation master plan in Pauls Valley to boost livability and physical activity for years to come, the other is a new Horticulture Education Building for the Botanic Garden at Oklahoma State University that welcomes scores of thousands of visitors each year.

This year, American Heart Month in February gets an added Leap Day of observance and a TSET Better Health Podcast episode dedicated to heart health and disease prevention. Cardiologist Tim Daly explains how disease develops in the heart and blood vessels over time and how to avoid it, and we’ll visit a county wellness center where people of all ages gather for classes and activities that are great for both heart and spirit.

Staying physically active can be a walk in the park – or to school, the workplace or around the town. The newest episode of the TSET Better Health Podcast features Stroud City Manager Bob Pearman speaking on the town's new attractions aimed at improving the health and longevity of residents; a wellness coordinator for state employees who shares tips and resources to help any workplace become a healthier environment, and a return to Webbers Falls, where students are gearing up for National Walk or Roll to School Day in early October.

Tobacco use in Oklahoma costs thousands of lives and billions of dollars in health care and lost productivity each year, but a newly released state plan and federal court-ordered tobacco corrective statements at stores both aim to reduce tobacco use. Podcast episode guests Elizabeth Chery-Mullen of the Oklahoma State Department of Health tells us about the five-year state plan and what it means for Oklahomans, and TSET Communication Manager Chase Harvick discusses the history and impact of the upcoming corrective statements.

May is National Physical Fitness and Sports Month, but you don’t have to be a top athlete to join the fun. Physical activity is great for Oklahomans of all ages and abilities! Episode 38 of the TSET Better Health Podcast explores how, from Bike, Roll and Walk to School Day for students in early May through free workout videos from Shape Your Future that help beginners bust their yoga, dance and barre exercise moves. Listeners also will hear from an Oklahoma Department of Transportation official on the makings of an active transportation plan that will help cities and towns of all sizes improve access and safety for pedestrians, bicyclists and others.

Tobacco companies have long used deceptive marketing in ever-changing ways to lure new customers into buying and becoming addicted to their dangerous products. They know how to appeal to different populations, and it has worked with deadly results. TSET is launching a new media campaign that exposes how the tobacco industry uses “shapeshifting” marketing to make tobacco and vape products seem appealing to people of different ages and communities. Episode guests will include TSET Health Communication Manager Chase Harvick, who will speak about the Shapeshifter campaign; Donald Richardson of Guiding Right, a local agency that helps African Americans and others break free from tobacco use and other health threats, and Purcell High School students Carter Goldston and Alexis Wenthold on the influences that draw teens to vaping and tobacco use, and how to counteract those influences.

Smoking rates in Oklahoma are dropping to historic lows, but they continue to rank high among the 50 states and vaping is still a persistent problem, especially among youth. This TSET Better Health Podcast episode takes a look at efforts to lower tobacco and vape use in our state heading into 2023 with guests Matt Glanville of the American Cancer Society's Cancer Action Network, Paola Klein of the Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline, and Mayra Amezcua and Lacey Laymon with TSET Healthy Youth Initiative's YAHL program who discuss their motivations for tackling tobacco and vape use in their local schools and communities.