Promote awareness of alcohol and cancer risk with secure email

On January 3, 2025, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy issued an advisory linking alcohol consumption to an increased risk of cancer. The advisory raises awareness about a preventable cause of cancer that remains underrecognized. 

With alcohol contributing to approximately 100,000 cancer cases and 20,000 deaths annually in the United States, healthcare providers, public health organizations, and community groups can use HIPAA compliant emails to share this information.

What are the advisory’s major findings?

Alcohol is the third leading preventable cause of cancer in the U.S. after tobacco and obesity. It increases the risk for at least seven types of cancer, including breast, liver, and throat cancers, regardless of the type of alcohol consumed.

“For breast cancer specifically, 16.4% of total breast cancer cases are attributable to alcohol consumption,” the advisory said. “Individuals [should] be aware of the relationship between alcohol consumption and increased cancer risk when considering whether or how much to drink.”

“This Advisory lays out steps we can all take to increase awareness of alcohol’s cancer risk and minimize harm,” said Dr. Murthy. The recommendations include updating health warning labels on alcohol products, reassessing consumption guidelines, and educating the public and healthcare providers about these risks.

How HIPAA compliant emails can help

Since email outperforms social media in healthcare marketing, it is the superior choice for reaching patients, healthcare providers, and community members with health information. 

However, when handling individuals’ protected health information (PHI), these emails must adhere to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

More specifically, providers must use a HIPAA compliant email solution, like Paubox, to safeguard PHI during transit and at rest. These solutions help providers mitigate the potential risk of costly data breaches and associated fines.

How to use HIPAA compliant emails

Educate patients 

Healthcare providers can use HIPAA compliant emails to share information about the link between alcohol consumption and cancer. These secure emails can include statistics from the Surgeon General’s advisory, like how “Alcohol is responsible for about 100,000 cases of cancer annually in the U.S.” 

Support healthcare providers

HIPAA compliant emails can be tailored to “promote the use of alcohol screening and treatment referrals.” For example, these emails can include secure links to online alcohol screening tools and resources for finding local treatment facilities.

Mobilize community groups

HIPAA compliant emails can also distribute educational materials and action plans to community organizations, increasing public awareness. These campaigns can encourage specific groups to host workshops on the link between alcohol use and cancer risk.

Best practices for HIPAA compliant emails

• Use a secure email solution: Providers must use a HIPAA compliant solution, like Paubox, which offers advanced encryption, access controls, and audit trails to uphold federal regulations.
• Obtain patient authorization: Get informed consent before sending educational content, confirming that patients have opted in to receive emails from the healthcare organization.
• Limit identifiable information: HIPAA compliant email content must adhere to the minimum necessary standard, avoiding unnecessary PHI.
• Use value-driven content: These emails should include actionable steps, like “Talk to your doctor about your alcohol consumption,” to help promote patient engagement.
• Promote collaboration: HIPAA compliant emails can help promote collaboration between healthcare providers, public health organizations, and community groups, expanding the advisory’s reach.
• Integrate screening tools: Providers can integrate alcohol screening tools to expedite data evaluation and interpretation.

FAQs

What is protected health information (PHI)?

PHI includes any information related to a person's health status, healthcare, or payment for healthcare that can be linked to an individual, such as names, addresses, birthdates, and medical records.

What is HIPAA compliant communication?

HIPAA compliant communication involves securely exchanging PHI between authorized parties. Providers must use a HIPAA compliant platform, like Paubox, with encryption, authentication methods, and audit trails to safeguard PHI during these exchanges.

What is encryption?

HIPAA’s Security Rule requires all electronic communications containing PHI to be encrypted. Encryption makes PHI unreadable for unauthorized users, securing the data during transmission and at rest.