Nokea
The public health nurse is presenting a health-promotion class to a group at a local community center. Which intervention most directly addresses the leading cause of cancer deaths in North America?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Lung cancer tops the list of cancer deaths in North America for both men and women, as noted in the feedback, with over 570,000 deaths projected in 2011 alone. Smoking is the primary risk factor for lung cancer, making cessation the most direct intervention to tackle this killer. Self-breast and testicular exams target breast and testicular cancers, respectively, which rank lower in mortality (breast is second for women, prostate second for men). Colonoscopies address colorectal cancer, third in frequency, but lung cancer's dominance ties directly to smoking's prevalence. By pushing cessation, nurses hit the root cause head-on, reducing exposure to carcinogens like tar and nicotine that drive malignant transformation in lung tissue. This aligns with primary prevention, cutting incidence before it starts, unlike screening which catches disease later.