ASH Australia: 
information on tobacco 
and indigenous people

 
   

LATEST RESEARCH            RESOURCES


NEWS AND EVENTS      
See also  SmokeCheck NSW news 

Indigenous health leaders invite participation in World No Tobacco Day May 31 cid:image001.png@01CE4253.E9060E10

1 in 5 of our mob will die from tobacco-related illness. If you smoke, Have a Go, Say No this World No Tobacco Day. Have a yarn about quitting today at your local Aboriginal Medical Service.

http://www.ahmrc.org.au/wntd-pledge.php

If you have any questions please see the A-TRAC Team.

 

 

Training workshop for indigenous tobacco action workers
April 2014: The  Centre for Excellence in Indigenous Tobacco Control (CEITC)  is inviting Aboriginal health organisations throughout Australia to register their interest in hosting a 2-day training workshop for Tobacco Action Workers and/or Health Workers in Tobacco Control. The workshops will cover basics of tobacco control including quit help, community development, planning and evaluation. If your organisation wishes to host a workshop or you're a Tobacco Action Worker wanting to attend, phone Terry James (03) 9035-8222 or email  tjames@unimelb.edu.au  to register interest.

Aboriginal tobacco resistance toolkit
2012: Great resource from Aboriginal Health & Medical Research Council NSW (AH&MRC) - Tobacco Resistance and Control (A-TRAC). Kit gives practical support in tobacco resistance for NSW tobacco action workers. Easy to use, whatever your experience level. How to get started, get workplaces smokefree, collect community data. View/download the kit  here 

   Project uses storytelling, pledges to break smoking cycle
January 2012: New Aboriginal health campaign uses pledges and storytelling to break the generational smoking cycle. "Rewrite Your Story" campaign features personal stories, film and social media to inspire giving up smokes for good. 
Tell your story or pledge to quit, limit smoking, or help others quit, at  Rewrite Your Story 


Smokefree futures symposium on Indigenous tobacco control

2012:  2nd A-TRAC Symposium, August 2012 in Sydney, brought together Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service (ACCHS) staff and others to discuss integration of tobacco control action into a comprehensive model of care. More info: Jasmine Sarin,  jsarin@ahmrc.org.au or Kailah Longbottom, KLongbottom@ahmrc.org.au 

Smokefree laws lead to less smoking at home
2012: Study of four European countries shows smokefree public places laws result in less, not more, smoking at home. Anne Jones of ASH Australia in short interview by Brisbane Indigenous Media Associations' "Stayin' Strong" program.
BIMA audio 22/2/12 

Opposition attacks, government defends Calma role
2012: Australian Government defends its Tackling Indigenous Smoking project and its co-ordinator Tom Calma, after the Opposition called for the position to be scrapped. Shadow Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion says the project has not helped anyone quit; but Indigenous Health Minister Warren Snowdon says Indigenous smoking has fallen and the project will continue to help close the gap. Tracker 16/1/12

NSW 10-year Aboriginal health plan being drafted after input
2012: NSW Government is developing a ten-year Aboriginal Health Plan in partnership with the Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council of NSW. Public consultations and forums have now closed.
 More info: Claire McKendrick, Centre for Aboriginal Health, ph. (02) 9391-9758; email aboriginalconsultation@doh.health.nsw.gov.au

Indigenous health experts back tobacco initiative
2011: Indigenous health groups defend the Tackling Indigenous Smoking initiative, aimed at reducing indigenous smoking, after criticism from Shadow Treasurer Joe Hockey. Institute for Urban Indigenous Health (IUIH) and Centre for Excellence in Indigenous Tobacco Control (CEITC) re-state strong support for the initiative as cost-effective and necessary to tackle high smoking rates in ATSI communities. CEITC statement 12/8/11

Aboriginal youth smoking off-reserve underestimated: study
2011: Survey of over 2000 Aboriginal youths living off-reserves shows smoking is "underestimated"  in national estimates - both smoking and secondhand exposure double non-Aboriginal youth rates. Compounded by other drug use issues; need for "culturally appropriate prevention and cessation" strategies to address the problem.
See  full study

"Break the chain" quit campaign speaks to indigenous smokers
2011: Nationwide mass media quit campaign speaks to indigenous smokers for the first time. TV, radio and newspaper ads feature a young indigenous woman talking of the losses to her family from tobacco.  Australian 28/3/11   and   campaign ads 

Calma to head Tackling Indigenous Smoking campaign
2010: Former Social Justice Commissioner Tom Calma was appointed Australia's first National Co-ordinator for Tackling Indigenous Smoking. He says the campaign will need to recognise his people's distinct relationship with tobacco to attack their high smoking rate.  ABC news 17/2/10 

NT indigenous "viral" smokefree campaign grabs attention
2009: A campaign combining anti-smoking health messages with Bollywood and rap music via mobile phones is proving popular in the Northern Territory. The campaign was started by Miwatj Health in northeastern Arnhem Land.  ABC news 1/10/09 

Indigenous tobacco strategy an urgent priority
2007:  ASH and Heart Foundation called for urgent implementation of comprehensive tobacco strategy with and for indigenous communities, after release of figures shows indigenous smoking rates remain at devastating levels. 

ASH / Heart Foundation release
  including link to ABS report 


Winfield exploits Aboriginal site in ad campaign
2005: BAT's Winfield used Aboriginal special site Kata Tjuta in Central Australia in a German ad campaign - turning the site upside for a "Down Under" theme. Insensitive to Aboriginal people, especially since their smoking rates remain terribly high.
Kata Tjuta ad  

 

LATEST RESEARCH

Half of NSW Aboriginal women smoke while pregnant
2011: Half the Aboriginal women in NSW still smoke while pregnant - three times the rate for all women. Authors urge "social inequalities approach, targeting more disadvantaged Aboriginal mothers and all teenage mothers for smoking prevention." 
Abstract

Aboriginal youth smoking off-reserve underestimated: study
2011: Survey of over 2000 Aboriginal youths living off-reserves shows smoking is "underestimated"  in national estimates - both smoking and secondhand exposure double non-Aboriginal youth rates. Compounded by other drug use issues; need for "culturally appropriate prevention and cessation" strategies to address the problem.
Full study

Low daily tobacco consumption in remote communities: study
2010: While smoking rates remain high in remote indigenous communities, daily number of cigarettes smoked is around half the national average according to a study of five SA communities in Aust-NZ Journal of Public Health.  Media release 13/7/10   and  study 

Aboriginal smoking still double the national rate: ABS survey
2009: Adult smoking rate in Australia's indigenous population still around 50% - no fall in ten years and still double the national rate. Latest figures and comparisons in Australian Bureau of Statistics' latest national survey of Tobacco Smoking in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Population 2004-05.   Summary   and  report

 

RESOURCES

Aboriginal tobacco resistance toolkit 
Resource kit from
Aboriginal Health & Medical Research Council NSW (AH&MRC) - Tobacco Resistance and Control (A-TRAC). Practical support in tobacco resistance for NSW tobacco action workers. Easy to use, whatever your experience level. How to get started, get workplaces smokefree, collect community data. 

Rewrite Your Story 
Aboriginal health campaign uses storytelling and pledges to break the generational smoking cycle. The "Rewrite Your Story" campaign features personal stories, film and social media to inspire giving up smokes for good. Tell your story or make a pledge to quit, limit smoking, or help others quit.  

No Smokes
Lively indigenous anti-smoking site funded by Australian Dept of Health and Ageing, with much input from indigenous and especially young people. Very cool site with interesting videos, games, animations and much more.

Centre for Excellence in Indigenous Tobacco Control (CEITC)
Website featuring smoking facts, history, research, projects, quitting resources, links and more - all appropriate to Aboriginal/TSI communities and health professionals working with them. See their tobacco control resource kit for health workers, Talkin' Up Good Air  

Overview of Australian Indigenous health status 2011
Thomson N et al (2012). Major report with info about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations; context of Indigenous health; measures of population health status and conditions including tobacco use. Updated regularly.

Just the facts
Good six-page CEITC factsheet (2010) covering the basic info about indigenous smoking, with references.

"Break the chain" quit campaign speaks to indigenous smokers
2011 nationwide mass media quit campaign focusses on indigenous smokers for the first time. TV, radio and newspaper ads feature a young indigenous woman talking of the losses to her family from tobacco.  Australian 28/3/11   and  campaign ads 

Indigenous tobacco cessation: Learning from each other
CEITC published a report on the Oceania Tobacco Control 2009 Indigenous pre-conference workshop. The report details discussions at the workshop on sharing best practice ideas on smoking cessation and workforce development and sustainability.
  Download report here

Smokecheck 
NSW Health / Cancer Institute NSW / Sydney Uni School of Public Health project, aims to improve health, cut tobacco exposure by increasing quit rates of Indigenous health clients and healthcare workers. Offers training workshops for health workers with Aboriginal clients. Click on above link for more info or register for a local workshop, or call them on (02) 9036 7113.
See latest  SmokeCheck news  or  register  to receive your own newsletter

Aboriginal smoking rate statistics: ABS survey
2009: Latest figures and comparisons with  non-indigenous rates in the Australian Bureau of Statistics' latest national survey of Tobacco Smoking in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Population 2004-05.   See  summary   and  report

Indigenous Tobacco Control in Australia: Everybody's Business
2008 report from the National Indigenous Tobacco Control Research Roundtable held in Brisbane.
Download  the report  which is from CEITC (below)

Indigenous smoking scoping study
2008 review of indigenous cessation studies prepared for the South Australian Department of Health. 
See  abstract and download full pdf 

Quit campaign on mouth and throat cancer: resources
Quit Victoria has info for Aboriginal health workers, health professionals and Aboriginal organisations, communities and individuals about the dangers of mouth and throat cancers.  See order info and form  - go to page 3 of the order form. 

Quit also has resources on the new graphic pack health warnings available for indigenous health and community workersFor information see www.quit.org.au - maybe call them and ask for their Cessation Settings Manager or  Aboriginal Project Officer.

Australian Indigenous Doctors' Association (AIDA) 
Non- profit Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisation striving for excellence in health and wellbeing. Lots of good info and ideas.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities: report to NACCHO
Nearly 
54% of ATSI people aged 14 and over are regular smokers - over double the national average. 2002 report to NACCHO highlights the urgent need for action.

Healing Time (Stages 2 & 3)
Find out about this drug education resource geared towards the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander primary students - from the NSW Dept of Education and Training in consultation with the NSW Aboriginal Education Consultative Group.

3.    

 
 

 Page last updated 6/5/13