Indigenous health promotion, Smoking health promotion

Question 1

Why target Indigenous health and wellbeing?

Answer 1

Because Indigenous population groups tend to have a lower health status e.g.
- lower LE
- higher IMR
- poorer self-assessed health status
- higher BoD from cancer, diabetes, CVD, asthma
- higher rates of smoking, poor diet, alcohol intake
SO significant potential to improve Indigenous health status by addressing inequalites through health promotion.

Question 2

Describe the Baby One Program (4 marks)

Answer 2

• Aims to close the gap with regards to the health of Indigenous babies and toddlers in the early years of life.
• Targets Indigenous pregnant women in remote Cape York with at home visits by Indigenous health care workers throughout pregnancy until baby is 1000 days old.
• Health workers educate families on e.g. immunisations, dangers smoking during pregnancy and around children, breastfeeding, introduction of solids.
• Incentives for attending antenatal appointments e.g. baby baskets, fruit and vegetable vouchers.

Question 3

Why target smoking? Rationale.

Answer 3

• Because preventable risk factor – smoking related diseases and impacts are considered avoidable.
• Because contributes to mortality and morbidity more than any other preventable risk factor
• Because high social (inc. health) and enconomic costs in Australia each year e.g. reduced productivity from smoking related illness, public healthcare costs.
• Because affects vulnerable population groups disproportionately e.g. Indigenous, rural and remote, low SES

Question 4

Describe the implementation of my Quit Buddy

Answer 4

• Free smart phone app helps smokers prepare to quit and supports them in quitting journey.
• Tracking systems chart progress and motivate e.g. alerts congratulating on number of days smoke free, how much money has been saved since quitting.
• Supportive social environment e.g. message board from other people who are quitting, users can call the Quitline directly from the app and nominate friends or family to help keep them on track.
• The ‘My Health’ section shows positive health impacts on body e.g. reduced stroke risk educating on positive health outcomes of quitting.
• Strategies to help participants overcome cravings e.g. activities to distract them
• Customisable; users can choose to quit now or quit later, set goals, and danger times when they are likely to need extra support to stay smoke free

Question 5

Smoking initiatives that reflect Build Healthy Public Policy

Answer 5

QUIT provides advice to the State Government to implement healthy public policies including laws such as:
- bans on smoking in public places
- restrictions on tobacco advertising including the display of cigarettes in retail outlets
- tobacco packaging i.e. plain packaging, graphic warnings
- tobacco taxes/excise
Anti-smoking laws are examples of healthy public policies that work to make the healthier choice i.e. not smoking, the easier choice.

Question 6

Smoking initiatives that reflect Create Supportive Environments

Answer 6

My QuitBuddy - users to gain motivation and support from thousands of other people quitting through the community board helping to create a stimulating and satisfying social environment.
Quitline - provides a hotline with trained counsellors which is a safe and satisfying way for people wishing to quit to access help; the ‘Aboriginal Quitline’ provides Indigenous trained counsellors making it culturally sensitive.
The examples above create links between users and the social environment which is safe, stimulating, satisfying and ultimately supportive for them to share their quitting journey.

Question 7

Smoking initiatives that reflect Strengthen Community Action

Answer 7

Quit Victoria is a joint, statewide venture between: The Victorian Government, VicHealth, The Heart Foundation, The Cancer Council Victoria
The Quitnow website provides links to the Quit organisation in each state and territory therefore users can access resources available in their local area.
The examples above demonstrate links being built between individuals and their local community working together to lower smoking rates.

Question 8

Smoking initiatives that reflect Develop Personal Skills

Answer 8

Quit - educates on dangers of smoking through mass media campaigns e.g. billboards, TV ads.
My Quit Buddy – the ‘My Health’ section educates on benefits of quitting to body e.g. reduced stroke risk
The examples above empower individuals through education with knowledge and skills to quit or not take up smoking in the first place.

Question 9

Smoking initiatives that reflect Reorient Health Services

Answer 9

Quit - provides free online training program for health professionals assist smokers to quit.
Quit - invests millions of dollars into smoking prevention research to provides best practice techniques to doctors to assist smokers to quit.
These examples assist in re-orientating health services from the biomedical approach of treating smoking related illness only to to one of health promotion and preventing smoking related illness before it develops.