A randomized trial of the impact of a multi-intervention anti-tobacco strategy in 8 Indigenous communities. [ 2003 - 2005 ]

Research Grant

Researchers: Prof Robyn Mcdermott (Principal investigator) ,  Dr Anne Swinbourne ,  Ms Jacqueline Lloyd ,  Prof Yvonne Cadet-James

Brief description Tobacco smoking represents the major risk to life and health within Australian Indigenous communities. Survey data suggest that prevalence rates for the Indigenous community are more than twice those of the non-Indigenous population. These rates are reflected in the pattern of mortality and morbidity within Indigenous communities. During the period 1989-1999 the smoking-related death rate amongst Indigenous Queenslanders was almost three times greater than that of non-Indigenous Queenslanders. Additionally, tobacco smoking is a major contributing factor in many conditions that constitute significant Indigenous health problems. The natural history of smoking also differs between the Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations. Indigenous smokers start younger, are more likely to develop smoking-related conditions and tend to die younger than non-Indigenous smokers. Despite the above statistics, there is little published data on the effectiveness of anti-smoking interventions within Australia's Indigenous populations. Lessons from non-Indigenous communities suggest that the most successful strategies are those that target populations at many different levels. Rather than one isolated intervention, such strategies may include policy initiatives, training and education of health staff, community education and awareness campaigns and increased access to cessation techniques. Indigenous communities generally lack the capacity to initiate these type of tobacco control strategies. This project aims to examine the impact of a multi-intervention anti-tobacco strategy within north Queensland Indigenous communities. The project has three broad aims: 1) to increase the capacity of health services to implement and deliver anti-tobacco interventions; 2) to increase community knowledge and awareness of the risks of smoking and 3) to decrease the level of tobacco consumption within communities.

Funding Amount $AUD 567,750.00

Funding Scheme NHMRC Project Grants

Notes Standard Project Grant