Oceania Tobacco Control Conference Abstracts
The absolute numbers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who do and do not smoke are increasing
BACKGROUND and AIM: Colonisation has systematically embedded commercial tobacco use among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Despite this and the ongoing efforts of the Tobacco Industry, there have been significant declines in tobacco use. We aimed to quantify changes in the absolute number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults (≥18 years) who smoked using nationally representative estimates reported by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) in 2012-13 and 2018–19.
METHODS: We used the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) DataLab to compare estimates of the absolute number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who smoked aged 18 years and over from the 2012-13 and 2018–19 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Surveys (NATSIHS), by age, sex and Indigenous region.
FINDINGS: In accordance with population growth, the estimated number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who currently smoked increased from 168,000 to 211,000 from 2012/13 to 2018/19. The distribution varied by age groups and Indigenous regions. Increases were largest those aged 55-64 years and in regions with strong population growth.
DISCUSSION: Smoking prevalence is declining. However, the absolute number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who smoke is increasing in line with population growth. There is a need to service this growth and ensure there continues to be opportunities to foster tobacco and nicotine free futures, including structural changes to protect Australians’ health and wellbeing from the ongoing predatory actions of the commercial tobacco and nicotine industry.
SIGNIFICANCE: Resourcing of public health and tobacco control needs to consider changes in population growth. This includes proportionate resourcing, including funding, to support effective programs, policies, and structural changes to eliminate commercial tobacco and nicotine harms.
Deadly declines in cigarettes smoked per day: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are smoking less than ever before
BACKGROUND and AIM: Smoking intensity declined among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people between 1994-2008. Using the most recent nationally representative smoking intensity data reported by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), we aimed to quantify changes in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adult (≥18 years) smoking intensity from 2012/13 and 2018/19 overall and in relation to demographic factors.
METHOD: Analysis was conducted in ABS Datalab to determine the number of cigarettes smoked per day (CPD) among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults who smoked daily from the 2012/13 and 2018/19 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Surveys. Change in CPD are presented by state and territory, remoteness and by age and sex.
FINDINGS: On average, CPD declined from 13.4 to 12.1 between 2012/13 to 2018/19. This downward trend was evident across all age groups, States and Territories and for females and males. Larger reductions in CPD were observed among people aged 18-24 years and among those living in regional areas.
DISCUSSION: There has been long-term continual decline in smoking intensity among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people who smoke. This has occurred in the wider context of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership and public health investment in Indigenous tobacco control, and whole of population measures such as price increases.
SIGNIFICANCE: Declining smoking intensity reflects successful tobacco control approaches. However, there is no safe level of smoking and strategies to support cessation and prevent new uptake urgently need to improve their reach and effectiveness. This includes systems change to protect against the predatory behaviours of the commercial tobacco and nicotine industry.