Smoking Among Indigenous People

This assignment analyzes the approaches taken to address the high smoking rate among Indigenous people. Three articles are examined, highlighting cultural bias, positive approaches, and encouraging statistics.

Running head: SMOKING AMONG INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
SMOKING AMONG INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
Author note:
Introduction:

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SMOKING AMONG INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
Indigenous people comprises of about 2.8 % of the population in the
nation. Smoking as well as tobacco use is found to be quite high among
this cohort accounting for about 39% of the population in the cohort being
regular smokers in the year 2014-2015 (Gould et al., 2016). This was
found to be quite high in comparison to that of the non-Indigenous people
where about 14.5% of the people had been found to be regular smokers.
Males are more likely than the females to smoke as compared to about
42% to that 36% respectively and people in the remote areas accounting
for higher percentage of smokers than those in the non-remote areas.
However, over the years, different articles have expressed this health
concern of the Indigenous people in varied ways (Sitas et al., 2018). While
the positive and neutral approaches of the representation of this issue had
been noticed in many articles, many articles have shown cultural
biasness, stigmatisation as well as prejudices by the authors against the
culture. This assignment would select three articles on this smoking issue
and would analyse their approaches towards the health concern in a
detailed manner.
Discussion:
Article 1:
An important article that focused on the increased number of
indigenous people being affected by the high smoking addiction was
published on December 2 in the year 2018 under the banner of the Voa
news. Phil Mercher had undertaken an exclusive amount of research in
order to explore the factors that had contributed to the increased smoking
rate among the Indigenous people. He had stated that one-third of the
Indigenous people are smokers and he had interviewed stalwarts to note
their perceptions about the smoking rate in the people. One of his
interviewee namely professor Renee Bittoun who is actually a tobacco
treatment specialist had been of the opinion that indeed a number of
factor play an important role in health gap of the indigenous people like
inadequate housing, high rates of poverty, and alcohol and drug abuse
but smoking actually results in immense damage. He had also undertaken

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and in-depth research and analysis about the comments made by Dr.
Raymond Lovett who is the epidemiologist at the Australian National
University. He had been of the opinion that increased smoking rate might
be because of the part of colonisation. He stated that tobacco acted as
the de facto currency and was even used extensively in the state or
church run missions where Indigenous people had been sent for
conversions into Christianity. Wright (2017) been of the opinion that
Europeans indeed used tobacco as an alluring object for the Indigenous
people as they desired for it. The colonisers used to provide them tobacco
in huge amount for buying labours. Moreover, they infused it in the form
of ration spreading its use among the Indigenous people extensively
(Gould et al. 2015). They thought that this practice would make them
accept the modern way of settling and picking up western culture and
ethics but they failed as this clashed with the world views of the
Indigenous people. However, within this time, the habit and addiction had
become widespread (Tremain et al., 2016). Thereby, this article can state
that the author had indeed researched extensively to find out the factor
and represent to readers about the cause of high prevalence of smoking
among Indigenous people. In that sense, it can be stated that the author
had tried to undertake a neutral approach representing facts as well as
the programs that had been developed in the nation for the Indigenous
people. However, there is a different angle to it, which can be considered
to be negative.
However, it seems that author appears to harbour biasness or
prejudices about the smoking prevalence among the Indigenous people.
While discussing about the high smoking rate among Indigenous people,
he talked about Simone Jordan who is an aboriginal leaders and involved
in establishing centre in Sydney to help the Indigenous people give up
smoking cigarettes. However, it can be found that there was an
insensitive way or representing that although the leader is doing lots to
help in the cause, he is himself a smoker. This was represented as “About
a third of aboriginal adults smoke, including Simone Jordan, an
aboriginal leader involved in setting up a centre in Sydney….”. This shows

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a careless representation of sensitive information that exhibited the role
of the leader in a humiliating manner. This expresses an involuntary
exhibition of cultural biasness and prejudices. Lindberg et al. (2016) states
that when experts are not aware of their self-awareness and self-
regulation about their cultural beliefs and prejudices they harbour
unintentionally, it can result in such comments even if the expert tries to
control them. It is necessary for professionals to reflect on their cultural
beliefs, biasness and thoughts they harbour against other cultures so that
they may become careful and practice cultural competency successfully.
Article 2:
NITV had published a media article in 20th of October in 2017 which
had a positive vibe from the entire discussion conducted on the topic of
the smoking among the Indigenous people. The article seems to celebrate
the success of gradual decrease in the smoking rate. The article had been
found to infuse a lot of positive vibe. It made the readers feel happy, and
encouraged about the success of reduced smoking rate among the
Indigenous people. The statistics depicted here shows that there had been
20% reduction in the smoking rates among the Indigenous people from
that of 1994 to that of 2014-2015. It had been indeed a victorious
approach noted by the authors who had found that young people of the
Indigenous community aged 15 to 17 had shown considerable decrease in
smoking prevalence. The percentage had decreased from that of 30% to
that of 17%. This form of approach can be considered positive as it
celebrates the success of the programs that had been implemented for
reduction of smoking prevalence and encourages readers helping in
development of hope that future brings promising results (Chamberlain et
al., 2017).
The authors have undertaken extensive researches where they have
found interesting results of more Indigenous people are quitting smoking
successfully and that fewer people are taking up smoking. These had
resulted in less number of smokers in the native communities. This can be
considered a positive article as the author had throughout a hopeful tone

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in his writings and findings. Hobden et al. (2018) opines such statistics
and information in turn encourages more smokers in quitting and more
number of younger people among the Indigenous communities would be
motivated to be smoke-free. This article would be able to give a message
that since others are doing it and succeeding in developing better lifestyle
choices through quitting smoking, they would be also able to do so. Such
positive approach would not only encourage the Indigenous people but
would also empower them to achieve the goal of living healthy lives by
quitting smoking. Hence, the work of the author needs to be applauded
and celebrated. Even besides, describing the health promotion initiatives
taken by different governmental and non-governmental initiatives carried
all over the nation, they have stated that the number of smokers in the
present Indigenous communities are still high which needs to be reduced
(Sarma, 2018). However, the tone is extremely encouraging like “so there
is a significant gap we will need to close in the coming years...Which is
why the recent statistics showing a decline in smoking were so
encouraging for the community”. Such approach would make the
Indigenous people feel respected as well as empowered to stick to the
goal in a dedicating manner.
Article 3:
Lydia Lynch had published a media article in 19th of October in the
year 2017 in Katherine Times. This paper had been quite positive in its
approach and can be found to be a reflection of article 2. Apart from
discussing the reduction of the rate of smoking from 55% in 1994 to that
of 41% in 2014-2015, they have acknowledged that there had been
substantial progress in the reduction of the tobacco utilisation like that in
the last decade. The author had noted denoted a very encouraging
statement of Dr. Lovett like “The progress we have seen gives us a clear
sign that we can further reduce smoking prevalence and improve
Indigenous health. We need a continued comprehensive approach to
tobacco control, and the incorporation of Indigenous leadership, long-term
investment and the provision of culturally appropriate materials and

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activities “. Such an approach discussed by the leaders can help in
developing hope and encouragement among the Indigenous people that
indeed the authorities are trying their best and that their cooperation and
collaboration would enable them to adopt health lives by quitting
smoking. Even another positive aspect of the paper is that it had also
described about social determinants of health. Studies state that socio-
economic, cultural and environmental factors among the Indigenous
communities play an important role in adopting poor health behaviours
like smoking and others (Soto et al., 2018). The paper had even given a
hope that government also works upon such factors and this shows
readers that they can indeed develop the hope to make the communities
free from smoking addiction.
Conclusion:
Over the years, various articles had been published which positive,
negative or neutral approach towards the health concerns had faced by
the Indigenous people. Article 1 shows cultural biasness in his writing
although he had done extensive works about the gathering of information
about the factors that contributed to smoking among Indigenous people.
The second smoking had adopted a very positive approach encouraging
more readers to align with the goal of quitting smoking through the
exhibition of the success rate already achieved by many Indigenous
people in the nation. The third article took a similar positive approach.
These articles had shown that they had undertaken different approaches,
which had various impacts on the Indigenous people and affected their
emotions in different ways.
References:
Chamberlain, C., Perlen, S., Brennan, S., Rychetnik, L., Thomas, D.,
Maddox, R., ... & Eades, S. (2017). Evidence for a comprehensive
approach to Aboriginal tobacco control to maintain the decline in
smoking: an overview of reviews among Indigenous

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peoples. Systematic reviews, 6(1), 135.
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-017-0520-9
Gould, G. S., Watt, K., McEwen, A., Cadet-James, Y., & Clough, A. R.
(2015). Predictors of intentions to quit smoking in Aboriginal tobacco
smokers of reproductive age in regional New South Wales (NSW),
Australia: quantitative and qualitative findings of a cross-sectional
survey. BMJ open, 5(3), e007020.
https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/5/3/e007020?
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TrendMD-1
Gould, G. S., Watt, K., West, R., Cadet-James, Y., & Clough, A. R. (2016).
Can smoking initiation contexts predict how adult Aboriginal
smokers assess their smoking risks? A cross-sectional study using
the ‘Smoking Risk Assessment Target’. BMJ open, 6(7), e010722.
https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/6/7/e010722?
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Hobden, B., Bryant, J., Forshaw, K., Oldmeadow, C., Evans, T. J., & Sanson-
Fisher, R. (2018). Prevalence and characteristics associated with
concurrent smoking and alcohol misuse within Australian general
practice patients. Australian Health Review.
http://www.publish.csiro.au/ah/AH18126
Lindberg, R., Fetherston, H., Calder, R., McNamara, K., Knight, A.,
Livingston, M., ... & Grimes, C. (2016). Getting Australia’s Health on
Track. http://vuir.vu.edu.au/32486/1/Getting%20Australia's
%20Health%20on%20Track%202016.pdf
Sarma, S. (2018). Australia: Prevention of Tobacco use and Cigarettes.
https://digitalcommons.augustana.edu/pubh100global/64/
Sitas, F., Bradshaw, D., Egger, S., Jiang, G., & Peto, R. (2018). Smoking
counts: experience of implementing questions on smoking on official

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death certification systems. International journal of epidemiology.
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Freddy_Sitas/publication/32912
6847_Smoking_counts_experience_of_implementing_questions_on_s
moking_on_official_death_certification_systems/links/
5c4533dea6fdccd6b5bcb649/Smoking-counts-experience-of-
implementing-questions-on-smoking-on-official-death-certification-
systems.pdf
Soto, C., Unger, J. B., Sussman, S., & Zeledon, I. (2018). International
Approaches to Tobacco Use Cessation Programming and Prevention
Interventions among Indigenous Adolescents and Young
Adults. Current Addiction Reports, 5(1), 35-41.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s40429-018-0186-y
Tremain, D., Freund, M., Wye, P., Wolfenden, L., Bowman, J., Dunlop, A., ...
& Wiggers, J. (2016). Provision of chronic disease preventive care in
community substance use services: Client and clinician
report. Journal of substance abuse treatment, 68, 24-30.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsat.2016.05.006
Wright, A. (2017). Whose risk? Whose responsibility? The Epidemiology of
intervening in health risk behaviours for Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander people.
https://openresearch-repository.anu.edu.au/handle/1885/140479

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Appendix:
Article 1: https://www.voanews.com/a/program-tackles-sky-high-rates-of-
aboriginal-smoking-in-australia/4683248.html
Article 2: https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/2017/10/20/smoking-decline-
amongst-indigenous-communities-encourages-youth-butt-bad-habit
Article 3: https://www.katherinetimes.com.au/story/4977441/indigenous-
australians-put-down-the-smokes/