Smoking as a Health-related Issue: Reasons for Inequity and Primary Healthcare Intervention

Smoking as a Health Related Issue 1
SMOKING AS A HEALTH-RELATED ISSUE
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Smoking as a Health Related Issue 2
Smoking as a Health-related Issue
Reasons for Inequity on Smoking
Smoking as a health issue continues to remain different in pattern between the
indigenous Australians and the non-indigenous Australians due to a number of
reasons. The primary causes to smoking and the preventive measures differ among the
two groups of people thus contributing to the reason for inequity in smoking health
behavior category. Among the indigenous Australians, smoking is viewed to be
contributed by the low socioeconomic conditions leading to smoking as a way of
relieving stress, socializing among members, sharing tobacco and maintaining social
cohesion.
The lack of health related services in lessening the smoking habit and the
necessary laws curbing smoking in first hand and passive smoking become reasons
for the disparity between the two populations. The non-indigenous people embrace
the latest medical information regarding the negative use of smoking thus acting upon
the information to cut down or completely remain negative towards smoking.
Moreover, the rehabilitation centers and the professional campaigns against smoking
and labeling of warning messages on packages of cigarette lead to a reduction and
maintenance of low number of smoking activities among the non-indigenous people
(Gracey 2007).
On the other hand, people from the indigenous section of the population live in
isolation with little or no information on dangers of smoking from a health
perspective. As a result, people smoke heavily in first hand and passive smoker
categories thus contributing to the high numbers experienced between the two people
(Thomas, Briggs, Anderson & Cunningham 2008). Each time the individuals
experience stress, smoking is used as a reliever among many as opposed to other

Smoking as a Health Related Issue 3
means used to relieve stress among the non-indigenous people. The fact serves as a
reason towards the disparity in smoking behaviors and patterns among the two
categories of individuals in Australia.
Secondly, the existing laws on public smoking and creation of smoking zones
creates the difference in habit of smoking and control features leading to low
experience of smoking among dwellers in both categories. The non-indigenous people
live in areas that are developed and guided by the health related rules that discourage
smoking in public places and use education as a deterrent factor whenever outlining
the dangers of smoking (Thomas, Briggs, Anderson & Cunningham 2008). The
attribute leads to a reduction in the smoking habit and discourages new addiction rates
as well as provide support for the rehab centers for those who desire to convert and
remain smoke-free.
However, the situation is different for the indigenous people who smoke at
will and lack the laws guiding on smoking and discouraging factors against smoking
habits. Lack of resources and sufficient laws gives a thriving ground towards the
development and creation of new cases of smoking habits promoted by the
socioeconomic status of the individuals (Marmot & Commission on Social
Determinants of Health 2007). Moreover, the lack of punitive laws and education on
people who disregard the limits in smoking serve as a negative factor in curbing the
health related behavior detrimental to the individuals. As a result, the two factor lead
to the high disparity level in smoking-related behaviors among the individuals from
the non-indigenous and indigenous populations.
Primary Healthcare Intervention to Smoking
The National Tobacco Strategy 2012-2018 acts as a future action and
intervention program aimed at addressing the smoking prevalence among the