Tobacco Health Inequity in Australia

Running Head: HEALTH INEQUITY 1
Tobacco Health Inequity in Australia
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Tobacco Health Inequity in Australia 2
Introduction
According to Miller & Hickling (2014, p.74), tobacco health inequity in Australia is most
prevalent in the people with life in a low socio-economic and are more the probable people to
smoke tobacco. Hence, there is a widespread of tobacco use among the Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander (ATSI) population because they are the leading community with a lower socio-
economic status compared to other cities and regions in Australia. Further studies show that the
ATSI people aged 15 years and over were in a more probable position to engage in daily
smoking activities compared to the non-indigenous people. Moreover, some factors have caused
the prevalence and social distribution of tobacco use in Australia which people with mental
illnesses, cultural and linguistic diverse communities (Purcell, 2015, p.8). This article is meant to
explain how public health has defined the tobacco health inequity in Australia in the past. The
tobacco health inequity in Australia is of concern because of the health gap it has caused
numerous effects on the Australian population because it has led to diseases that could have been
prevented (Friel, 2009). Therefore, there is a high number of people who are affected by most
non-communicable diseases such as cancer, diabetes, asthma and various circulatory disorders.
Furthermore, the current reasons that the current public health has identified as the causes of the
tobacco health inequity include the nightlife setting which has promoted risky behaviors and the
working environment because most urban employment facilities provide smoking ones for the
addicts ( Newman et al., 2015, p. 126).
Public Health Explanation on Tobacco Health Inequity in Australia
1. Socio-economic Factors
According to Scollo and Winstanley (2016), the ATSI are the most affected by the
socioeconomic factors, but still, they engage in smoking behaviors. It is notable that most of the

Tobacco Health Inequity in Australia 3
ATSI people are disadvantaged due to the educational background of the ATSI, low-income
levels compared to other general Australian population and employment opportunities. Though
the government has put more effect on closing the employment gap, there is still a big difference
because there has been a slight improvement of 7%. Moreover, the population of the non-
Indigenous people has remained steady with a percentage of 76%. Furthermore, the ATSI
background is also affected by the tobacco inequity due to the mental illness inequities that
existed. According to the public health, most of the ATSI people harmed by tobacco use are the
depressed ATSI people, psychological stress in the ATSI population compared to the non-
Indigenous people (Partos et al., 2012, p.653). From the 2004-2005 survey, smoking is more
prevalent in people with psychological distress, and the 2002 national ATSI social Survey show
that most ATSI people are public offenders. Another reason that has led to this health inequity
gap is the homelessness and criminal justice offenders who are addicts of tobacco use.
2. Smoking Behavior Disparities Among Young People
According to the Cancer Council (2012), the young student who some are in secondary school
and living in disadvantaged regions such as the ATSI people were influenced mostly by tobacco
use compared to the students living in the more advantaged region in Australia (AMA, 2007).
According to a survey carried out in 2008 indicate that older students from more advantaged in
Australia were likely to engage in smoking activities compared to those from disadvantaged
areas. However, there was a huge disparity with the younger students (12-15 years old) from the
impoverished regions who were likely to engage in smoking activities compared to those from
privileged areas ( Cancer Council, 2012).
3. Domestic Exposure Disparities

Tobacco Health Inequity in Australia 4
According to the Cancer Council (2012), the National Drug Strategy Household Survey (1998)
states that Australian smokers in 2010-2011 were mostly affected by the low income they earned
and were more probable to allow smoking in their houses. Furthermore, research indicates that
82% of university-educated smokers in (2008-2009) admitted that they never smoked in the
presence of non-smokers in their cars and this was slightly higher than those who had not
completed their secondary education.
4. Physical Environment
According to VicHealth (2014, p.9), this is another factor that has led to the health inequity in
Australia because of the urban design setting which has many retail outlets selling tobacco.
Furthermore, these retail outlets are more concentrated in disadvantaged regions such as the
Indigenous people who live in poverty states which influences the smoking behavior in these
regions. Therefore, there are less retail shops in advantaged areas in Australia which has reduced
is a standard population who smoke in Australia.
5. Prisoners
According to Purcell (2015), smoking is prevalent by prisoners compared to the general
population in Australia. For instance, 84% of the inmates in 2012 were current smokers while
about 80% of the prisoners get reported as current smokers even when they leave the prison
facility. Furthermore, the most affected by these are the unemployed population, the ATSI
people and people with a low educational background which led them to do criminal activities
that got them into prison. For instance, 67% of the inmates in Australia who smoke were
unemployed before they got arrested for crimes they did while 36% were illiterate and had not
completed at least ten years in school.