HSC203 Essay: Media Impact on Australian Indigenous Health Issues

This essay analyzes three media articles focusing on smoking among Indigenous Australians, exploring the impact of media portrayals on their health and wellbeing. The analysis covers articles discussing the historical context of smoking due to colonization, the effects of smoking during pregnancy on Indigenous mothers and children, and the cultural competency (or lack thereof) in reporting on Indigenous health issues. The essay highlights the importance of neutral and culturally sensitive reporting to avoid perpetuating stereotypes and promote better health outcomes. It emphasizes the need for health promotion strategies and policy changes, such as increased access to nicotine replacement therapy, to address the high rates of smoking within Indigenous communities. The articles are assessed for their approach, discussing colonization's effects, maternal smoking, and cultural sensitivity, contributing to a broader understanding of the challenges and potential solutions for improving Indigenous health.

Running head: MEDIA ARTICLE ANALYSIS
MEDIA ARTICLE ANALYSIS
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
Author note:

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MEDIA ARTICLE ANALYSIS
Introduction:
Smoking tobacco is one of the addictions that have the potential to make individuals
suffer from huge number of chronic disorders like hypertension, hearts disorders, cardio-
pulmonary disorders, lung cancer and many others (Arjunan et al., 2016). This has become of
the major health concern in the nation of Australia and the prevalence of smoking habits is
seen to be much higher among the Indigenous people than that of the non-indigenous people
(Gibberd et al., 2018). In comparison, it has been found that about 39% of the combined
Aboriginal as well as Torres Islander people being of the age 15 or over are daily smokers,
which is quite higher than that of the 14% of the general population. It has been found that
after adjusting to that of the age differences, the Indigenous people are found to three times
more likely to be daily smokers than that of the non-Indigenous people. This assignment
would thereby try to highlight the reports of smoking among the Indigenous people on the
nation from three media articles. The articles would be analysed and critique to develop an
in-depth knowledge about the topic.
Discussion:
Article 1:
An interesting article had been developed by Stephen Smiley in October 2017 and
was published by the ABS news. This article had been called interesting, as the author had
utilised a topic, which had been long-debated among the researchers in the nation. this
debates had been as to whether the colonisers play an important role in increased rate of
smoking among the Indigenous people (Gould et al., 2016). Hence, the article had taken up
the courage to stir up the debate one again to highlight the factors contribute to increased
rates of smoking.

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MEDIA ARTICLE ANALYSIS
Before the initiation, of the main topic, the author had focused on how the rates of the
smoking had decreased among the Indigenous people people from the time of 1994 by a
percentage of about half. Although the decrease of the rate had not been much discussed in
the paper, a number of attributes can be discussed which would support the claim. Studies are
of the opinion that increased spread of awareness conducted by the primary healthcare
services mainly the different initiatives taken by Aboriginal Community Controlled
Healthcare Services or ACCHS is one of the controlling factors for smoking prevalence.
Moreover, the extensive healthcare policies as well as the different government and
nongovernmental campaigns can support the fact successfully (Diouf et al., 2016). These
campaigns can include the Close the Gap and Closing the Gap.
Still it had been found that only 14.5 per cent of the general adults in the nation are
seen to smoke while about 41.4 percent of Indigenous people are found to be smokers.
Therefore, it had raised a concern as to which factor contributes to the strong inclination of
smoking among the Indigenous people. This article is written with a positive mindset that
gives no judgemental behaviours among the smoking habit but had tried to connect how
colonialism might have contributed to smoking. The author had taken the viewpoints of Dr
Lovett to analyse a crucial fact. It was found that in the year 1950, smoking among
Indigenous people was 70%. This obviously raises a question as to how Indigenous people
were so exposed to availability of tobacco in their regions. Dr. Lovato assumed that it might
have been provided with rations to people comprising to men, women and even young
people. However, he stated that it is an assumption as still not enough historical records are
found before 1994.
The author had approach a polished neutral approach where she had put forward a
tone of passing information without taking positive or negative chances. One of the line
stated by Dr. Lovato during the interview was "Tobacco was used right up until the recent

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past — so, the 1970s — as payment for labour, and it was also part of the mission rations that
were handed out,". Nathan Jones also supported colonial-era practices of tobacco use. He is
the director of Aboriginal Health at the South Western Sydney Local Health District. He
recalled a high prevalence of smoking in his own family. Then, he stated that "A lot of the
older people smoked — it was just a social norm, most people did, and a lot of it is to do with
that history of tobacco and how it was used to trade and as a form of currency, and it
continues to impact on our community,"
It is important to delve deeper into the contexts of the claims made and to find out
whether the author and her interviewees had passed on credible information is important.
Otherwise, it may lead to development of judgements among the readers. Aboriginals were
already fond of “pituri” which is form of bush tobacco predominantly used by Indigenous
people (Gibberd et al., 2018). Colonisers intensified this situation and introduced tobaccos
and pipes as token of goodwill and conciliation. The Indigenous people were already having
a strong desire of tobacco. Colonisers quickly indentified this, and thereby they offered them
with huge supply of tobacco in exchange with labour, goods and services. This made the
colonisers believe that this inducements lead the Indigenous people to forego their traditional
lifestyles and would make them compliant participants in settlement activities. However, the
intention of the colonisers in instilling a “a Western work ethic, with its keystones of regular
habits, subordination of servant to master, economic incentives and accumulation of wealth
and goods” clashed with their worldview. Therefore, the addiction they had developed by
then but could not become the epitome that had been expected by colonisers. Hence, this
article had indeed helped in digging up some crucial events that led to smoking addiction
development among indigenous people (Schubert et al., 2019).

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MEDIA ARTICLE ANALYSIS
Article 2:
The next article had been mainly composed and published by the representatives of
the Conversation in July 21, 2016. The author had been found to have taken a neutral stance
and she had described how half of the pregnant Indigenous people have higher addiction to
smoking. It has been found that 1 non-Indigenous people is seen to smoke when 8
Indigenous people people smokes. The authors have notified how smoking with foetus in the
womb increases the risk of glue ear. This includes hearing loss, learning problems and
behavioural problems. They also have greater risk of asthma, bronchiolitis in childhood and
chronic lung disorder. Children of such mothers also remain at high risk for being smokers.
Thurber et al. (2018) is of the opinion that adverse effects associate with maternal smoking
includes preterm delivery, placenta abruption, low birth weight, reduced fetal lung
development. There is sudden infant death syndrome, high increased infection in infancy,
the development of obesity or overweight, and an increased probability of smoking
(Gould et al., 2016). Hence, the authors have done a commendable job by educating
Indigenous people readers about how smoking in pregnancy can affect the health of child
and this had helped in spreading awareness (Lovett et al., 2017).
Health promotion strategies are believed to have the most positive outcome in
controlling the prevalence of smoking among Indigenous pregnant women to ensure best
quality health of their children (Gould et al., 2017). One of the strategies that had been
proposed is to increases the access of such women to nicotine replacement therapy. Only
patches had been present under the Pharmaceutical Benefit Scheme (PBS) but oral NRT

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(inhalers, lozenges, gum and nicotine spray) is not subsidised. Hence, the authors have tried
to lobby for this cause to include oral NRT under PBS. However, she has raised concern that
pricing concerns among pharmaceutical companies is the main barriers. It is indeed important
for the government to extend their hands and allocate enough funds to help such initiatives
fulfil. Already Closing the Gap is failing because the targets are not met properly. Such
initiatives would help in better living of the children and would help the children to survive
longer days with quality lives that is also one target of Closing the Gap (Schubert et al.,
2019).
Other factors that are found are that more than half of the percentage of health
professionals like GPs and obstetricians are not confident about prescribing NRT. Another
cause also found to be associated with is spreading awareness through health promotion
messages around indigenous people smoking during pregnancy. Hence, the professionals
should be educated and trained in ways b y which they can successfully develop knowledge
about NRT and prescribe them confidently and educate people confidently. This would
enable indigenous mothers to give birth to healthy babies. This paper is also taken a neutral
approach where the authors had discussed about the habits of smoking among indigenous
mothers without judging them or humiliating. Rather, some important strategies had been
metioned, which would help them to overcome the addiction.
Article 3:
An article by Phil Mercer published in Voanews on December 2 in 2018 was
somewhat dicey in approach. The author had showed concern about the one third of the
Indigenous people smoking that is affecting their health and increasing health disorders. He
had been of the opinion just like the author of first article that public campaigns had helped in
controlling the smoking rates but still smoking rates among the Indigenous communities are

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dangerously high. Just like the first article, important opinions of Dr. Raymond Lovett who is
the epidemiologist at the Australian National University had been discussed. The author had
stated how tobacco used to be a part of colonization as a de-facto currency and even being
used in state- or church-run missions where many people lives in 19th century to be
assimilated by government for converting to Christianity (Thurber et al., 2018). Even, in spite
of discussing such crucial factors, an insensitive comment was made as “About a third of
aboriginal adults smoke, INCLUDING SIMONE JORDAN, AN ABORIGINAL LEADER
involved in setting up a center in Sydney that is designed to help Australia’s original
inhabitants give up cigarettes”. This comment showed that the author tried to indicate that
even being leader and setting initiatives for reduction of smoking, he is himself having
cigarettes. Such comments were unnecessary and it can harm the sentiments of indigenous
people and followers.
Conclusion:
From the above discussion, it had been found that most of the articles had undertaken
a neutral approach without praising and supporting or humiliating the indigenous people. One
had talked about effect of colonisation on smoking rates. The second talked about increased
smoking among indigenous mothers. The third was seen to lack cultural competency in its
approach. Although it talked about important programs done to reduce smoking as well as the
history of colonisation and its impact, it had seen to mock the Aboriginal leader. All the
articles help on developing knowledge and insight on the topic of smoking among readers
making them aware of the condition of the nation.

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References:
Arjunan, P., Poder, N., Welsh, K., Bellear, L., Heathcote, J., Wright, D., ... & Wen, L. M.
(2016). Smoking among Aboriginal adults in Sydney, Australia. Health Promotion
Journal of Australia, 27(1), 66-69. https://doi.org/10.1071/HE15020
Diouf, I., Gubhaju, L., Chamberlain, C., Mcnamara, B., Joshy, G., Oats, J., ... & Eades, S.
(2016). Trends in maternal and newborn health characteristics and obstetric
interventions among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mothers in Western
Australia from 1986 to 2009. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and
Gynaecology, 56(3), 245-251. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajo.12416
Gibberd, A., Simpson, J., Jones, J., Williams, R., Stanley, F., & Eades, S. (2018). Poor birth
outcomes among Aboriginal Western Australians and smoking, alcohol and substance
misuse, and assault. International Journal of Population Data Science, 3(4).
https://doi.org/10.23889/ijpds.v3i4.890
Gibberd, A., Simpson, J., McNamara, B., & Eades, S. (2018). Using linked data and family
studies to understand multigenerational causes of low birthweight among Australian
Aboriginal infants. International Journal of Population Data Science, 3(4).
DOI https://doi.org/10.23889/ijpds.v3i4.888
Gould, G. S., Bovill, M., Chiu, S., Bonevski, B., & Oldmeadow, C. (2017). Exploring an
adapted Risk Behaviour Diagnosis Scale among Indigenous Australian women who
had experiences of smoking during pregnancy: a cross-sectional survey in regional
New South Wales, Australia. BMJ open, 7(5), e015054.
https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/7/5/e015054?

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utm_source=trendmd&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=svn&trendmd-
shared=1&utm_content=Journalcontent&utm_term=TrendMDPhase4
Gould, G. S., Watt, K., Cadet-James, Y., & Clough, A. R. (2015). Using the risk behaviour
diagnosis scale to understand Australian Aboriginal smoking—a cross-sectional
validation survey in regional New South Wales. Preventive Medicine Reports, 2, 4-9.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2014.10.004
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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umer&utm_term=1-B
Lovett, R., Thurber, K., Wright, A., Maddox, R., & Banks, E. (2017). Deadly progress:
changes in Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adult daily smoking,
2004–2015. https://openresearch-repository.anu.edu.au/handle/1885/155157
Schubert, J., Kruavit, A., Mehra, S., Wasgewatta, S., Chang, A. B., & Heraganahally, S. S.
(2019). Prevalence and nature of lung function abnormalities among Indigenous
Australians referred to specialist respiratory outreach clinics in the Northern
Territory. Internal medicine journal, 49(2), 217-224.
https://doi.org/10.1111/imj.14112
Thurber, K. A., Joshy, G., Korda, R., Eades, S. J., Wade, V., Bambrick, H., ... & Banks, E.
(2018). Obesity and its association with sociodemographic factors, health behaviours
and health status among Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal adults in New South Wales,

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Australia. J Epidemiol Community Health, 72(6), 491-498.
https://jech.bmj.com/content/72/6/491?
itm_campaign=jech&itm_content=consumer&itm_medium=cpc&itm_source=trendm
d&itm_term=0-A

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Appendix:
Article 1: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-11/indigenous-smoking-colonial-practices-
implicated/9037036
Article 2: https://theconversation.com/heres-how-to-close-the-gap-on-indigenous-women-
smoking-during-pregnancy-62347
Article 3: https://www.voanews.com/a/program-tackles-sky-high-rates-of-aboriginal-
smoking-in-australia/4683248.html