Racism and Smoking: A Pilot Study of Aboriginal Adults 20-25 in Sydney

This assignment presents a pilot study exploring the association between racism and smoking rates among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults aged 20-25 years in Sydney. The study aims to understand how racism impacts smoking behavior within this population. The research objectives include identifying Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adult smokers in the specified age group in Sydney, understanding their experiences with racism, exploring racial discrimination and smoking, and determining if a relationship exists between racism and smoking rates. The methodology involves an interview guide with demographic variables and questions designed to elicit information on participants' perceptions of racism, experiences with discrimination, smoking habits, and the perceived influence of racism on their smoking behavior. Feedback from interviewees is incorporated to assess the relevance and effectiveness of the questions. The pilot study identifies limitations such as gender bias and differing perceptions of the connection between racism and smoking, leading to the conclusion that more targeted research is needed within the selected population to effectively interpret the impact of racism on smoking.

Association of racism and smoking rates of
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults
aged 20-25 years in Sydney
PRESENTED BY

Background
 Racism is defined as the belief of people based on superiority of one race
over another (Bonilla-Silva 2017).
 The consequence of racism may lead to prejudice towards the people
depending on their race ethnicity or race which in turn results in social
discrimination.
 Beside such disadvantages racism has been found to impact on health
behavior of the people such as smoking as well (Kirkinis et al. 2018).
 Study had indicated inequality in the rates of smoking initiation in the
economically and socially disadvantaged population.

Background
 Adolescence is identified as the most vulnerable period which is
associated with initiation of various health behavior including smoking
and endure the adverse effect during adulthood (Lê Cook et al. 2014).
 Different factors have been identified that influence the smoking in
adults for example, social and structural level, influence of peers,
parents and siblings, mental stress, lack of education and cultural
influence as well (Öncel et al. 2014).
 Such factors have indicated socio-cultural influence on initiation of
smoking.

Background
 Racism has been detected as the social construct that initiated
through manifestation of oppression and discrimination on the basis
of race, culture, ethnicity and religion and influence smoking as it
acts as one of the social determinants of health which is associated
with development of various health behaviors including smoking
(Read et al. 2018).
 Previous study has indicated the stress originated through
discrimination due to racism may lead to initiation of smoking.

Background
 On the other hand increasing attacks against the religious and ethnic
groups, inequality, migration, and changes in policy also impact on the
physical and mental health of people and lead to initiation of smoking
to reduce their stress (Read et al. 2015).
 However, it is also reported that low smoking rate has been found in
some minority group while having social deprivation and disadvantages
(Soneji et al. 2017). Hence it is required to introduce research to
identify whether social construct such as racism influence smoking or
not.

Research question
 How does racism impact smoking rates among Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander adults aged 20-25 years in Sydney?

Research aim
 To explore how racism impacts Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
adults aged 20-25 years who smoke compared to Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander adults’ non-smokers in Sydney.

Research objectives
 To identify Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults aged 20-25
years who smoke in Sydney.
To understand the experiences of racism among Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander adults aged 20-25 years.
 To explore racial discrimination and smoking among Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander adults aged 20-25 years.
 To address whether there is any relationship between racism and
smoking rates among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults
aged 20-25 years in Sydney?

Interview guide
Background:
 This interview guide was developed in order to assist the exploration of
the experience of adults aged 20-25 years regarding the impact of
racism on the initiation of smoking. The interview will be conducted
among my classmates. The responses will be used as a part of this
research project and derive the result.

Interview guide
 Hi! Myself Navjot Sharma, I am a postgraduate student in University
of Wollongong enrolled in Master of Public Health Advanced
Course.
 Today, I would like to ask you some general questions regarding
smoking and talk about any of your experiences which you think was
a discrimination due to race and the other factors which have
influenced you to smoke.

Interview guide
Part A
Demographic Variables
1st interviewee:
 Name- Usha
 Age-24
 Gender-female
 Ethnicity- Nepalese
 Occupation- student
 Socioeconomic status-medium

Interview guide
Part B
Interview questions:
 What is racism to you?
 Did you face racism anywhere due to your race or ethnicity?
 If yes, which places do you think you have faced racism more commonly?
 Why did you face racism in that situation?
 Do you smoke? If yes how often you smoke?