Centre for Excellence in Indigenous Tobacco Control (CEITC)
CRCAH Project No. CD190 IK
Administering organisation:
University of Melbourne
Project Leaders:
Viki Briggs
Contact details:
Ph: 03 8344 0870
ceitc-info@unimelb.edu.au
www.ceitc.org.au
Staff Members:
Viki Briggs, Anke Van Der Sterren, Nicole McMillan, Terry James, Dallas Young, Christine Joy, Ngarra Murray, Keagan James
Funding Sources:
Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing, Drug Strategy Branch
Partners Involved:
- Dept. of Health and Ageing
- VACCHO
- National Heart Foundation
- Cancer Council Victoria
- Aboriginal & Islander Health Worker Journal
- Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet
- Quit Victoria
- Cancer Council Australia
- Cancer Council NSW
- VicHealth Centre for Tobacco Control
- Victorian Health Promotion Foundation (VicHealth)
- Queensland University of Technology
- Api Tautoko Auahi Kore (ATAK) - Maori Smokefree Coalition
- CRC for Aboriginal Health
Program Manager:
Arwen Nikolof
Chronic Conditions Program
This project is endorsed as an in-kind project of the CRCAH.
Project Summary:
CEITC was established in September 2003 to address the high prevalence and incidence of tobacco smoking in Indigenous communities in Australia. Research has indicated that smoking is a leading contributor towards ill health and mortality for Indigenous people, with 20% of all deaths related to tobacco smoking.
CEITC has been funded for six years by the Commonwealth Department of Health & Ageing, and is based in the Onemda VicHealth Koori Health Unit at the University of Melbourne. At the time it was established, tobacco control was a low to mid priority for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
CEITC has a national coordination role, and seeks to improve health outcomes related to tobacco control consumption by building national capacity for effective Indigenous tobacco control programs. CEITC endeavours to raise awareness around tobacco control issues through its primary focus on research, teaching, policy development, knowledge sharing and advocacy.
Most of CEITC’s work is with community organisations including the NACCHO affiliates. CEITC also works with a number of NGOs including state Cancer Councils and the National Heart Foundation.
Key activities and outcomes to date:
- Development of resource kit and training (see publication below)
- Annual Indigenous Tobacco Control workshops
- Member of the Technical Reference group for the COAG Tobacco Control Initiative funding package.
One of the challenges that has emerged is in CEITC responding to the increased level of work it is called upon to provide given the recognition, level of activity and attention now occuring in Indigenous tobacco control.
In early 2008, CEITC's ongoing advocacy for increased levels of funding included a presentation to Government at the CRCAH's 2008 Parliamentary Showcase, which contributed towards a commitment by the State, Territory and Federal Governments of $1.6billion in funding to tackle high Indigenous smoking rates. CEITC was contracted to provided a written report to the Federal Government which reviewed current evidence and proposed a set of recommendations to inform the National Indigenous Tobacco Control Initiative. CEITC has also been contracted to undertake consultations with health workers to provide feedback on their current capacity and what measures are needed to facilitate tobacco control work.
Timeline:
CEITC was established in September 2003 and is due to be completed in March 2010. CEITC is currently seeking a further 3 years of funding.
Publications and resources:
CEITC website - www.ceitc.org.au
Centre for Excellence in Indigenous Tobacco Control (CEITC) 2008, IndigenousTobacco Control in Australia: Everybody's Business, National Indigenous Tobacco Control Research Roundtable 2008, Brisbane, Australia, 23 May 2008, CEITC, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne. This is a report on the National Indigenous tobacco control roundtable in May 2008.
Talkin’ Up Good Air: Australian Indigenous Tobacco Control Resource Kit
The kit is a practical manual which encourages community action. The kit is full of Indigenous tobacco control information for health professionals but particularly Aboriginal Health Workers to further develop their knowledge in the field.
National Indigenous Tobacco Control Researchers Meeting 2007 Report
Galnya Angin – Partnerships in Indigenous Tobacco Control, June 2005, CEITC, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne. This was an audit of several Indigenous tobacco control projects from around Australia.
CEITC Newsletter – twice per year.
Links to other CRCAH projects on tobacco:
Monitoring and evaluating Aboriginal tobacco control
David Thomas, Menzies School of Health Research
Differential impact of Australian tobacco management policies for Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations - Is evidence informing Indigenous smoking policy? Penelope Azzatto, La Trobe
Exploring resilience and coping in relation to smoking within ‘at risk’ populations George Tsourtos, Flinders Uni
Last updated: 2009