Regional Tackling Smoking and Healthy Lifestyle Workforce and Activities

Public

The aim of this project is to:

To improve awareness of smoking and the associated health risks through the use of social marketing and social media strategies
To improve access to smoking cessation support to the community and build on the experience of health professionals in KAMSC member services and remote clinics to identify patient smoking history and behaviour and to provide advice on quitting
To reduce exposure to second-hand smoke
To promote the establishment of settings and environments that support healthy nutrition and physical activity
To increase community awareness of the need for an active lifestyle and appropriate level of physical activities to promote good health
To develop and provide targeted education about the links between physical inactivity and risk of developing diseases or compounding existing diseases such as cardiovascular conditions, type 2 diabetes, asthma, cancer and musculoskeletal conditions. This is particularly relevant to those who have an increase risk of developing these diseases.

Organisation or Department

Kimberly Aboriginal Medical Service Corporation (KAMSC)

State

Western Australia

Project Timeframe

This project has been funded for 3 years as part of the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Closing the Gap Initiative.

This project builds upon the work done for the Beyond the Big Smoke Project.

Project Activities

The current action plan includes activities of social marketing, training and development of health professionals within KAMSC member services and rural clinics, reduction in exposure to second hand smoke, development and coordination of the regional team, and tobacco control policies instigated within workplaces.

Partner Organisations

The program is currently in its infancy in the Kimberley, however initial partnerships have been established with Aboriginal Medical services in the region who are the employers of the Tobacco Action Workers and Healthy Lifestyle Workers. Initial partnerships have also been established with the BOABS reserach team along with the now completed Beyond the Big Smoke Project. These partnerships were utilised for an environmental scan of Abroginal Medical Services and rural clinics in the Kimberley.

What in particular helped the project?

To be advised

What in particular didn't work so well?

To be advised

Summary of Findings and Recommendations

To be advised

Project Evaluation

This project will be evaluated in line with the Department of Health and Ageing reporting requirements

Project Resources and Publications

Resources developed as part of the Beyond the Big Smoke project, conducted in partnership between KAMSC and Australian Health Council of Western Australia are available at www.kamsc.org.au/big_smoke.html

Contact Details

Jill Coole
Regional Tobacco and Healthy Lifestyle Coordinator for the West Kimberley
Ph: (08) 9192 5637
E:

Andrew Schultz
Regional Tobacco and Healthy Lifestyle Coordinator for the East Kimberley
Ph: (08) 9168 1288
E: