Smoking - quit services for diverse groups

Quit services to help you stop smoking are available from a diverse range of organisations and in a number of community languages. Australia has a very large population of people from non-English speaking (NES) and culturally diverse (CALD – culturally and linguistically diverse) backgrounds. Some of these communities have smoking rates that are much higher than the national average.

Tobacco smoking is the single most common cause of ill health and premature death in Australia. Almost 15,000 Australians die from tobacco-related diseases each year.

Multilingual and culturally appropriate help to stop smoking is available through doctors, health centres, pharmacists, migrant resource centres, community centres, ethnic organisations and Quit Victoria.

Smoking in different cultures

In Victoria, more than 20 per cent of the population speak a language other than English at home. The 2007–08 National Health Survey found that around 20 per cent of people born in Australia smoked tobacco. Rates were similar or slightly higher for people born in other countries in the Pacific, North African and Middle East countries, and lower for those from European and South-East Asian countries.

Smoking rates that combine both men and women can disguise the fact that, for many countries of origin, the smoking rates of men are very high and the female smoking rates are quite low. For example, a 2005 New South Wales survey shows that the male smoking rate for those born in Vietnam was seven times that of the female smoking rate.

Resources and services to stop smoking

Quit Victoria has a number of strategies to reach culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities including:

• Resources in 21 languages – to help smokers quit and to provide information about the health effects of smoking and exposure to tobacco smoke. These resources are free in Victoria and can be purchased by others elsewhere in Australia. Resources are available through the Quit website. www.quit.org.au/resource-centre/community/multicultural-project/multicultural-resources.aspx
• Free information sessions – on the health effects of smoking and second-hand smoking, and information on how to quit. Bilingual educators are available, in a number of community languages, to attend community groups and English classes.
• Scholarships – to health, education and welfare workers fluent in English and in another language to train as Quit educators. Some training participants go on to work with the Multicultural Project and some continue to work with their organisations promoting Quit messages.
• Community support grants – these are available each year to support groups or organisations from culturally diverse communities to organise a project that promotes smoke-free messages within their communities.
• Quitline using the interpreter service – for people who speak a language other than English and want to talk to a Quit adviser. Callers can contact Quitline 13 7848 and ask for this service or agencies can refer clients using the Multicultural Fax referral available through the Quit website.
• Working with ethnic media – including radio, newspapers, ethnic publications and community television to promote information on stopping smoking in a variety of community languages.
• Brief intervention training for community workers – Quit Victoria offers brief intervention training for staff in organisations working with CALD communities. Through half-day seminars, the training shows community workers how to help and support smokers from CALD backgrounds to quit.

Visit the Quit website or call Quit on (03) 9635 5502 for more information.

Where to get help

• Quitline Tel. 13 7848 (13 QUIT)
• Your doctor
• Pharmacies
• Migrant resource centres
• Community centres
• Ethnic organisations

Things to remember

• In some communities, smoking rates may be much higher than the national average.
• Help and information are available in a range of community languages.
• Call Quitline on 13 7848 (13 QUIT) for the cost of a local call.

You might also be interested in:

• Early death - how to reduce your risk.
  
• Early death in Victoria - causes.
  
• Smoking - quitting tips.
  
• Smoking - the financial cost.
  
• Smoking and eye disease.
  
• Smoking and heart disease.
  
• Smoking tobacco is deadly.
  

Want to know more?

Go to More information for support groups, related links and references.

This page has been produced in consultation with and approved by:

(Logo links to further information)

The Quit logo - links to further information

Last reviewed: July 2011

Content on this website is provided for education and information purposes only. Information about a therapy, service, product or treatment does not imply endorsement and is not intended to replace advice from your doctor or other registered health professional. Content has been prepared for Victorian residents and wider Australian audiences, and was accurate at the time of publication. Readers should note that, over time, currency and completeness of the information may change. All users are urged to always seek advice from a registered health care professional for diagnosis and answers to their medical questions.

If you would like to link to this fact sheet on your website, simply copy the code below and add it to your page:

<a href="http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Smoking_quit_services_for_diverse_groups?open">Smoking - quit services for diverse groups - Better Health Channel</a><br/>
Quit services to help you stop smoking are available from a diverse range of organisations and in a number of community languages. Tobacco smoking is the single most common cause of ill health and premature death in Australia. In many communities from non-English speaking (NES) or culturally diverse (CALD - culturally and linguistically diverse) backgrounds, smoking rates are very high.

Content on this website is provided for education and information purposes only. Information about a therapy, service, product or treatment does not imply endorsement and is not intended to replace advice from your qualified health professional. Content has been prepared for Victorian residence and wider Australian audiences, and was accurate at the time of publication. Readers should note that over time currency and completeness of the information may change. All users are urged to always seek advice from a qualified health care professional for diagnosis and answers to their medical questions.

For the latest updates and more information, visit www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au

Copyight © 1999/2012  State of Victoria. Reproduced from the Better Health Channel (www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au) at no cost with permission of the Victorian Minister for Health. Unauthorised reproduction and other uses comprised in the copyright are prohibited without permission.