Tobacco Smoking Is The Largest Single Preventable Cause Of...

Overview ‘’ Tobacco smoking is the largest single preventable cause of death and disease in Australia† (Cancer Council, 2006). The 2003 Australian Burden of disease study considers tobacco smoking as a leading cause of disease burden in Australia (Begg S, 2003). Anti-Cancer Council of Australia conducted its first national survey which shows that during the middle of last century, large numbers of males aged 16 and over were smokers and compared to females. However, in the following decades, the prevalence of smoking decreased among males due to publicity regarding health effects of smoking which first started in 1950s and early 1960s (Gray N and Hill D, 1975). According to the survey conducted by the Australian Bureau of statistics in†¦show more content†¦These campaigns include media- based and other strategies to raise awareness among public about risk associated with smoking. â€Å"Australia has been considered as a world’s leader in production and broa dcasting of mass media campaigns to reduce smoking and first employed tobacco control mass media campaign in 1970s†. During 1980s, mass- media led anti-smoking campaign was conducted in Sydney and Melbourne (Pierce JP, 1986) . During the first year of the campaign, Sydney showed a marked decrease of 2.5 % in prevalence of smoking rate (Dwyer T, 1986). A similar result was seen in Melbourne campaign in its first year of campaign. This decline continued over the next 4 years for men in both cities (Pierce JP M. P., 1990). In Australia, led mass media campaigns have resulted in reduction in prevalence of smoking both in terms of smokers to quit smoking and in reducing the uptake of smoking among children. National Tobacco Campaign: During 1980s and early 1990s a steady reduction in smoking prevalence was observed, therefore a National Tobacco campaign was developed (Hill DJ, 1998). This campaign targeted smokers aged 18- 40 years. The evaluation of National Tobacco campaign shows significant reduction in prevalence of smoking among Australian adults (AIHW, 2005) . A decline from 23.5 % in May 1997 to 20.4% in November 2000 was seen in campaign survey (Wakefield M, 2004). Overall the campaign survey shows