National Reconciliation Week (NRW) 2024 is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements. NRW week 27 May – 3 June, encourages Australians to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation.
Lung Foundation Australia is committed to significantly improving the participation and engagement of First Nations people in our programs and services for lung health. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are significantly overrepresented in lung disease and lung cancer deaths. As a result, we are dedicated to closing the gap in lung health.
The National Reconciliation Week theme for 2024: Now More Than Ever, is a reminder to all of us that no matter what, the fight for justice and the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people will – and must -continue. Now, more than ever, the work continues. Lung Foundation Australia’s commitment to reconciliation continues in our day-to-day work in the community.
Did you know?
- E-cigarette (vape) use not only increases the risk of injury and disease, but it also encourages the cycle of nicotine addiction and dependence. This is challenging to stop and can further lead to the use of tobacco cigarettes or dual use (3)
- Although data available on youth vaping is limited, the existing statistics indicate that First Nations youth, who may be more disproportionately affected by this trend, have higher susceptibility towards harmful behaviours such as vaping (1,2)
- Between 2022-23 one in three (31%) First Nations people had reported using vapes at least once in their lifetime. This is compared to one in seven (14.4%) non-Indigenous Australians (1,2).
Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP)
Lung Foundation Australia’s Reflect RAP is a formal commitment by our Board, team, volunteers and community to Reconciliation Australia. Our allegiance is to address the substantial gap in lung health experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. We join over 2,200 corporate, government and not-for-profit organisations who have made a formal commitment to reconciliation through the RAP working program.
We look forward to continuing to listen to, learn from and work with our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander partners to close the gap on lung health.
Our resources
Lung Foundation Australia, with Na Joomelah, and National Best Practice Unit (NBPU), have co-designed a suite of vaping awareness resources for First Nations youth and their immediate community. These resources include three factsheets and accompanying videos. The resources address the multifaceted impacts of vaping on environment, health, and daily life.
The key messages are:
- Vapes can harm our environment
- Vapes can harm you and those around you
- You can make the right choice.
The initial results of creating these resources speak volumes. These resources show up to 30 per cent of participants have demonstrated sustained knowledge of vaping impacts even three months after engaging with these resources.
This National Reconciliation Week, we invite you to explore our lung health resources, Now More Than Ever. Lung Foundation Australia’s First Nation’s Resources for young people, parents and carers, and educators are available below.
References:
- Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). (2023). Smoking and Vaping [Data set]. Retrieved from https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/health-conditions-and-risks/smoking-and-vaping/latest-release.
- Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). 2024. National Drug Strategy Household Survey 2022-2023: First Nations people’s use of alcohol, tobacco, e-cigarettes, and other drugs. Retrieved from: https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/first-nations-people/first-nations-use-alcohol-drugs
- Baenziger O.N, Ford L, Yazidjoglou A, Joshy G & Banks E. (2021). E-cigarette use and combustible tobacco cigarette smoking uptake among non-smokers, including relapse in former smokers: umbrella review, systematic review, and meta-analysis. BMJ Open, 11(3), e045603. http://doi.org.10.1136/bmjopen-2020-045603
Lung Foundation Australia First Nations artwork meaning
The artwork by Jordan Lovegrove, Ngarrindjeri, of Dreamtime Creative shows Lung Foundation Australia raising awareness in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities about how to protect themselves from lung disease. The inner circle of the central meeting place represents Lung Foundation Australia; they are raising awareness and supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
Lung Foundation Australia’s five strategic pillars are shown by the large people symbols outside the central meeting place. The smaller meeting places and journey lines show Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities heading towards community health centres to receive health care, which is represented by the middle and outer circles.
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