Hi TIS Teams! Welcome to this month’s research roundup on strengthening health promotion to tackle Indigenous smoking. I am excited to share five papers that show how using ‘systems thinking’ and prioritising community engagement can improve health equity in tobacco control.

Take Home Message for TIS Teams:

Health promotion programs, like TIS, are essential for improving the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Tobacco control is complex but using a ‘systems thinking’ approach can make a real difference. To strengthen health promotion to tackle Indigenous smoking, it is important to collaborate closely with local communities from the very beginning. This means working together in the planning, development, and evaluation of your program. Ongoing engagement with community members and partners at every stage is key to the success of the TIS program. By understanding local needs and respecting cultural values, you can create programs that truly connect with the community. Plan and run activities in places that are familiar and meaningful to the community to ensure they are relevant and effective. Supporting self-determination is also important. By valuing and including the leadership of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, the TIS Program can make significant progress in reducing smoking and vaping across Australia.

Click on the thumbnail to the right to read the full roundup.

For more of Connie the Clever Cockie’s updates, visit the Tobacco Control News page.