A campaign developed to encourage Aboriginal and

Torres Strait Islander community to make healthy

lifestyle choices that would increase

life expectancy, while also

preventing and managing

chronic illness.

Deadly Choices activities

Social marketing campaign

Healthy lifestyle program

Social media

Tobacco Cessation programs

Community days

Sport & Recreation

Cooking programs

Healthy Lifestyle Education Program

9 x 90 minute sessions (flexible)

1. Leadership2. Chronic disease3. Healthy Minds4. Tobacco5. Nutrition6. Physical activity7. Harmful substances8. Healthy relationships9. Medicare & health Checks

What’s theneed for aDeadly Choices program?

Why is it important?

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

people have significant gaps in their

health and wellbeing compared to

non-indigenous people.

Health and wellbeing is linked to other factors such as employment, education, housing and social circumstance

Close the Gap?

• Most Australians enjoy one of the highest life expectancies of any country in the world. This is not true for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people can expect to live 10-17 years less than other Australians.

• Babies born to Aboriginal mothers die at more than twice the rate of other Australian babies, and

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people experience higher rates of preventable illness such as heart disease, kidney disease and diabetes.

This makes a gap between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and Non-Indigenous life expectancy of:

10.6 YEARS FOR MALES Males (Source: ABS 2012)

79.8

70.5 68.765 63.4

67.4

0

20

40

60

80

100

Non-IndigenousAustralians

NSW QLD WA NT AllIndigneousAustralians

Life

exp

ecta

ncy

(ye

ars)

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

Close the Gap

The death rates for Indigenous Australians are on par withsome of the world’s most impoverished nations. Statisticsindicate that Australia and Nepal have the world’s worst lifeexpectancy gaps between Indigenous and non-Indigenouspeople.

With your help we aim to close this health gap and achieveAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health equality withina generation.

In 2012–13, two in five (41%) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 15 years and over smoked on a daily basis.

That’s twice as many as non-indigenous people!

This can lead to higher rates of

chronic diseases such as lung cancer,

emphysema and asthma.

Key Health Findings

• Around 1 in 8 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people had heart disease.

• Around 1 in 12 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people had diabetes mellitus and/or high sugar levels in their blood or urine.

• 2 in 3 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 15 years and over were overweight or obese according to their BMI (Body Mass Index).

• 1 in 6 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have asthma.

Preventable Risk Factors of Chronic Disease

• Tobacco smoking

• Alcohol consumption

• Harmful substance use

• Poor dietary behaviours

• Low physical activity levels

• Overweight/obesity status

Health ChecksThe main goal of Deadly Choices is to encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to access their local health service and complete an annual “Health Check”.

➢ Not just to see the doctor when they are sick, but

➢ To visit their health service and access support to prevent or better manage their chronic disease and remain healthy.

Health Checks 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17

Completed Child health check 0-4 years 48% 42% 41% 56%

Completed Adult Health Checks 15-54 years 31% 34% 38% 45%

Completed Mens Health Checks 715 1248 1250 1378 1765

Deadly Choices TipsGiving up the Smokes

- If you smoke start

quitting, it is never to

late to quit

- Your smoking hurts

your kids and others

Safe Drinking

- 2 cans a day is OK,

also allow for a day or

two without.

- Alcohol can hurt

your family

Healthy Diet

- Half your plate

vegetables

- Water is best

Physical Activity

- Sit less

- An adult only

needs to exercise

30 minutes a day to

stay healthy

Emotional and Social Well-being

- We can help if you are feeling sad or

worried