Department of Health

Prevention in Aboriginal health

Key message

  • There are a number of Aboriginal health plans in place to address smoking rates, encourage healthy eating and nutrition and cancer screening.

Tobacco strategies

Aboriginal smoking rates are substantially higher than in the general population. This is an area that requires sustained focus to achieve positive outcomes, and was included as a priority in the National Partnership Agreement on Closing the Gap in Indigenous Health Outcomes (COAG 2009).

We support anti-smoking initiatives and quit smoking services, as well as action to reduce smoking in the key target groups of pregnant smokers and Aboriginal smokers.

Read more about tobacco reforms.

Nutrition and physical activity

We aim to develop healthy eating and nutrition approaches for Victoria and support the implementation of the Victorian Aboriginal nutrition and physical activity strategy 2009–2014 (VACCHO 2009), in order to achieve a secure, accessible and sustainable supply of healthy food choices for all Victorians.

We s also intend to investigate a comprehensive statewide approach to promote physical activity through the implementation of this strategy.

The Life is Health is Life: Taking action to close the gap (VicHealth 2011)External Link resource provides a health promotion framework for Victorian Aboriginal communities.

Cancer screening

We are coordinating strategies aimed at increasing cancer screening in communities that have a lower than average participation rates, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Read more about cancer screening.

Reviewed 07 February 2023

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Contact details

Aboriginal Health

aboriginalhealth@health.vic.gov.au
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