S.TRUEMAN PhD THESIS 2016

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Table 2.4 Tobacco Smoking Status and Amount Consumed Per Week in People Aged 14 Years or Older, by Remoteness (as Percentage of Total Population According to Remoteness Classification Index), 2007 and 2010 (Source: AIHW, 2011)

Location

2007 (Users %)

2010 (Users %)

2007 (Mean consumed per week)

2010 (Mean consumed per week)

Major Cities Inner Regional Outer Regional

18.0 21.9 23.0 25.0

16.8 19.9 20.7 28.9

89.1

94.5

107.8 117.3 107.4

113.5 120.9 140.7

Remote/Very Remote

The same publication (AIHW, 2011) reported that the proportion (as a percentage of total population) who had ‘never smoked’ was lowest in remote and very remote Australia compared to metropolitan areas (45.4% and 60.2% respectively) and highest for current daily smokers (16.8% and 28.9%). Consistent with the AIHW (2010) report, the Department of Health (2015) reported that people 14 years or older residing in remote and very remote areas were twice as likely to have smoked tobacco daily in the previous 12 months compared to those in major cities (22% compared to 11.0%). The proportion of people aged 14 years or older smoking daily rises with increasing remoteness: 11.0% in major cities, and 22% in remote and very remote areas. Tobacco use is an endemic health issue worsening with remoteness. While tobacco has no causal relationship with mental illness, it does increase the burden and incidence of general illnesses (e.g., Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, emphysema, lung cancer) in the mental health patient population. Degenhardt and Hall