Deadly Choices and Broncos partnership launched in Logan

This Friday, Minister for Health the Honourable Cameron Dick will participate in a local Logan launch as part of a state-wide roll out of the Deadly Choices and the NRMA Brisbane Broncos partnership.

He will be joined at the announcement by League legends and Deadly Choices Ambassadors Scott Prince and Steve Renouf, and chair of Brisbane Broncos Dennis Watt.

The partnership is strengthening the delivery of Deadly Choices - a social marketing strategy raising awareness of the risk factors of chronic disease with a focus on reducing smoking rates, improving diet and increasing physical activity.

The boost to the partnership is the biggest so far expanding the delivery of services across the state, representing an ongoing commitment by the government to Close the Gap on Indigenous life expectancy.

Institute for Urban Indigenous Health (IUIH) CEO Adrian Carson is pleased to see the government is committed to improving Indigenous health and said "Our partnership with the Broncos is one of our strongest, providing a powerful platform for spreading the Deadly Choices message.

"We are at a new stage in our partnership with the Broncos with the expansion of this new Deadly Choices state wide agreement.

"We want even more Indigenous people from South East Queensland and across wider Queensland to reap the benefits of the partnership by regularly visiting their local Aboriginal Medical Services" Mr Carson said.

In 8 Logan Schools over the last 6 months, Deadly Choices was delivered to 99 students with approximately 8 new schools coming on board for the next 6 months.

Jody Currie, Chair of Brisbane Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Health Service (Brisbane ATSICHS) said "One of the important things we teach in our Deadly Choices program is about reducing smoking and smoking cessation.

"We're empowering our kids to make deadly choices, by improving the knowledge and behaviours around tobacco cessation. It's important to stop smoking, but it's 100 times more important for our kids not to start," Ms Currie said.

IUIH continues to strengthen and expand the delivery of comprehensive primary health care services to the significant and expanding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population of Queensland.

Over the past 10 years the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population of Logan City has grown from 3,915 (ABS, 2001) to 7,771 (ABS, 2011), representing a population growth of 98.5% in a decade.
Between July 2014 and May 2015 the Logan ATSICHS clinic delivered 1298 Health Checks, an increase of 300 on 2013/14.

The NRMA Brisbane Broncos are excited to be on board the Deadly Choices initiative. CEO of the NRMA Brisbane Broncos Paul White says "the Broncos have always been proud of our involvement in this initiative and the results it has produced.

"We are now excited to join with the State Government and Deadly Choices to further expand this program and the benefits it provides across south-East Queensland," said Mr White.

The partnership is secured for three years and is expected to amplify the already successful initiative across Queensland.