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Tobacco use in ethnic minority groups must be understood by looking at prevalence levels (where for example it is significantly higher for Bangladeshi men), and the type of tobacco products consumed.External linkEthnic minorities and smoking
 

Minority Ethnic Groups

Ethnicity is an important issue because, as well as having specific needs relating to language and culture, persons from ethnic minority backgrounds are more likely to come from low income families, suffer poorer living conditions and gain lower levels of educational qualifications. In addition, certain ethnic groups have higher rates of some health conditions. In addition, certain BME groups have higher rates of some health conditions. For example, South Asian and Caribbean-descended populations have a substantially higher risk of diabetes; Bangladeshi-descended populations are more likely to avoid alcohol but to smoke and sickle cell anaemia is an inherited blood disorder, which mainly affects people of African or Caribbean origin. (Source: Public Health Wales)
 

Background and Policy Context

Raising the Standard aims to promote race equality in the design and delivery of mental health services in order to reduce the health inequalities experienced by some ethnic groups.
 

Service Planning

The Public Health Wales Health Information Analysis Team created a Health Needs Assessment document to assist local health partnerships with the 2006 round of health needs assessment in preparation for their Health, Social Care and Well-being (HSCWB) Strategies. It includes a chapter on Ethnicity.
Health, Social Care and Well-being (HSCWB) Strategies cover a range of activities; from preventative action to improve health and reduce the risk of ill health, through to care services provided by the National Health Service, local authorities and the voluntary and private sector agencies. The strategies are all based on local needs assessments carried out by the NPHS. The HSCWB strategies aim to provide local partnership solutions to the local priorities identified but in a national policy context. Ethnic minorities population needs are addressed in the following:
 

Statistics

Focus on Ethnicity and Identity paints a picture of the ethnic groups in the UK today. It includes information on their characteristics, lifestyles and experiences, placing particular emphasis on comparing and contrasting the main groups.
The former National Public Health Service (NPHS) and the Wales Centre for Health (WCfH) now part of Public Health Wales are collaborating on a project to deliver health profiles to a national consistency whilst retaining a local perspective.These profiles aim to inform Local Health Boards on the public health issues facing their communities. They include information on Black and Ethnic Minority populations for each area.