Professor David Thomas
Head, Tobacco Control Research
Qualifications:
PhD, Northern Territory University, 2001; Fellow of the Australasian Faculty of Public Health Medicine, 1993; Master of Medical Science (Clinical Epidemiology), University of Newcastle, 1995; Diploma of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, University of Liverpool, 1988; Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery, University of Sydney, 1985.
Approved level of HDR supervision at Charles Darwin University:
Principal Supervisor for PhD
Location:
Darwin - Royal Darwin Hospital campus
Biography:
Professor Thomas has worked in Indigenous health and health research for 30 years. He has worked as a doctor for three Aboriginal community controlled health services. He has published peer-reviewed research articles about many aspects of Indigenous health and the book, Reading Doctors’ Writing (Aboriginal Studies Press, 2004).
Prof Thomas established and has led the Tobacco Control Research Program at Menzies since 2007. He has completed research about many aspects of Indigenous tobacco control, including the national longitudinal study ‘Talking About The Smokes’, an RCT, Cochrane reviews, qualitative research (including the examination of historical tobacco industry documents), evaluations of local and national policies and projects, and monitoring trends in smoking. This work has been in collaboration with Australian and international researchers, including many Indigenous researchers, and in close partnership with Indigenous communities and organisations, especially Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services.
Prof Thomas is involved in the translation of research into policy and practice through advocacy, collaborations with policy makers and practitioners, and his membership on several important national and NT committees.
Research Themes
- Thomas, D.P., Scollo, M. (2018) Should a smoking question be added to the Australian 2021 census? [Editorial] Aust N Z J Public Health Early View. Available at: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1753-6405.12788
- Thomas, D.P., Abbot, P. (2018) Smoking [book chapter]. In: National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation and The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. National guide to a preventive health assessment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people: Evidence base. 3rd edn. East Melbourne, Vic: RACGP. p12-17. Available at: https://www.racgp.org.au/download/Documents/Guidelines/National-guide-3rd-ed-web-final.pdf.
- Thomas, D.P., Davey, M.E., Panaretto, K.S., van der Sterren, A.E. (2017) Cannabis use among two national samples of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander tobacco smokers. Drug Alc Rev. DOI: 10.1111/dar. Available: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/dar.12609/pdf
- Thomas, D.P., Panaretto, K., Davey, M., Briggs, V., Borland, R. (2017) The social determinants and starting and sustaining quit attempts in a national sample of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander smokers. Aust NZ J Public Health;41:230-36. doi: 10.1111/1753-6405.12626, Available at: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1753-6405.12626/pdf
- Thomas, D., Davey, M., Briggs, V., & Borland, R. (2015). Talking about the smokes: summary and key findings. Medical Journal of Australia, 202(10): S3-S4.
- Thomas, D., Briggs, V., Couzos, S., Davey, M., Hunt, J., Panaretto, K., et al. (2015). Research methods of ‘Talking about the Smokes’: An International Tobacco Control Policy Evaluation Project with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. Medical Journal of Australia, 202(10): S5-S12.
- Thomas, D., Panaretto, K., Stevens, M., Bennet, P., & Borland, R. (2015). Smoke-free homes and workplaces of a national sample of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Medical Journal of Australia, 202(10): S33-S38.
- Walker, N., Johnston, V., Glover, M., Bullen, C., Trenholme, A., Thomas, D.P., et al. (2015). The effect of a family-centred environmental tobacco smoke intervention to reduce respiratory illness in Indigenous infants: A randomised controlled trial. Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 17: 48-57.
- Thomas, D.P., Bainbridge, R., & Tsey, K. (2014). Changing discourses of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health research, 1914-2013. Medical Journal of Australia, 201(1 Suppl): S15-S18.
- Thomas, D.P., & Stevens, M. (2014). Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander smoke-free homes, 2002 to 2008. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 38(2): 147-153.
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NT News | Healthy housing urgently needed
Professor David Thomas a said there was a growing body of research that linked housing and health particularly in Aboriginal communities.
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AMA NT calls for 'urgent' tobacco reform to butt out high Indigenous smoking rates
The head of the Australian Medical Association NT has written to the Chief Minister calling for "urgent" action to address the Territory's high smoking rates.
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LETTER: 148 ORGANIZATIONS CALL FOR PHASING OUT SALES OF COMBUSTIBLE TOBACCO PRODUCTS
The lessons learned in 2020 from the bold actions taken to address the COVID-19 pandemic provide an opportunity to consider equally bold actions that will be required to tackle other global health pandemics.
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Restricting sales to pharmacies proposed
The Centre for Research Excellence on Achieving the Tobacco Endgame (CREATE) will involve researchers from 11 institutions with the aim of phasing out smoking for good.
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No stigma for smoking among Yolngu people in East Arnhem Land
A public health study into the effectiveness of tobacco control strategies in East Arnhem Land has found no evidence of smoking-related stigma among Yolngu people.
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Aboriginal Health News Alert #75 - Corona virus and smoking news
Professor David Thomas says health staff can emphasise the research evidence of the benefits to stress management, mental health and well-being that come with successfully quitting smoking.
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Medical Express | Stress not a barrier to quitting the smokes
Stress may not be a major long-term obstacle to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people quitting smoking, as previously believed, according to new research.
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Media Release | Stress not a barrier to quitting the smokes
Stress may not be a major long-term obstacle to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people quitting smoking, as previously believed, according to new research.
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Smoking rates fall nationally, but not in the Territory
The numbers of Indigenous smokers are falling across Australia but not in the Territory.
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National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander smoking rates and the NT
A survey released yesterday by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) shows sustained improvement in the national smoking rate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
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Tongans use social media to fight lifestyle diseases
The training comes as new research from the Menzies School of Health looking at Australia's indigenous community has shown that using Facebook to deliver health messages can be effective.
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NT's high smoking rate sparks calls to ease vaping laws
Menzies School of Health head of tobacco research David Thomas said there simply was not enough evidence about the potential health benefits.
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RAGCP | Smoking question unlikely to be included in 2021 census
Professor David Thomas, a tobacco-control researcher who led the submission, is disappointed by the outcome but vows to keep fighting.
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NT News | NT Government events to go completely smoke free
NT Tobacco Control Action Committee chairman David Thomas said the plan placed special emphasis on reducing harm for Aboriginal Territorians, who suffered the greatest burden from tobacco use.
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Territorians Health a Priority as new Tobacco Action plan launched on World No-Tobacco Day
The Territory Government has released its plan to improve the health of all Territorians by reducing the harm caused by tobacco consumption and exposure to tobacco smoke, and to prevent uptake by young people.
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BuzzFeed | Scientists Are Rejecting Massive Amounts Of Money
Multiple Australian researchers have asserted that they will not accept funding or support from a tobacco industry-funded research organisation in an editorial published today.
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Media Release | Researchers will not accept support from tobacco industry funded Foundation for a Smoke-Free World
Leading Australian researchers have stated they will not accept any funding or support from the tobacco industry funded Foundation for a Smoke-Free World in an Editorial in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health today.
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Podcast | Prof David Thomas on 'smoking' chapter
With over 30 years’ experience in Indigenous health, Professor David Thomas from the Menzies School of Health Research discusses updates to the smoking topic from Chapter 1: Lifestyle, in the third edition of the National Guide.
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National Guide to Prevention Launched
The National Guide to a preventive health assessment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is a practical resource intended for all health professionals delivering primary healthcare to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people.
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It’s time for another type of story about Indigenous smoking rates
A leading Aboriginal health researcher has called for research and reporting on Indigenous smoking rates to be reframed, to reflect the good news that is emerging and to acknowledge the role of colonisation, dating back to when tobacco was distributed as rations and wages.
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Aboriginal Australians ditch cigarettes
The Australian - Menzies School of Health Research Professor David Thomas, who collaborated with the ABS, says each year more indigenous people are successfully quitting and fewer children are taking up the habit.
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Encouraging Indigenous smoking and quitting trends in latest ABS Report
The latest report by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) provides encouraging news about national smoking trends among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people over the 20 year period from 1994 to 2014/15.
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Pack warning labels help Aboriginal smokers butt out
Pack warning labels are motivating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander smokers to quit smoking according to new research released by Menzies.
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The evaluation of Northern Territory’s smoke-free prison policy: successes and unexpected results
An evaluation of the Northern Territory’s smoke free prison policy has been published today in the online journal, Public Health Research & Practice.
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National research shows the way to reduce Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander smoking
A landmark series of 15 scientific papers published today in the Medical Journal of Australia from the national Talking about the Smokes research project shows that reducing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander smoking is achievable, how this is happening now, and why continued government investment is justified.
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Legislative changes will reduce smoking harms in the NT
Legislative changes announced by the NT and Australian Governments in the last year will make a significant contribution to reducing the harm that smoking causes in the Territory, according to the independent Annual Report on Tobacco Control in the NT.
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National survey reveals large decline in Indigenous smoking rates
Recently released results from the Australian Bureau of Statics (ABS) have revealed a significant decline in smoking rates amongst Australia’s Indigenous population.
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Crikey: Northern Territory prisons totally smoke free
All Northern Territory prisons will be totally smoke-free from Monday 1 July. No one will be able to smoke indoors or outdoors within these prisons, or on surrounding correctional centre land including carparks: neither prisoners, visitors nor staff. Prison staff (and inmates) will now be protected from the dangers of secondhand smoke just like many other Australian workers.
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730NT ABC TV: A report card on the NT's smoking habit
A new report finds the Northern Territory's smoking rates are falling, but are still the highest in the country.
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ABC News online: Smoking more harmful than grog, study finds
A new report suggests smoking is causing more harm than alcohol abuse in the Northern Territory.
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Report reveals reduced smoking in the Northern Territory
An independent Annual Report on Tobacco Control in the Northern Territory (NT) which summarises progress towards reducing smoking in the Territory has been released on World No Tobacco Day.
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Study reveals true cost of smoking to the Territory
Smoking tobacco costs the Territory more than $5,000 per Territorian aged over 14 years, according to a new study conducted by the South Australian Centre for Economic Studies for the Menzies School of Health Research (Menzies).
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Closing the Gap 2013: three good news stories
With the Prime Minister’s Closing the Gap report published in February this year, here are three ways Menzies is helping to improve the lifespan and wellbeing of Indigenous Australians.
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Radio Australia: Research shows smoking rates declining among Indigenous Australians
It's not often we hear good news about health indicators for Indigenous Australians, but a new report has found that the number of heavy smokers within Australia's Indigenous population has almost halved in the past 20 years.
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Research reveals decline in Indigenous heavy smokers
The number of Indigenous heavy smokers has fallen significantly according to a study by the Menzies School of Health Research.
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The Conversation: Number of Indigenous heavy smokers down 45%
The number of Indigenous heavy smokers fell from 17.3% in 1994 to 9.4% in 2008, a relative drop of 45%, a study has found.
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Researcher of the month: Dr David Thomas
Doctor goes to war on a world of smoking.