Abstract
To assess support for 12 potential smoking cessation strategies among pregnant Australian Indigenous women and their antenatal care providers. Cross-sectional surveys of staff and women in antenatal services providing care for Indigenous women in the Northern Territory and New South Wales, Australia. Respondents were asked to indicate the extent to which each of a list of possible strategies would be helpful in supporting pregnant Indigenous women to quit smoking. Current smokers (n = 121) were less positive about the potential effectiveness of most of the 12 strategies than the providers (n = 127). For example, family support was considered helpful by 64 % of smokers and 91 % of providers; between 56 and 62 % of smokers considered advice and support from midwives, doctors or Aboriginal Health Workers likely to be helpful, compared to 85–90 % of providers. Rewards for quitting were considered helpful by 63 % of smokers and 56 % of providers, with smokers rating them more highly and providers rating them lower, than most other strategies. Quitline was least popular for both. This study is the first to explore views of pregnant Australian Indigenous women and their antenatal care providers on strategies to support smoking cessation. It has identified strategies which are acceptable to both providers and Indigenous women, and therefore have potential for implementation in routine care. Further research to explore their feasibility in real world settings, uptake by pregnant women and actual impact on smoking outcomes is urgently needed given the high prevalence of smoking among pregnant Indigenous women.
Highlights
Cross-sectional surveys with antenatal care providers and pregnant Indigenous women were undertaken in the Northern Territory (NT) and New South Wales (NSW)
264 women responded to the survey, of whom 121 were current smokers and 55 were ex-smokers and included in this analysis
This paper is the first we are aware of that explores the degree to which pregnant Indigenous women and antenatal care providers consider particular strategies helpful for antenatal smoking cessation
Summary
Cross-sectional surveys with antenatal care providers and pregnant Indigenous women were undertaken in the Northern Territory (NT) and New South Wales (NSW). The project was guided by a community reference group (CRG) to ensure cultural security. The CRG was composed of Aboriginal women from the community (some of whom were pregnant), Aboriginal Health Workers (AHWs) and Community Midwives. Ethical approval for the research was provided by the Human Research Ethics Committees of the University of Newcastle, the NT Department of Human Services and Menzies School of Health Research, Hunter New England Health Service and the Aboriginal Health & Medical Research Council of NSW. The detailed methodology for both surveys is described elsewhere [12, 13].
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