Smoking-attributable mortality among British Columbia's first nations populations

First Nations (FN) people have high smoking rates and there is a need to examine their mortality related to smoking.

Smoking-attributable fractions and smoking-attributable mortality (SAM) rates were calculated for the FN and British Columbia (BC) populations during 1997 and 2001.

Among FN adults, total age- and gender-adjusted SAM rates were 39.9 and 28.6 per 10,000 during 1997 and 2001, with potentially 19.0% and 17.3% of all deaths being preventable if smoking were eliminated. Among the BC adult population, total SAM age- and gender-adjusted rates were 27.8 and 25.3 per 10,000 during 1997 and 2001, and up to 21.8% and 20.8% of deaths were potentially preventable if smoking were eliminated. Among FN infants, SAM crude rates were 6.8 and 3.6 per 10,000 during 1997 and 2001, with 8.0% and 8.3% of infant deaths being potentially preventable if smoking were eliminated. Infant SAM crude rates among the general population were 1.4 per and 1.0 per 10,000 during 1997 and 2001 and 2.8% and 2.3% of deaths were potentially preventable if smoking were eliminated.

Total adult age- and gender-adjusted SAM rates for both populations were substantive. Additional interventions that prevent and reduce tobacco use by FN people are indicated, particularly given their high rates of smoking. The high total SAM rates for FN infants also suggest the need for interventions.