Getting over the shock: taking action on Indigenous maternal smoking

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Indigenous Health
• Maternal Health

Background:

• High smoking prevalence among pregnant Indigenous Australian women (50%) contrasts sharply with the non-Indigenous population (12.5%).
• The National Close the Gap strategy's 2018 goal to halve Indigenous smoking rates is unlikely to be met.
• Existing evidence supports refining targeted anti-tobacco strategies for this demographic.

Purpose of the Study:

• To advocate for immediate refinement of translational approaches for anti-tobacco messages and cessation support for pregnant Indigenous women.
• To highlight and address systemic barriers hindering equitable primary healthcare for this population.

Main Methods:

• Review of national and international studies on Indigenous maternal smoking.
• Identification and analysis of systemic barriers to healthcare access and cessation support.
• Proposal for refining translational strategies based on current evidence.

Main Results:

• Significant disparities in smoking rates persist between pregnant Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australian women.
• Key systemic barriers identified include lack of subsidized oral nicotine replacement therapy, insufficient clinician training, and inadequate psychosocial support programs.
• Current strategies are insufficient to achieve the National Close the Gap targets.

Conclusions:

• Urgent refinement of anti-tobacco messages and cessation support tailored to pregnant Indigenous women is necessary.
• Addressing identified systemic barriers in primary healthcare is critical for improving outcomes.
• Translational strategies must be evidence-based and implemented promptly.