Which way? Group-based smoking and vaping cessation support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women: protocol...

Tobacco use is the most significant modifiable risk factor for adverse health outcomes, and early research indicates there are also significant harms associated with vaping. National targets aim to reduce smoking and vaping during pregnancy for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. While most Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people want to quit, cessation is frequently attempted without support, increasing the chance of relapse. Group-based smoking cessation programmes increase quit success by 50%-130% in the general population; however, they have never been evaluated in Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities.

The Gulibaa study is an Indigenous-led and community-embedded project that will co-design, implement and evaluate a group-based model of care to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women to be smoke- and vape-free. Staff of Health Services in New South Wales, Australia, will receive training to deliver a face-to-face group-based smoking and vaping cessation intervention. Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people who identify as a woman or non-binary, are pregnant or of reproductive age (16 to 49 years), currently smoke or vape at least once per day and are willing to attend the programme are eligible to participate. Up to 500 participants will be recruited. A mixed method evaluation approach will be implemented guided by the RE-AIM framework. Outcomes will include intervention reach, intervention effectiveness (determined primarily by self-reported 7-day point prevalence abstinence at 6 months follow-up), acceptability and feasibility of the intervention, programme fidelity and maintenance and cost effectiveness.

Embedding culturally safe support to quit during pregnancy can result in improved outcomes for both mother and child and immediately improve intergenerational health and well-being. Ethics approval has been provided by the Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council and the University of Newcastle. Study findings will be disseminated to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in ways that are meaningful to them, as well as through Aboriginal health services, key national bodies, relevant state and federal government departments.

ACTRN12625001050448.