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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' Quitline use and the Tackling Indigenous Smoking program

  • 0National Centre for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Wellbeing Research, National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, College of Health and Medicine, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT.
Public Health Research & Practice +

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January 13, 2026

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January 13, 2026

View abstract on PubMed

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

The Quitline supported over 12,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander smokers between 2016-2020, with most clients in Tackling Indigenous Smoking (TIS) program areas. Third-party referrals are key to connecting people to this vital smoking cessation service.

Area Of Science

  • Public Health
  • Indigenous Health
  • Tobacco Control

Background

  • The Australian Government Tackling Indigenous Smoking (TIS) program aims to reduce tobacco use among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
  • The TIS program delivers locally tailored health promotion messages, including promoting the Quitline, a vital smoking cessation support service.

Purpose Of The Study

  • To analyze the utilization of the Quitline by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples nationally.
  • To compare Quitline usage in areas with and without TIS teams.

Main Methods

  • Analysis of Quitline usage data across seven Australian jurisdictions from 2016-2020.
  • Quantification of demographic and usage characteristics of clients and referrals.
  • Calculation of clients and referrals as a proportion of the current smoking population.

Main Results

  • Between 2016-2020, 12,274 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals utilized the Quitline.
  • The majority of clients (69%) resided in TIS program areas.
  • Third-party referrals accounted for 66.4% of all referrals, highlighting their importance in accessing cessation support.

Conclusions

  • The Quitline provided annual smoking cessation support to approximately 2500-3000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients between 2016-2020.
  • Third-party referrals, including those from Indigenous-specific services, are a crucial pathway for connecting community members to evidence-based smoking cessation support.

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