INTRODUCTION: Maternal smoking rates in Australian Aboriginal women are triple that of the general population, with little evidence for successful interventions. We reviewed the literature to understand smoking and cessation in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and provide recommendations for targeted interventions. METHODS: Six databases were searched using terms related to smoking, pregnancy, and Aboriginal Australians. Two reviewers independently assessed papers for inclusion and quality. Meta-ethnography synthesized first- and second-order constructs from included studies and constructed a line of argument. RESULTS: Seven relevant studies were analyzed. The synthesis illustrates 11 third-order constructs operating on the levels of self, family, and social networks, the wider Aboriginal community, and broader external influences. Highlighted are social norms and stressors within the Aboriginal community perpetuating tobacco use; insufficient knowledge of smoking harms; inadequate saliency of antismoking messages; and lack of awareness and use of pharmacotherapy. Indigenous Health Workers have a challenging role, not yet fulfilling its potential. Pregnancy is an opportunity to encourage positive change where a sense of a "protector role" is expressed. CONCLUSIONS: This review gives strength to evidence from individual studies across diverse Indigenous cultures. Pregnant Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander smokers require comprehensive approaches, which consider the environmental context, increase knowledge of smoking harms and cessation methods, and provide culturally targeted support. Long term, broad strategies should de-normalize smoking in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Further research needs to examine causes of resistance to antitobacco messages, clarify contributing roles of stress and depression, and attitudes to pharmacotherapy.
INTRODUCTION: Maternal smoking rates in Australian Aboriginal women are triple that of the general population, with little evidence for successful interventions. We reviewed the literature to understand smoking and cessation in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and provide recommendations for targeted interventions. METHODS: Six databases were searched using terms related to smoking, pregnancy, and Aboriginal Australians. Two reviewers independently assessed papers for inclusion and quality. Meta-ethnography synthesized first- and second-order constructs from included studies and constructed a line of argument. RESULTS: Seven relevant studies were analyzed. The synthesis illustrates 11 third-order constructs operating on the levels of self, family, and social networks, the wider Aboriginal community, and broader external influences. Highlighted are social norms and stressors within the Aboriginal community perpetuating tobacco use; insufficient knowledge of smoking harms; inadequate saliency of antismoking messages; and lack of awareness and use of pharmacotherapy. Indigenous Health Workers have a challenging role, not yet fulfilling its potential. Pregnancy is an opportunity to encourage positive change where a sense of a "protector role" is expressed. CONCLUSIONS: This review gives strength to evidence from individual studies across diverse Indigenous cultures. Pregnant Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander smokers require comprehensive approaches, which consider the environmental context, increase knowledge of smoking harms and cessation methods, and provide culturally targeted support. Long term, broad strategies should de-normalize smoking in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Further research needs to examine causes of resistance to antitobacco messages, clarify contributing roles of stress and depression, and attitudes to pharmacotherapy.
Authors: Mercedes Colomar; Van T Tong; Paola Morello; Sherry L Farr; Catalina Lawsin; Patricia M Dietz; Alicia Aleman; Mabel Berrueta; Agustina Mazzoni; Ana Becu; Pierre Buekens; José Belizán; Fernando Althabe Journal: Matern Child Health J Date: 2015-07
Authors: Natalie Walker; Vanessa Johnston; Marewa Glover; Christopher Bullen; Adrian Trenholme; Anne Chang; Peter Morris; Catherine Segan; Ngiare Brown; Debra Fenton; Eyvette Hawthorne; Ron Borland; Varsha Parag; Taina Von Blaramberg; Darren Westphal; David Thomas Journal: Nicotine Tob Res Date: 2014-08-25 Impact factor: 4.244
Authors: Gillian S Gould; Kerrianne Watt; Leah Stevenson; Andy McEwen; Yvonne Cadet-James; Alan R Clough Journal: BMC Public Health Date: 2014-03-13 Impact factor: 3.295
Authors: Michelle Bovill; Yael Bar-Zeev; Billie Bonevski; Jennifer Reath; Christopher Oldmeadow; Alix Hall; I C A N Q U I T In Pregnancy Pilot Group; Gillian S Gould Journal: J Smok Cessat Date: 2021-01-13