Evaluation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander smoking cessation interventions with pregnant women in Australia: utilising a culturally appropriate tool

Abstract

The purpose of this article was to review and evaluate three Australian projects with a focus on smoking cessation and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander pregnant women, funded under the Tackling Indigenous Smoking Innovation Grants Scheme, Australian Department of Health. The aim was to determine the impacts of culturally appropriate smoking cessation support for pregnant Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women. To provide an equity-focused lens to the review, our team of Indigenous and non-Indigenous researchers utilised an Australian-developed assessment tool: the ‘Cultural Identity Interventions Systematic Review Proforma’. The tool was used to measure cultural approaches across a range of domains, and these were independently assessed by two reviewers, along with an assessment of the projects’ smoking cessation outcomes. The results were compared to the evidence base in relation to aims, methods, results and conclusions, and consensus for scoring was reached. The review found that these Tackling Indigenous Smoking projects about pregnancy intentionally and effectively incorporated culturally based approaches that sought to work with the participants in culturally informed ways. Each project utilised existing social networks and partnerships to provide their participants with access to a range of community resources, adding value to existing programs.