Outcomes of a culturally informed weight-loss competition for New Zealand Indigenous and Pacific peoples: a quasi-experimental trial.

Background: Reducing obesity prevalence among marginalised subgroups with disproportionately high obesity rates is challenging. Given the promise of incentives and group-based programmes we trialled a culturally tailored, team-based weight-loss competition with New Zealand Māori (Indigenous) and Pacific Island people.

Methods: A quasi-experimental 12-months trial was designed.

An innovative team-based weightloss competition to reduce cardiovascular and diabetes risk among Māori and Pacific people: rationale and method for the study and its evaluation.

Background: Obesity rates for New Zealand (NZ) Pacific and Māori (NZ indigenous people) are among the highest in the world. Long-term results of weight management programmes for adults have been modest but primarily focused on individuals. This paper describes the rationale and methodology for a trial of a culturally tailored team-based weightloss competition conducted online with community level support.

Perspectives of key stakeholders and smokers on a very low nicotine content cigarette-only policy: qualitative study.

Aims: To investigate views of New Zealand key stakeholders (stakeholders) and smokers on very low nicotine content (VLNC) cigarettes, and a policy mandating that only VLNC cigarettes are available for sale.

Methods: Using a semi-structured interview schedule, we interviewed 17 stakeholders and held focus groups with 21 smokers. Questions were asked about VLNC cigarettes and a VLNC cigarette-only policy.

Smoking in Pregnancy Among Indigenous Women in High-Income Countries: A Narrative Review.

Introduction: Pregnant women in socioeconomically disadvantaged circumstances, such as Indigenous women, have a high prevalence of smoking. Tobacco smoking is the most significant reversible risk factor for the health of Indigenous pregnant women and their babies.

Methods: As researchers working in this specialized area, we conducted a narrative review of the literature on smoking among Indigenous pregnant women in the United States, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia.

Recruiting Pregnant Indigenous Women Who Smoke into a High Contact Incentivized Cessation Trial: A Feasibility Study.

Introduction: Smoking prevalence among pregnant indigenous women is disproportionately higher than for nonindigenous pregnant women. Incentives have been shown to increase retention in and the effectiveness of smoking cessation programs. To trial if this could work for indigenous women, we aimed to recruit and observe retention of Māori (New Zealand indigenous people) pregnant women that smoke into a cessation program using incentives.

Could 'Aunties' Recruit Pregnant Indigenous Women Who Smoke Into a Trial and Deliver a Cessation Intervention? A Feasibility Study.

Objective Māori (indigenous New Zealand) women have the highest smoking prevalence rates in New Zealand and whilst pregnant. We hypothesized that community health workers ('Aunties') could find pregnant Māori women who smoke, recruit them into a study and deliver an acceptable cessation intervention. The aim of the study was to test the feasibility of such an intervention.

Enlisting "Aunties" to Support Indigenous Pregnant Women to Stop Smoking: Feasibility Study Results.

Introduction: Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of many pregnancy and birth complications. New Zealand's smoking cessation programmes rely on the smoker to take action and are embedded within New Zealand's health care. This article describes the smoking behavior outcomes of a feasibility project testing a proactive approach, utilizing Māori voluntary community health workers to identify and reach Māori pregnant women who smoke and provide cessation support.

Australian and New Zealand Indigenous mothers' report respect for smoking bans in homes.

Background: There is limited data about the reasons behind residential rules to reduce environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure or the establishment or enforcement of such rules in Indigenous populations.

Aim: We aimed to gain an understanding of smokefree rules around Australian and New Zealand (NZ) Indigenous infants.

Method: This was a qualitative study nested within a randomised controlled trial that aimed to test the efficacy of a family-centred tobacco control programme about environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) to improve the respiratory health of Indigenous infants in Australia and New Zealand.

Using incentives to encourage smoking abstinence among pregnant indigenous women? A feasibility study.

Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of many adverse health outcomes for both the mother and the unborn child (Morton et al. 2010). Indigenous people often have a higher smoking prevalence during pregnancy than non-Indigenous populations.

The WERO group stop smoking competition: main outcomes of a pre- and post- study.

Background: One potential promising strategy for increasing smoking cessation for Māori (Indigenous New Zealanders) and New Zealand resident Pacific Island people is Quit and Win competitions. The current uncontrolled pre and post study, WERO (WERO in Māori language means challenge), differs from previous studies in that it aims to investigate if a stop smoking contest, using both within team support, external support from a team coach and cessation experts, and technology, would be effective in prompting and sustaining quitting.

Method: Fifteen teams, recruited from urban Māori, rural Māori and urban Pacific communities, competed to win a NZ$5000 (about € 3,000, £ 2600) prize for a charity or community group of their choice.

A systematic review of barriers and facilitators to participation in randomized controlled trials by Indigenous people from New Zealand, Australia, Canada and the United States.

Issue: Many randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are conducted each year but only a small proportion is specifically designed for Indigenous people. In this review we consider the challenges of participation in RCTs for Indigenous peoples from New Zealand, Australia, Canada and the United States and the opportunities for increasing participation.

Approach: The literature was systematically searched for published articles including information on the barriers and facilitators for Indigenous people's participation in health-related RCTs.

An innovative team-based stop smoking competition among Māori and Pacific Island smokers: rationale and method for the study and its evaluation.

Background: Māori and Pacific Island people have significantly higher smoking rates compared to the rest of the New Zealand population. The main aim of this paper is to describe how knowledge of Indigenous people's practices and principles can be combined with proven effective smoking cessation support into a cessation intervention appropriate for Indigenous people.

Methods/design: A literature review was conducted to identify what cultural principles and practices could be used to increase salience, and what competition elements could have an impact on efficacy of smoking cessation.

Reducing smoking in pregnancy among Māori women: "aunties" perceptions and willingness to help.

Māori (the indigenous people of New Zealand) women have high rates of smoking during pregnancy and 42 % register with a lead maternity carer (LMC) after their first trimester, delaying receipt of cessation support. We used a participatory approach with Māori community health workers ("Aunties") to determine their willingness and perceived ability to find pregnant Māori smokers early in pregnancy and to provide cessation support. Three meetings were held in three different regions in New Zealand.

Health consequences of tobacco use for Maori--cessation essential for reducing inequalities in health.

Aim: Tobacco use remains the largest preventable cause of death and disease in New Zealand. The aim of this paper was to identify all known health consequences of smoking, including exposure to other people's smoke, focusing on Maori.

Method: A review of the scientific literature, 'grey' literature, and, Government health data and reports.

Smoke, smoking and cessation: the views of children with respiratory illness.

Objective: To explore the attitudes of Māori (indigenous New Zealanders) and Pacific children with respiratory illness towards smoking, secondhand smoke (SHS) and smoking cessation.

Methods: Forty-one Māori and Pacific children (aged 6-11 years) in New Zealand (NZ) were interviewed about their attitudes towards smoking, how SHS affects them and their respiratory disease, ideas they have about how to reduce SHS exposure, their fears and concerns about smoking, and experience asking parents to quit smoking. The interviews were transcribed and deductively analysed.

Smoking is rank! But, not as rank as other drugs and bullying say New Zealand parents of pre-adolescent children.

Issue Addressed: Despite the established risks associated with smoking, 21% of New Zealand adults smoke. Prevalence among Māori (indigenous) and Pacific Island New Zealanders is disproportionately high. Prevention of smoking initiation is a key component of tobacco control.

Why Māori women continue to smoke while pregnant.

Aim: To investigate why some Māori women continue smoking during pregnancy.

Methods: An exploratory qualitative study was conducted with 60 pregnant Māori women aged from 17-43. A questionnaire was used to guide the interviews.

The use of the 'rollie' in New Zealand: preference for loose tobacco among an ethnically diverse low socioeconomic urban population.

Aim: To examine the prevalence of and reasons for smoking roll-your-own (RYO) cigarettes in a population of South Auckland adults.

Method: Cross-sectional survey of the parents of 2,973 children at four South Auckland Intermediate Schools in 2007-2009.

Result: Just over a quarter (813; 27%) of parents were smokers.

Driving kids to smoke? Children's reported exposure to smoke in cars and early smoking initiation.

The health risks associated with second hand smoke (SHS) are well-known. However, little is known about exposure to SHS in cars and risk of smoking uptake. This paper investigates the association between pre-adolescents reported exposure to smoking in cars and prevalence of early stage smoking activity.

Publications as an indicator of increased tobacco control research productivity (quantity and quality) in New Zealand.

Introduction: Tobacco control (TC) research capacity and productivity are critical for developing evidence-informed interventions that will reduce the harmful effects of smoking. The aim of this paper was to investigate New Zealand's (NZ) TC research capacity along with the quantity and quality of publications, following two government initiatives aimed, in part, at improving the quantity and quality of NZ TC research.

Method: Scopus was searched for articles with at least one NZ author and where the topic was of primary relevance to TC.

Keeping Kids Smokefree: rationale, design, and implementation of a community, school, and family-based intervention to modify behaviors related to smoking among Māori and Pacific Island children in New Zealand.

Despite a concerted, sustained and comprehensive tobacco control effort, smoking is prevalent among young people in New Zealand, particularly for Māori and Pacific Island teenagers. Many took up smoking in their pre-teen years. New Zealand research has shown that daily smoking by children aged 14-15 years is strongly influenced by parental smoking.