Stubbing Out Pacific New Zealanders’ Smoking

MEDIA RELEASE
5 September 2007
For immediate release

Research And Resources Critical To Stubbing Out Pacific New Zealanders’ Smoking

There has been a call at the Oceania Tobacco Control Conference for specific research into the smoking behaviour of Pacific people living in New Zealand.

Dr Colin Tukuitonga, Chief Executive of the Ministry of Pacific Affairs, told the 370 international delegates in Auckland that current research is not appropriate for Pacific New Zealanders, and that current interventions are also probably missing the mark for them.

"We are generally aware that Pacific peoples have less knowledge about how to access cessation services or even how important it is to try to quit. English is the second language for some older Pacific peoples, and this is a barrier to their understanding of issues around smoking.

"A lack of targeted research means we don't really know for certain what will work with Pacific peoples. Addictive behaviour is quite complex and there's no point assuming evidence from studies of other ethnic groups or across the larger population will also apply to them."

Dr Tukuitonga called for more resources to target Pacific peoples, saying health providers who are already working with them could provide cessation services as well.

One in three New Zealanders of Pacific Island descent smoke and Dr Tukuitonga says this is in large part responsible for their higher mortality and hospital admission rates.

"Unless we launch an effective attack on Pacific people’s rates of smoking, we will never address the unequal status of their health compared to other New Zealanders."

ends

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