Tobacco control priorities for Arabic speakers: key findings from a baseline telephone survey of Arabic speakers residing in Sydney's south-west.
OBJECTIVE
The Arabic-speaking population is a priority for tobacco control in Sydney's south-west. Current smoking prevalence and smokers' preferences for evidence-based cessation therapies are reported for this population.


METHODS
A telephone survey of Arabic speakers conducted in Sydney's south-west between August and November 2004 included: utilisation of tobacco products, tobacco and health knowledge, quit attempts and likelihood to use evidence-based cessation strategies.


RESULTS
A 70% response rate was achieved (n=1,102). Twenty-six per cent of respondents (95% CI 23.5-28.7) self-reported being current smokers. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that poor knowledge of the harms of smoking (AOR=7.50, 95% CI 3.20-17.59), being male (AOR=2.63, 95% CI 1.89-3.65), being aged between 40 and 59 (AOR=1.44, 95% CI 1.06-1.96) and non-tertiary educated (AOR=1.44, 95% CI 1.06-1.97) were independent predictors of self-reported smoking. Smokers' preferences for evidence-based cessation strategies included: vouchers for discounted nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) (58.8%, 95% CI 52.9-64.6), standard self-help booklet (56.6%, 95% CI 50.7-62.4) and tailored self-help written materials (mailed) (54.0%, 95% CI 48.1- 59.9). More than one-third of all current cigarette smokers (39.4%, n=108, 95% CI 33.6-45.2) indicated they had made a quit attempt in the past 12 months.


CONCLUSIONS
Well-designed trials of efficacy for preferred evidence-based strategies, particularly among middle-aged male Arabic-speaking smokers, appear warranted prior to policy development and implementation.
Health Promotion Service, Sydney South West Area Health Service, New South Wales. andrew.perusco@sswahs.nsw.gov.au
Andrew
A
Perusco
Glenys
G
Rikard-Bell
Mohammed
M
Mohsin
Elizabeth
E
Millen
Marial
M
Sabry
Natasha
N
Poder
Mandy
M
Williams
Lydia
L
Farag
Myna
M
Hua
Sanaa
S
Guirguis
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001083:Arabia / Q000208:ethnology; D018912:Arabs / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006292:Health Priorities; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009517:New South Wales / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D013689:Telephone; D014026:Nicotiana