Developing and implementing a state-wide Aboriginal health promotion program: the process and factors influencing successful delivery.
OBJECTIVE
The prevalence of smoking among the adult Aboriginal population is almost double that of the non-Aboriginal population. Research shows smoking cessation brief interventions have a positive impact on quit attempts. However, examples of statewide, Aboriginal-led initiatives that ensure health service delivery of brief intervention to all Aboriginal clients are limited.


METHODS
Guidance from an Aboriginal chief investigator and key health stakeholders supported the development of the NSW SmokeCheck Program. One component of the program was the establishment of a state-wide network of Aboriginal Health Workers (AHWs) and other health professional participants. Another was a culturally specific training program to strengthen the knowledge, skills, and confidence of participants to provide an evidence-based brief smoking-cessation intervention to Aboriginal clients. The brief intervention was based on the transtheoretical model of behaviour change, adapted for use in Aboriginal communities.


RESULTS
SmokeCheck training reached 35.5% of the total NSW AHW workforce over a 15-month period. More than 90% of participants surveyed indicated satisfaction with the curriculum content, workshop structure and training delivery, agreeing that they found it relevant, easy to understand and applicable to practice.


CONCLUSIONS
An evidence-based approach to designing and delivering an Aboriginal-specific health promotion intervention appears to have facilitated the development of a state-wide network of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal health professionals and strengthened their capacity to deliver a brief smoking cessation intervention with Aboriginal clients.
School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of New South Wales, Australia. m.wise@unsw.edu.au
Marilyn
M
Wise
Luciana
L
Massi
Miranda
M
Rose
Hannah
H
Nancarrow
Katherine
K
Conigrave
Adrian
A
Bauman
Shane
S
Hearn
D003150:Community Health Workers / Q000458:organization & administration; D054521:Cultural Competency; D006284:Health Plan Implementation; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006303:Health Services, Indigenous / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D009517:New South Wales / Q000453:epidemiology; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D012907:Smoking / Q000208:ethnology; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000379:methods*; D012939:Social Planning