Will New Zealand be smokefree by 2025? Smoking prevalence amongst a cohort of Pacific adults

Aim To examine the prevalence of smoking amongst a cohort of Pacific fathers and mothers from birth up to 11 years after the birth of their child. Methods Within the context of broader interviews, 1073 Pacific fathers and 1434 Pacific mothers participating in the longitudinal Pacific Islands Families (PIF) Study were surveyed about their smoking at multiple time-points of the study from 2000 until 2012. Prevalence rates of any and heavy smoking were calculated and analysed. Results Maternal prevalence rates showed a sharp decline during pregnancy and immediately postpartum, yet rates then increased gradually to pre-birth levels within one to four years. Prevalence rates for mothers showed little change between 4 and 11 years postpartum, maintaining a steady 32% for mothers. While prevalence rates for fathers show a decline from initial levels (40.3%), they still remain extremely high (37.5%) at 11 years postpartum. Conclusion The minimal decline in smoking prevalence amongst this cohort is of alarming concern for Pacific families and their communities. Given the New Zealand Government's Aotearoa Smokefree 2025 goal, innovative approaches must be implemented to discover effective solutions to help Pacific communities reduce their smoking.