Pacific solutions to reducing smoking around Pacific children in New Zealand: a qualitative study of Pacific policymaker views.

AIM

To explore the views of Pacific policymakers on solutions to reducing smoking around Pacific children in New Zealand (given smoking is a cause of health inequalities between Pacific peoples and other New Zealanders).

METHODS

Documentary and media sources were searched for Pacific policymaker attitudes. Key informants (n=18) were recruited and interviewed by Pacific interviewers during May-October 2008, in person or by phone.

RESULTS

There was a focus on the need to change attitudes (e.g. by education), rather than on government regulation for secondhand smoke protection (e.g. smokefree cars). Families and churches were seen as major avenues for the changes, with increased bottom-up, community-controlled activity. Specific interventions for each Pacific ethnic group were sought by these policymakers, along with better resourcing of Pacific tobacco control. There was considerable variance of opinion on the extent to which smokefree areas should be extended, with some informants reluctant to interfere with smokers' 'choices'.

CONCLUSIONS

Research on Pacific involvement in health policy is feasible and practical, and could be extended. General Pacific policymaker reluctance to consider smokefree regulation extensions is at odds with surveyed attitudes of Pacific peoples in New Zealand.