Assessing and validating an educational resource package for the management of smoking cessation in Indigenous pregnant women

Background: Indigenous pregnant women have a high smoking prevalence (47%). Health providers (HPs) report lack of adequate resources. Messages need to be tailored to ensure saliency, cultural-sensitivity and account for Indigenous population diversity. The ICAN QUIT in Pregnancy intervention aims to improve HP’s management of smoking in Indigenous pregnant smokers. A resource package was developed collaboratively with two Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services(ACCHS).Aims: To assess the scientific accuracy, cultural acceptability, perceived use ability and readability of the resources. Methods: A multicentered community-based participatory process, with four ACCHS from NSW, SA and QLD. A four-step process included: (i) scientific review by a multidisciplinary expert panel (10 members); (ii) scoring for “Suitability of Materials” by two Aboriginal Health Workers. Mean overallscore and inter-rater agreement will use Cohen’s kappa coefficient; (iii) focus groups – two groups (HPs and community members) in each ACCHS will explore views about the resources and opportunities for improvement; and(iv) readability scores: an average level of grade 5 for patient’s resources and grade 10 for HP’s resources. Results: Major themes from the scientific panel and suitability assessment of material (SAM) evaluation included “High attraction”, “Simplifying the resources” and “Additional information (depression/e-cig/stress).” Average readability score was grade 6 (patient resources, range 0.2–12.5) and grade9.4 (HP’s resources, range 4.7–31.4). Results from focus groups discussions will be presented in reference to predefined themes. Resources will be adjusted accordingly. Conclusions: This process will ensure that materials used for ICAN QUIT in Pregnancy are culturally sensitive and evidence-based. This formative evaluation technique has never been done in Australia. If effective, it could be adapted for other Indigenous interventions and culturally diverse programs. Translational research aspect: This is a T2–T3 research using knowledge from previous research with Indigenous women and HPs, and evidence-based approaches to managing smoking in pregnancy, to develop and implement an intervention within ACCHS.