Motivations for Smoking Cessation and the Impact of Regulatory Tax Increases Amongst Fathers within the Pacific Islands Families Study.

Aims: To examine the prevalence of smoking, motivations for cessation, and impact of tobacco excise tax increases amongst a cohort of Pacific fathers at 11 years after the birth of their child.Methods: Within the context of broader interviews, 723 Pacific fathers participating in the Pacific Islands Families (PIF) Study were surveyed about their smoking at the 11-year measurement point. Prevalence of smoking was calculated, alongside motivations to quit, and the impact of increases to the excise tax on tobacco.Results: Smoking prevalence amongst Pacific fathers remains high (38%) at 11 years postpartum, although 81% of smokers disclosed interest in quitting smoking. The strongest motivation to quit smoking was their ‘own health’ (n = 185, 82%), followed by ‘the cost’ (n = 148, 66%), and the impact on ‘their child's health’ (n = 113, 50%). Among smokers, 12% (n = 31) had never attempted to quit, whereas 63% (n = 159) had made multiple attempts. Approximately 70% (n = 191) of smokers indicated the New Zealand Government-initiated tobacco excise tax increases caused them to reduce their tobacco consumption.Conclusions: High smoking prevalence amongst this cohort raises serious concerns about the risks Pacific families and communities face from smoking. Maintaining a sustained series of tobacco excise tax increases, alongside the utilisation of information on key motivators for Pacific fathers to quit smoking, may prove more effective in supporting Pacific communities to achieve the New Zealand Government's Smokefree 2025 goal. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]