Aboriginal Smoking Cessation: Randomised trial of support strategies in Aboriginal health services. Be our Ally Beat Smoking (BOABS) Study

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Aboriginal people smoke at much higher rates than non-Aboriginal people and smoking is an important contributor to increased disease, hospital admissions and deaths in Aboriginal populations. Quit smoking programs in Australia have not had the same impact on Aboriginal smokers as on non-Aboriginal smokers and Aboriginal people are twice as likely to smoke as non-Aboriginal people. It is important that improved techniques for assisting Aboriginal people to quit be developed and implemented as part of comprehensive strategies to improve Aboriginal health. A range of strategies have been used to encourage Aboriginal people to quit smoking however there have been few good quality studies that show what approaches work best. More evidence of strategies that could work more widely in Aboriginal primary health care settings is needed if good policy is to be developed and implemented. This trial will be based in two major Aboriginal health services in the Kimberley region of Western Australia and run over three years. Participants who agree to participate will be randomly allocated to either a program following current Australian recommended primary care smoking cessation strategies or a more intensive supported quit smoking intervention.