Tabacco control priorities for Arabic speakers: key findings from a baseline telephone survey of Arabic speakers residing in Sydney's south-west

The Arabic-speaking population is a priority for tobacco control in Sydney's south-west. Current smoking prevalence and smokers' preferences for evidence-based cessation therapies are reported for this population. A telephone survey of Arabic speakers conducted in Sydney's south-west between August and November 2004 included: utilisation of tobacco products, tobacco and health knowledge, quit attempts and likelihood to use evidence-based cessation strategies. A 70% response rate was achieved (n=1,102). Twenty-six per cent of respondents (95% CI 23.5-28.7) self-reported being current smokers. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that poor knowledge of the harms of smoking (AOR=7.50, 95% CI 3.20-17.59), being male (AOR=2.63, 95% CI 1.89-3.65), being aged between 40 and 59 (AOR=1.44, 95% CI 1.06-1.96) and non-tertiary educated (AOR=1.44, 95% CI 1.06-1.97) were independent predictors of self-reported smoking. Smokers' preferences for evidence-based cessation strategies included: vouchers for discounted nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) (58.8%, 95% CI 52.9-64.6), standard self-help booklet (56.6%, 95% CI 50.7-62.4) and tailored self-help written materials (mailed) (54.0%, 95% CI 48.1- 59.9). More than one-third of all current cigarette smokers (39.4%, n=108, 95% CI 33.6-45.2) indicated they had made a quit attempt in the past 12 months. Well-designed trials of efficacy for preferred evidence-based strategies, particularly among middle-aged male Arabic-speaking smokers, appear warranted prior to policy development and implementation.