Lack of Smoking Prevalence Data for Indigenous Peoples Worldwide Contributes to Epidemiological Invisibility

The World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) aims to facilitate global, regional and country-level efforts to reduce tobacco-related harm; however, evidence indicates that marginalised groups have been left behind by FCTC-directed programs. This study aimed to determi...

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Main Author: Marewa Glover
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Ubiquity Press 2025-01-01
Series:Data Science Journal
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Online Access:https://account.datascience.codata.org/index.php/up-j-dsj/article/view/1475
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author Marewa Glover
author_facet Marewa Glover
author_sort Marewa Glover
collection DOAJ
description The World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) aims to facilitate global, regional and country-level efforts to reduce tobacco-related harm; however, evidence indicates that marginalised groups have been left behind by FCTC-directed programs. This study aimed to determine tobacco smoking prevalence among Indigenous Peoples worldwide. Countries with indigenous populations were identified, and online searches were conducted to determine reporting of smoking prevalence among Indigenous Peoples, national average smoking prevalence by gender, and commitment to the FCTC and United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). Of the 105 countries identified to have Indigenous Peoples, only 5 (4.7%) government agencies conducted routine monitoring of tobacco use by ethnicity. Seventeen countries with a majority proportion of Indigenous People had national-level smoking prevalence data, which provided a useful first approximation for smoking prevalence. Sporadic, researcher-led studies reporting on smoking among some Indigenous Peoples existed in eight countries, but these were not comprehensive enough for meaningful statements about current smoking status to be made. Disaggregated reporting on tobacco use by ethnicity was suppressed or not acknowledged in nine countries and non-existent in 66 countries. The lack of data found in this study highlights the way in which the health of Indigenous People is sidelined through their general epidemiological invisibility.
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spelling doaj-art-83341b299b4a40f1b0d2bf9c95287d962025-02-11T05:32:15ZengUbiquity PressData Science Journal1683-14702025-01-01246610.5334/dsj-2025-006545Lack of Smoking Prevalence Data for Indigenous Peoples Worldwide Contributes to Epidemiological InvisibilityMarewa Glover0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1572-3784Centre of Research Excellence: Indigenous Sovereignty & Smoking, AucklandThe World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) aims to facilitate global, regional and country-level efforts to reduce tobacco-related harm; however, evidence indicates that marginalised groups have been left behind by FCTC-directed programs. This study aimed to determine tobacco smoking prevalence among Indigenous Peoples worldwide. Countries with indigenous populations were identified, and online searches were conducted to determine reporting of smoking prevalence among Indigenous Peoples, national average smoking prevalence by gender, and commitment to the FCTC and United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). Of the 105 countries identified to have Indigenous Peoples, only 5 (4.7%) government agencies conducted routine monitoring of tobacco use by ethnicity. Seventeen countries with a majority proportion of Indigenous People had national-level smoking prevalence data, which provided a useful first approximation for smoking prevalence. Sporadic, researcher-led studies reporting on smoking among some Indigenous Peoples existed in eight countries, but these were not comprehensive enough for meaningful statements about current smoking status to be made. Disaggregated reporting on tobacco use by ethnicity was suppressed or not acknowledged in nine countries and non-existent in 66 countries. The lack of data found in this study highlights the way in which the health of Indigenous People is sidelined through their general epidemiological invisibility.https://account.datascience.codata.org/index.php/up-j-dsj/article/view/1475indigenous healthtobacco smokingequityrightsepidemiological invisibility
spellingShingle Marewa Glover
Lack of Smoking Prevalence Data for Indigenous Peoples Worldwide Contributes to Epidemiological Invisibility
Data Science Journal
indigenous health
tobacco smoking
equity
rights
epidemiological invisibility
title Lack of Smoking Prevalence Data for Indigenous Peoples Worldwide Contributes to Epidemiological Invisibility
title_full Lack of Smoking Prevalence Data for Indigenous Peoples Worldwide Contributes to Epidemiological Invisibility
title_fullStr Lack of Smoking Prevalence Data for Indigenous Peoples Worldwide Contributes to Epidemiological Invisibility
title_full_unstemmed Lack of Smoking Prevalence Data for Indigenous Peoples Worldwide Contributes to Epidemiological Invisibility
title_short Lack of Smoking Prevalence Data for Indigenous Peoples Worldwide Contributes to Epidemiological Invisibility
title_sort lack of smoking prevalence data for indigenous peoples worldwide contributes to epidemiological invisibility
topic indigenous health
tobacco smoking
equity
rights
epidemiological invisibility
url https://account.datascience.codata.org/index.php/up-j-dsj/article/view/1475
work_keys_str_mv AT marewaglover lackofsmokingprevalencedataforindigenouspeoplesworldwidecontributestoepidemiologicalinvisibility