Edith Cowan University’s Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet, has partnered with Curtin University, the Aboriginal Maternity Services Support Unit and Healthway for the launch of a new online portal supporting the prevention of tobacco smoking among pregnant Aboriginal women in Western Australia (WA).

The Preventing Aboriginal maternal smoking WA (PAMSWA) portal aims to address the gap in accessing coordinated services and resources for health professionals addressing maternal smoking among pregnant Aboriginal women in WA, whose smoking rates are reported at being four times higher than non-Indigenous women.

The free to access portal provides quality information about smoking cessation and prevention to support better health for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, their babies and families with the selection of content carefully evaluated to ensure it is culturally appropriate and promotes best practice methods and strategies available for working with pregnant Aboriginal women.

The portal also links to the Preventing Aboriginal maternal smoking WA yarning place to encourage information sharing and collaboration among health professionals and others involved in maternal health among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women.

Ultimately, the portal will create a solid knowledge base about Aboriginal maternal smoking and establish the site as the ‘go-to’ place for any information, resources, training opportunities and support for health professionals who work with pregnant Aboriginal women and their families, advancing Aboriginal maternal and child health outcomes.

You can access the portal here:                                 http://www.healthinfonet.ecu.edu.au/population-groups/preventing-aboriginal-maternal-smoking

You can access the Yarning Place here:   http://www.yarning.org.au/group/18