Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Use Of A Primary Care Dataset To Describe ‘The Real Picture’ Of Diabetes In Kimberley Aboriginal Communities, Caitlyn S. White, Kimberley Seear, Lorraine Anderson, Emma Griffiths

Journal of the Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet

Objective
Aboriginal communities are impacted by high rates of diabetes, however these are currently underestimated by national data sources used by policy and decision makers to inform allocation of health resources. We aimed to estimate diabetes prevalence and screening coverage using primary care electronic medical record data.

Methods
A cross-sectional audit was conducted using primary care data from Aboriginal regular Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service (ACCHS) clinic attendees aged 15 years and over (n=1763) in five remote communities in the Kimberley region. Main outcome measures were overall diabetes prevalence; age-specific diabetes prevalence; prevalence of pre-diabetes; and screening rates among patients …

The Koolungar Moorditj Healthy Skin Project: Elder And Community Led Resources Strengthen Aboriginal Voice For Skin Health, Bernadette M. Ricciardo, Jacinta Walton, Noel Nannup, Dale Tilbrook, Heather-Lynn Kessaris, Carol Michie, Brad Farrant, Roni Forrest, Annette Garlett, Joanne Hill, Larissa Jones, Natasha Kickett, Sally Smith, Delys Walton, Taleah Ugle, Nadia Rind, Richelle Douglas, Jodie Ingrey, Brenda Carter, Ainslie Poore, Ingrid Amgarth-Duff, Hannah Thomas, Prasad S. Kumarasinghe, Jonathan R. Carapetis, Asha C. Bowen

Journal of the Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet

In partnership with local Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations, the Elder-led co-designed Koolungar Moorditj Healthy Skin project is guided by principles of reciprocity, capacity building, respect, and community involvement. Through this work, the team of Elders, community members, clinicians and research staff have gained insight into the skin health needs of urban-living Aboriginal koolungar (children); and having identified a lack of targeted and culturally appropriate health literacy and health promotion resources on moorditj (strong) skin, prioritised development of community-created healthy skin resources. Community members self-appointed to Aboriginal Community Advisory Groups (CAG) on Whadjuk (Perth) …

The Parenting Education Needs Of Aboriginal Women Experiencing Incarceration, Belinda J. Lovell, Mary Steen, Angela Brown, Karen Glover, Adrian Esterman

Journal of the Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet

The aim of this study was to listen to the voices of women experiencing incarceration and understand their parenting education needs. This paper reports on data from focus group interviews with 13 Aboriginal women in prison. The data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis, creating five themes: (1) working towards a positive self; (2) communication (3) parenting from a distance; (4) jumping through hoops to get connected; and (5) connecting with Aboriginal cultures. The women were seeking guidance and clarity about the Child Protection system and how to regain child custody. Many women were wanting to invest in self-care and …

What Works For Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander Men? A Systematic Review Of The Literature, Jack R. Menges, Marie L. Caltabiano, Alan Clough

Journal of the Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men experience significantly higher rates of suicide, trauma, alcohol related deaths and unemployment than other Australian men. Despite significant levels of government intervention, rates of family violence, unemployment and incarceration continue to increase in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. As a subset of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population, there has been a lesser focus on how to meaningfully improve the wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men. This systematic review seeks to understand what interventions, programs and activities are successful in improving the wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men …

Impact Evaluation Of A Central Australian Aboriginal Cultural Awareness Training Program For Health Professionals And Students, Chris Rissel, Lynette Liddle, Courtney Ryder, Annabelle Wilson, Madeleine Bower, Barbara Richards

Journal of the Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet

The aim of this study was to prospectively evaluate the impact of a Central Australian cultural awareness training program for health care staff. A mixed methods approach was used. Program participants completed a baseline and post-program questionnaire, which included an attitude scale assessing cultural safety, critical thinking and transformative unlearning, and open-ended questions. An online follow-up survey two months later repeated these questions. Mean scale scores were compared using paired and unpaired t-tests. Qualitative data were analysed thematically. Baseline scale mean was 45.7. At post-program it had statistically significantly increased to 47.3, using both the paired (p=< 0.01) and unpaired t-test (p=< 0.03). At the two-month follow-up it had decreased to 42.2. This was not statistically different from the baseline score with a paired (n=11) t-test (p=< 0.37), however the difference was statistically significant with an unpaired t-test (p=< 0.01) which included an additional eight respondents. Qualitative feedback was consistently positive. Many respondents learnt new information about the negative effects of colonisation on Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people, and how this continues to affect current health. Learning about Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander cultures, kinship relationships and systems, and communication styles was identified as directly relevant to work practices. A cultural education program produced positive short-term changes in attitudes and was highly valued by participants. However, it is unclear if these changes are maintained in the medium term.

Assessing The Validity Of A Culturally Modified Drinking Motives Questionnaire For Use In Aboriginal Communities, David Tucker, Martyn Symons, Elaine Clifton, Margaret Ramirez, James P. Fitzpatrick, Roz Walker, Glenn Pearson, Michelle Gray, Gary Kirby, Nyanda Mcbride

Journal of the Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet

Alcohol related harms disproportionately affect Aboriginal people in Australia. Motives to drink have been identified as the most proximal factor to alcohol consumption.The aim of this study is to assess the validity of a culturally modified Drinking Motives Questionnaire-Revised (DMQ-R) (Cooper, 1994) with Aboriginal participants. The study was cross sectional, utilising data collected via face-to-face surveys with a sample of adult Aboriginal participants. A convenience sample of 135 Aboriginal men (n=41) and women (n=94) from the Pilbara Region of Western Australia, who had consumed alcohol in the preceding 12 months. The Culturally modified DMQ-R (CDMQ-R) developed in consultation with Aboriginal …

Review Of Diabetes Among Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander People, Katherine Ride, Samantha Burrow

Journal of the Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet

Diabetes is the fastest growing chronic disease condition globally. Type 2 diabetes in particular, has reached epidemic proportions, with the greatest burden falling on socially disadvantaged groups and Indigenous peoples.

This review focuses primarily on type 2 diabetes among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, which is responsible for the majority of cases of diabetes in this population. It provides general information on the social and cultural context of diabetes, and the behavioural and biomedical factors that contribute to diabetes among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

This review provides detailed information on:

• the extent of diabetes among Aboriginal and …