Career Pathways for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workforce: Literature Review Report: Career Pathways Project

This literature review has been undertaken as a part of the research activities for the Career Pathways Project (CPP) for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health professionals commissioned by the Lowitja Institute. The CPP is focussed on providing insights and guidance to enhance the capacity of the health system to retain and support the development and careers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the health workforce and takes a national perspective. This project was initiated by Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCHOs) and involves leadership at all levels by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander investigators, partners and field researchers. The aim of the literature review is to examine the peer and grey literature to inform the broader CPP research activities and proposed actions for strengthening the career development opportunities and pathways of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the health workforce. The review focuses on four key questions: 1. What are the unique skill sets and values that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health staff and health professionals can, and do, contribute to health services? 2. What are the experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health staff and health professionals in entering, and progressing, their careers within health services? 3. What factors facilitate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workforce career development and career advancement? 4. What factors impede Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workforce career development and career advancement? In undertaking this literature review and addressing these questions, we first briefly provide a snapshot of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workforce and then consider key concepts related to careers. We do so to frame the findings of the literature review provided within the main body of this report and to acknowledge the importance of privileging the contexts, values and perspectives of those who constitute the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workforce

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health performance framework 2012 report

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Framework looks at the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, which is improving for a number of measures, although there remain many areas where further concerted effort will be needed to achieve improvements in health outcomes. The HPF was designed to measure the impact of the National Strategic Framework for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health (NSFATSIH) and will be an important tool for developing the new National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan. The HPF monitors progress in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health outcomes, health system performance and the broader determinants of health. The health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples is improving for a number of measures, although there remain many areas where further concerted effort will be needed to achieve improvements in health outcomes.   Image: Report Cove

Overview of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health status 2018

The Overview of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health status (Overview) aims to provide a comprehensive summary of the most recent indicators of the health and current health status of Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The initial sections of the Overview provide information about the context of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, population, and various measures of population health status. The remaining sections are about selected health conditions and risk and protective factors that contribute to the overall health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. These sections comprise an introduction and evidence of the extent of the condition or risk/protective factor. The annual Overview is a resource relevant for workers, students and others who need to access up-to-date information about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health. Accompanying the Overview is a set of PowerPoint slides designed to help lecturers and others provide up-to-date information. A plain language version of the Overview, the Summary of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, 2018 is also available

Overview of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health status, 2017

The Overview of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health status (Overview) aims to provide a comprehensive summary of the most recent indicators of the health and current health status of Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The initial sections of the Overview provide information about the context of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, population, and various measures of population health status. The remaining sections are about selected health conditions and risk and protective factors that contribute to the overall health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. These sections comprise an introduction and evidence of the extent of the condition or risk/protective factor. The annual Overview is a resource relevant for workers, students and others who need to access up-to-date information about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health

Understanding and valuing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of working: Opportunities for change in health service provision to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

This thesis draws on an analysis of the experiences of Aboriginal and/or Torres health professionals to argue that the Australian health system is missing opportunities to create something better for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health clients and health professionals. In 2018 Closing the Gap1 will be 10 years old and despite 10 years of national policy designed to close the gap on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander disadvantage in Australia, only one of the seven key measures remains on track to meet the goals set for 2020 (Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, 2017). There is an immediate need to make change in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health through changes in national policy, systems and practices. This thesis investigates the workplace experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health professionals working in mainstream and in community controlled health services in the Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health sector. I have explored this from an Australian Aboriginal (Koori) perspective that was informed by Indigenous2 theories including decolonisation, Cultural Interface and Indigenous Standpoint Theories. As a Koori scholar undertaking doctoral research in a Western academy I respected and upheld both my cultural and my Western academic ethics and requirements: Yarns, including my own, are central to this thesis. I have used Indigenous research methods, Yarning and PhotoYarning, the latter having been developed as a new Indigenous research method by me within this doctoral study. Fifteen Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workers from diverse health services across Australia contributed data. The empirical chapters highlight Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of working in Australian health services. For the Australian health sector to provide culturally safe services that meet the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of Australia it needs to better engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of being, knowing, doing and seeing

Overview of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health status, 2020

The Overview of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health status (the Overview) aims to provide a comprehensive outline of the most recent indicators of the health and current health status of Australia\u27s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The initial sections of the Overview provide information about the context of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, social determinants, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population and measures of population health status including births, mortality and hospitalisation..

Summary of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health status - selected topics 2020

The Summary of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health status - selected topics 2020 is a useful source of the most recent national information for health workers and those studying in the field. It provides general information regarding the health status of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across the following topics: social and cultural determinants births and deaths hospitalisations chronic conditions (including CVD, cancer, diabetes and kidney health) sexually transmitted infections environmental health social and emotional wellbeing alcohol and other drug use. The Summary is based on the Overview of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health status 2020 and has been prepared by the Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet as part of its effort to help \u27close the gap\u27 by providing the evidence base to inform practice and policy in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health. It presents statistical information from the Overview in plain language and in a visual format that is quick and easy for users to digest..

Summary of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health status 2018

This latest Summary of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health provides an up-to-date, plain language summary of the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. It includes Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-specific information on: population births deaths common health conditions key health risk and protective factors. The Summary has been prepared by the HealthInfoNet as part of its effort to help \u27close the gap\u27 by providing the evidence base to inform practice and policy in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health. The Summary aims to make this information available to all people, including those without a specialised knowledge of the health field. This year we are pleased to present our new-look Summary. This Summary uses a range of visual aids to assist readers to quickly and easily understand the data presented throughout. This Summary is based on the Overview of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health status, 2018

Overview of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health status 2019

The main purpose of the Overview of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health status (Overview) is to provide a comprehensive summary of the most recent indicators of the health and current health status of Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The Overview has been prepared by Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet staff as part of our contribution to supporting those who work in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health sector. The Overview is a key element of the HealthInfoNet’s commitment to authentic and engaged knowledge development and exchange..

Cultural matter in the development of an interactive multimedia self-paced educational health program for aboriginal health workers

Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander health workers are key providers of primary health services to Aboriginal communities especially in remote and rural areas. They are often overloaded with competing demands. There has been limited attention given to the maintenance and ongoing enhancement of their skills and knowledge following the completion of formal training. A culturally appropriated interactive multimedia self-paced health program as a mechanism to improve the accessibility and the use of scientific data and information for health purposes is proposed as a basic method for better supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander primary health care workers in their practice locations. This paper explores different approaches for the development of a culturally appropriate interactive multimedia educational health program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander health workers and it also explore cultural matters concerning program development in the light of existing literature