Injury of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people due to transport: 2005-06 to 2009-10

This report looks at death and serious injury of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia due to transport accidents in the five-year period 2005-06 to 2009-10. Land transport accidents accounted for 26% of all fatal injury cases and 9% of all serious injury cases for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The age-standardised rate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people was 2.8 times the rate for Other Australians for fatal cases, and 1.3 times the rate for Other Australians for serious injuries

Summary of cardiovascular health among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

This Summary describes different types of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and how common they are among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. It highlights the differences in how groups of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people – such as women and men, or older and younger people – experience CVD. It describes some improvements in the cardiovascular health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. It also gives examples of the many good things that are being done on the ground to prevent illness and improve CVD care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health performance framework 2012 report: Australian Capital Territory

This report provides the latest information on how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are faring according to a range of indicators on health status, determinants or health and health system performance.Executive summaryThe Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Framework 2012 report for the Australian Capital Territory finds areas of improvement in the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in the territory, including:a significant increase in health assessments for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 55 years and over recorded through Medicare since the introduction of the National Partnership Agreement on Closing the Gap in Indigenous Health Outcomes in July 2009corresponding increases in allied health-care services claimed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people through Medicare since 1 July 2009. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have higher rates of general practitioner management plans and team care arrangements than non-Indigenous Australiansimmunisation coverage rates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are close to those for other Australian children by age 5some improvements in literacy for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in Year 3 and 5 between 2009 and 2011apparent retention rates from Year 7 to Year 10 and from Year 11 to Year 12 are higher for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the Australian Capital Territory than for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people nationally.Areas of concern include:high rates of smoking during pregnancy (51% total)around half of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 18 and over reported drinking alcohol at short-term risky/high-risk levels in the past 12 months, which was higher than the proportion for non-Indigenous people and for Indigenous people nationallyalmost two-thirds (63%) of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 18 and over in the Australian Capital Territory have a disability or long-term health condition, which is higher than the proportion for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people nationally (41%)breast cancer screening rates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women are lower than for other women

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People and dementia: a review of the research

This report outlines the prevalence of dementia and modifiable risk factors in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Executive summary The high rate of dementia in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities requires urgent attention. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people experience dementia at an earlier age then the general population and this, combined with the steadily growing number of older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, will result in the number of people effected by  dementia growing significantly in the coming years. Although higher rates of dementia have been reported in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, the disease is often overlooked by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander  communities, health workers and service providers. Geographical constraints in the provision of services, a lack of education and awareness in communities and by health workers and the prevalence of other chronic diseases have all posed considerable barriers to the recognition of dementia as an emerging health issue. This paper includes the following recommendations to ensure that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, family members and communities have access to awareness, information, and appropriate support services for people with dementia

Liver Disease in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have a substantially higher prevalence of liver disease than non-Indigenous Australians. Cirrhosis and its complications were the sixth leading cause of mortality for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in 2020. Liver disease has been estimated to be the third leading cause of the mortality gap between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous people due to chronic disease, accounting for 11% of this gap. While current trends show reducing mortality rates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people for conditions including circulatory disease, diabetes and kidney disease, there are no data to suggest a similar decline for liver disease. This review highlights the common causes of liver disease affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, which include hepatitis B, hepatitis C, alcohol related liver disease, metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease, and cirrhosis and its complications including hepatocellular carcinoma. Current treatments including liver transplantation as well as suggestions for improving detection, treatment and access to liver care will also be discussed. Recent revolutions in the detection and treatment of liver disease make efforts to improve access to treatment and outcomes an urgent priority for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

Review of diabetes among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

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 Torres Strait Islander people, including incidence and prevalence data; hospitalisations; mortality and burden of disease the prevention and management of diabetes relevant programs, services, policies and strategies that address the health issue of diabetes among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people two special population groups adolescents pregnant and post-partum women. This review concludes by suggesting possible future directions for combatting the growing epidemic of diabetes among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. This review is part of a suite of knowledge exchange products that includes a summary, a video, and a fact sheet

Comparison of the uptake of health assessment items for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and other Australians: Implications for policy

BACKGROUND: Health Assessment (HA) items were introduced in 1999 for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged at least 55 years and all Australians aged over 75 years. In 2004 a new item was introduced for HAs among adult Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 15–54 years. The new item has been applauded as a major policy innovation however this enthusiasm has been tempered with concern about potential barriers to its uptake. In this study we aim to determine whether there are disparities in uptake of HA items for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people compared to other Australians. METHOD: The analysis was based on Health Insurance Commission data. Indigenous status was ascertained based on the item number used. Logistic regression was used to compare uptake of HA items for older people among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people compared to other Australians. Adjustments were made for dual eligibility. Uptake of the HA items for older people was compared to the uptake of the new item for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 15–44 years. RESULTS: Our analyses suggest a significant and persistent disparity in the uptake of items for older patients among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people compared to other Australians. A similar disparity appears to exist in the uptake of the new adult Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander HA item. CONCLUSION: Further engagement of primary care providers and the community around the uptake of the new HA items may be required to ensure that the anticipated health benefits eventuate

Plain language review of diabetes among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

This review provides an overview of key information on diabetes among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia. The review focuses mostly on type 2 diabetes among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people because type 2 diabetes is responsible for the majority of cases of diabetes in this population. However, the review also refers to type 1 diabetes and gestational diabetes where information is available. It provides a historical, social and cultural background to the development of diabetes, and the behavioural and medical factors that contribute to diabetes among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. It provides information on the levels of diabetes among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and other diseases and conditions that are caused or triggered by diabetes. This information includes data on: incidence (the number of new cases) and prevalence (the number of existing cases) how many people are hospitalised, die or are disabled because of diabetes. Issues of prevention and management of diabetes are discussed, and the review provides information on programs, services, policies and strategies relating to diabetes among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. This review draws mostly on journal publications, government reports, national data collections and national surveys. Most of these can be accessed through the HealthInfoNet\u27s Australian Indigenous HealthBibliography

Strategic approaches to enhanced health service delivery for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with chronic illness: a qualitative study

BACKGROUND Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with chronic illness confront multiple challenges that contribute to their poor health outcomes, and to the health disparities that exist in Australian society. This study aimed to identify barriers and facilitators to care and support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with chronic illness. METHODS Face-to-face in-depth interviews were conducted with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with diabetes, chronic heart failure or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (n-16) and family carers (n = 3). Interviews were transcribed verbatim and the transcripts were analysed using content analysis. Recurrent themes were identified and these were used to inform the key findings of the study. RESULTS Participants reported both negative and positive influences that affected their health and well-being. Among the negative influences, they identified poor access to culturally appropriate health services, dislocation from cultural support systems, exposure to racism, poor communication with health care professionals and economic hardship. As a counter to these, participants pointed to cultural and traditional knowledge as well as insights from their own experiences. Participants said that while they often felt overwhelmed and confused by the burden of chronic illness, they drew strength from being part of an Aboriginal community, having regular and ongoing access to primary health care, and being well-connected to a supportive family network. Within this context, elders played an important role in increasing people's awareness of the impact of chronic illness on people and communities. CONCLUSIONS Our study indicated that non-Indigenous health services struggled to meet the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with chronic illness. To address their complex needs, health services could gain considerably by recognising that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients have a wealth of cultural knowledge at their disposal. Strategies to ensure that this knowledge is integrated into care and support programs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with chronic illness should achieve major improvements.This study was supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council which provided funding for the project

Summary of methamphetamine use among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

The Summary of methamphetamine use among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is a plain language publication that provides summarised and updated information from the Review of methamphetamine use among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people(2019). It provides key information about methamphetamine use among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in a style that is easy to engage with. It is particularly useful for health workers and those studying in the field as a quick source of general information about: the physical and mental impacts of methamphetamine historical and social factors of use how common methamphetamine use is responses to use prevention and education harm reduction strategies and treatments related government policies and strategies