To Improve The Accuracy And Precision Of Estimated GRF (eGFR) Measurements In Indigenous Australians
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$959,349.00
Summary
There is an overwhelming burden of chronic disease in Indigenous Australians. In order to attempt to improve kidney disease in this high-risk population, it is vital that we are able to accurately measure kidney function. This study will provide evidence to accurately assess kidney function in Indigenous Australians. This will then enable development of appropriate clinical guidelines and more effective monitoring of future interventions to slow progression of kidney disease.
An Education Intervention For Childhood Asthma By Local Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander Health Workers
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$97,500.00
Summary
There are only a few studies on asthma in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, and those are restricted to prevalence and hospitalisation data. We have previously shown that the prevalence of childhood asthma in the Torres is similar to that of mainstream Australia and that children of this region generally have more severe asthma than children seen in urban areas. Using a model of care appropriate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, with the involvement of local Indigen ....There are only a few studies on asthma in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, and those are restricted to prevalence and hospitalisation data. We have previously shown that the prevalence of childhood asthma in the Torres is similar to that of mainstream Australia and that children of this region generally have more severe asthma than children seen in urban areas. Using a model of care appropriate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, with the involvement of local Indigenous health care workers, we have adapted an asthma information package. With Study 1, we will examine the effect of local health care workers using this education package to educate children about their asthma. Our hypotheses is that children who receive additional asthma education by health worker have better asthma control. So we propose a randomized controlled trial of a culturally appropriate education intervention with children diagnosed with asthma. Enrolled children will be allocated by chance to one of the two regimes: (1) additional asthma education intervention: children will receive a personalised booklet (containing individual data eg. growth, photo of the child, health worker visits etc) that will be used during the medical consultation. They will also have 3 visits from the health worker for their asthma. (2) no additional intervention (they will receive usual information about asthma at the consultation and no health worker visit). With Study 2 we will examine the natural history of children with asthma and asthma-like symptoms and with symptoms suggestive of sleep breathing problems. Two groups of children previously seen by this team (5 years ago) will be clinically reassessed. Our hypothesis is that short to medium term history of asthma in Indigenous children in the Torres Strait is similar to non-Indigenous Australian children where there is a general improvement with age.Read moreRead less
A Comparative Study: Patterns Of Care, Comorbidities And Quality Of Life Of Indigenous And Non-Indigenous People With Lung, Head & Neck, Breast Or Gynaecological Cancers
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$691,814.00
Summary
Indigenous people with cancer have higher mortality rates and poorer survival than other Australians. Cancer treatment is complex, involves many therapies; there are many opportunities for someone to become �lost� in the system, causing unnecessary morbidity and personal distress. This study will compare the treatment and management of Indigenous cancer patients against �best practice� guidelines with the aim of identifying factors that are modifiable (i.e. health services, treatment patterns).
Community-Based Interventions To Reduce The Risk Of Diabetes And Cardiovascular Disease In Indigenous Australians
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,699,291.00
Summary
Poor nutrition is one of the main factors causing high rates of diabetes and heart disease in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Obesity is one of the main risk factors for diabetes and cardiovascular diseases and it is associated with poor diet, lack of exercise and many social factors. Access to fresh vegetables and fruit is often difficult for indigenous people , especially in remote areas. The aim of this project is to work with indigenous communities in rural and remote areas to ....Poor nutrition is one of the main factors causing high rates of diabetes and heart disease in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Obesity is one of the main risk factors for diabetes and cardiovascular diseases and it is associated with poor diet, lack of exercise and many social factors. Access to fresh vegetables and fruit is often difficult for indigenous people , especially in remote areas. The aim of this project is to work with indigenous communities in rural and remote areas to plan and run programs to lower the risk of diabetes and heart disease. The programs will be designed by community members and involve health education, diet, exercise and improving availability of healthy food choices in community stores. The programs will target diabetic people and their families or, in most cases, the whole community. It is very difficult for overweight adults to lose weight permanently, so school-based programs will be run to provide health education and healthy canteen policies put in place to try and prevent excess weight gain in younger people. To see whether these programs are effective, we will measure changes over time in risk factors for diabetes and heart disease, nutrition and community support and involvement in the program. Where a community achieves even modest improvements in diet and exercise, this is likely to lead to a much lower risk of diabetes and heart disease. We will identify what factors make a program effective and sustainable over the long term. This study will help us to set up a system for introducing and monitoring similar programs in other indigenous communities. (1358 characters)Read moreRead less
Hepatitis C, Prisons And Treatment Opportunities (HePATO)
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$460,778.00
Summary
Despite the availability of an effective treatment for hepatitis C and the high prevalence of infection among Australian prisoners treatment uptake is extremely low. Using survey data and qualitative interviews with prisoners and prison health staff this project will investigate the structural and cultural barriers which limit access to treatment and care. The project will also estimate the public health benefits which would result if the uptake of treatment was to reach its full potential.
A Structured Systems Approach For Improving Health Promotion Practice For Chronic Diseases In Indigenous Communities
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$666,592.00
Summary
This project will trial a model for continuous improvement, with the aim of assisting health services and community based organisations to improve the services they deliver to promote health and prevent chronic disease in Indigenous communities.
Pandemic Influenza Containment Strategies In Aboriginal Communities: What Is Acceptable And Feasible?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,056,688.00
Summary
Influenza is a serious disease with a much greater impact in Indigenous communities. This project will work with Aboriginal communities in NSW, north Qld and WA on modifying the national pandemic influenza plan to develop control strategies that are acceptable to the culture and circumstances of those communities. A template and acceptable process will then be offered to other Indigenous communities, finally leading to negotiation to modify implementation of pandemic influenza plans.
Chronic Disease Outcomes And Enhanced Primary Care In Seniors: A Cross-Jurisdictional Linkage Project
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,077,766.00
Summary
This project will provide evidence on how best to use the efforts of Australian GPs to obtain better outcomes in patients aged 65+ years who suffer from chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure, asthma and emphysema, seizures and stomach disorders. It will also examine the best way that GP visits can promote healthier ageing in all older seniors, aged 75+ years. For each disease and in older seniors, the study will be able to detect which of the following factors ....This project will provide evidence on how best to use the efforts of Australian GPs to obtain better outcomes in patients aged 65+ years who suffer from chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure, asthma and emphysema, seizures and stomach disorders. It will also examine the best way that GP visits can promote healthier ageing in all older seniors, aged 75+ years. For each disease and in older seniors, the study will be able to detect which of the following factors are the most important for better patient health: (i) seeing a GP more times, (ii) seeing a GP at more even intervals, (iii) seeing the same GP, or (iv) seeing a GP with a lot of experience in chronic diseases. Separate investigations will be made in older people living in hostels and nursing homes, because their needs may be different. The study will also evaluate the benefits of a major change that occurred to Medicare in 1999, when GPs were paid to perform health assessments and to prepare health plans (with other health workers) for patients with chronic health problems. The results will enable this important initiative to be further improved. The study will use a unique and new Australian research facility, which has brought together health data on the entire population of WA from both the State and Commonwealth levels, including information on Medicare use, pharmaceuticals, hospital stays and deaths. The facility works in such a way as to preserve patient and GP privacy. A strong feature of this research will be the degree of involvement of a representative and voluntary group of older Australian patients who attend GP clinics, and the GPs themselves, in advising the researchers on what's important to consumers and GPs.Read moreRead less
Safe Koori Kids: Community Based Approaches To Indigenous Injury Prevention
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$671,905.00
Summary
The study will involve the development of an intervention targeting Indigenous children, schools and families and schools in urban environments. Specifically, over a three year period, the proposed research aims to: explore the incidence and impact of intentional and unintentional injury in selected urban Indigenous communities in NSW and identify factors contributing to positive and negative consequences relating to injury; develop and evaluate initiatives in Indigenous communities aimed at inc ....The study will involve the development of an intervention targeting Indigenous children, schools and families and schools in urban environments. Specifically, over a three year period, the proposed research aims to: explore the incidence and impact of intentional and unintentional injury in selected urban Indigenous communities in NSW and identify factors contributing to positive and negative consequences relating to injury; develop and evaluate initiatives in Indigenous communities aimed at increasing resiliency in at-risk children, youth and families; and make recommendations for changes to policy and practice across a range of government portfolios and non-government organisations. Injury, which has received almost no research attention among Indigenous populations, is the leading cause of death, illness and disability for young Australians with the burden of injury for Indigenous Australians significantly higher than for the non-Indigenous population. Indigenous children and youth are over-represented in both intentional (eg. suicide, domestic violence and abuse, assaults and self-harm) and unintentional (eg. burns, road injury, falls and drowning) injury statistics. The complexity of injury to Indigenous people and its 'downstream' impact on families and communities has been documented in recent studies and reports. Although Indigenous children and youth are particularly vulnerable to the impact of injury, there have been few studies that have documented the incidence and impact of injury on Indigenous children or which have offered sustainable and culturally acceptable solutions to the problem of injury. The proposed research focuses on the development of effective, sustainable and culturally acceptable interventions for Indigenous children and youth based on an Indigenous perspective.Read moreRead less
ESTIMATION OF INDIGENOUS MORTALITY WHERE DESIGNATION OF INDIGENOUS STATUS ON DEATH CERTIFICATES IS UNRELIABLE
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$158,840.00
Summary
Mortality of indigenous Australians is regarded as unacceptably high compared to other Australians and compared to indigenous minorities in other similar countries. Indigenous mortality is based on data from WA, SA and NT, although some of the data are unreliable. There are few reliable data available in Qld, NSW, Vic or Tas because Indigenous status is significantly under-recorded on the death certificate. The objective of the research is to devise and validate indirect methods for estimating i ....Mortality of indigenous Australians is regarded as unacceptably high compared to other Australians and compared to indigenous minorities in other similar countries. Indigenous mortality is based on data from WA, SA and NT, although some of the data are unreliable. There are few reliable data available in Qld, NSW, Vic or Tas because Indigenous status is significantly under-recorded on the death certificate. The objective of the research is to devise and validate indirect methods for estimating indigenous mortality in sub-populations where there are significant proportions of indigenous people, and where designation of indigenous status on death certificate is unreliable. This would permit assessment of mortality differentials and trends in a significant number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in Qld, NSW, Vic and possibly Tas and provide new perspectives in the study of determinants of mortality in indigenous populations through comparisons of communities with relatively high and relatively low mortality, and allow population-based evaluation of the effectiveness of services and programs through surveillence of mortality trends and differentials. The methods rely on the basic premise that the total mortality of a population is contributed to by the mortality of its components in relation to their proportion of the total population. The units of analyses will be mainly municipalities. Mortality and proportion indigenous will be used in the comparison of municipalities with similar socio-economic and geographic characteristics, and mortality by municipality will be statistically modelled using various characteristics of these populations, including proportion indigenous (using ABS data). Methods will be validated by employing them on selected WA, SA and NT mortality data where designation of indigenous staus is considered reliable. Mortality estimates will then be made for indigenous communities in NSW, Qld, and other states.Read moreRead less