- Racism, a significant health determinant
- Sepsis costs more than breast and lung cancer
- Cultural Safety and Wellbeing Evidence Review
- Transparency of Aboriginal health research needed
- $21m for NSW Aboriginal mental health workforce
- Enhancing Aboriginal homelessness services
- New dashboards monitor medication safety
- New process for job advertising
- Save the Date
Image in feature tile: IndigenousX Twitter.
Racism, a significant health determinant
The research paper Impact of racism and discrimination on physical and mental health among Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander peoples living in Australia: a systematic scoping review says racism is increasingly recognised as a significant health determinant that contributes to health inequalities.
In Australia efforts have been made to bridge the recognised health gap between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and other Australians. This systematic scoping review aimed to assess, synthesise, and analyse the evidence in Australia about the impacts of racism on the mental and physical health of Aboriginal and Torrens Strait Islander peoples.
Racism is associated with negative overall mental and negative general health outcomes among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Strategies to prevent all forms and sources of racism are necessary to move forward to bridging the health gap between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous Australians. Further research is needed to understand in more detail the impact of racism from an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander definition of health and wellbeing.
To view the full article click here.
Image source: AMA website.
Sepsis costs more than breast and lung cancer
A new report commissioned by The George Institute for Global Health estimates that the total annual cost of sepsis in Australia is $4.8bn with direct hospital costs accounting for $700m a year. This compares to direct hospital costs of $642m for breast and lung cancer combined.
The George Institute’s Professor Simon Finfer, past chair of the Council of the International Sepsis Forum, and Vice President of the Global Sepsis Alliance said “Despite the fact that more than 18,000 Australians are treated for sepsis in Intensive Care each year and as many as 5,000 of these will die, awareness of sepsis is low compared to other conditions that are less costly for hospitals to manage.”
“Given that four in five cases start outside hospital, being able to recognise the point where a seemingly simple infection is developing into life-threatening sepsis is crucial, as accessing the right medical care quickly is vital to minimising the significant long-term consequences.” With leading global experts recently recognising that patients critically ill with COVID-19 have viral sepsis, the picture is likely to look much worse as the global pandemic progresses.
To view the full article click here.
Image source: The University of Chicago website.
The following article First population level study to assess the incidence and outcomes of sepsis in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians – click here.
Image source: ABC News.
Cultural Safety and Wellbeing Evidence Review
The NSW Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) has commissioned an evidence review on cultural safety and wellbeing for Aboriginal children, young people, families and communities in early intervention services.
Gamarada Universal Indigenous Resources Pty Ltd (GUIR) is undertaking this work, in partnership with the Social Policy Research Centre, UNSW. The need for this evidence review was identified in a forum with Aboriginal Targeted Earlier Intervention service providers earlier this year when GUIR presented its findings from an evidence review on preventing child maltreatment. Providers highlighted that cultural wellbeing and safety is a critical part of service delivery and lack of cultural safety, racism and fear are main barriers to accessing essential services.
The findings from this evidence review will be embedded into the content on the (DCJ) Evidence Portal currently under development. The Evidence Portal will then assist service providers to find and implement culturally safe and inclusive activities and services for Aboriginal children, young people, families, and communities.
As part of the review, GUIR has sought contributions from Aboriginal service providers and organisations who work with Aboriginal families and communities to ensure the review reflects service providers’ experience designing and delivering culturally safe services.
You can visit the DCJ website for more information here.
Artwork by Charmaine Mumbulla, Mumbulla Creative. Image source: Family is Culture website.
Transparency of Aboriginal health research needed
Indigenous health researchers Dr Roxanne Bainbridge, Dr Veronica Matthews, Dr Janine Mohamed and Associate Professor Megan Williams have written to the editor of The Medical Journal of Australia (MJA) arguing the need to enhance the ability to efficiently distinguish Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander scholarship in health research.
The letter to the MJA editors claims persistent health disparities between Indigenous and other Australians signal the ineffectiveness of allegedly well intentioned policy and research that have largely produced deficit‐focused research, describing the extent of the problem rather than being driven by the priorities and solutions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Institutions are now acknowledging that to close the gap in health disparities, “Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people must determine, drive and own the desired outcomes”.
Although Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander researchers are more often leading the way in key health system domains, such as research ethics, education and effective community‐based research, there is currently no systematic way of identifying their scholarship in the peer‐reviewed literature. The authors of the letter point out the need to develop strategies to rectify and improve transparency of Indigenous health research.
This would enhance the ability to efficiently distinguish Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander scholarship, increasing the visibility of Aboriginal and Torres Strait knowledges and perspectives in research and translation, thereby improving the transparency of academic literature to guide decisions about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and wellbeing.
To read the letter to the MJA editor in full click here.
Image source: The University of Melbourne website.
$21m for NSW Aboriginal mental health workforce
The NSW Government is investing $21 million to expand the Aboriginal mental health and suicide prevention workforce as part of $131 million mental health recovery package. Minister for Mental Health Bronnie Taylor said the lockdown has exacerbated underlying mental health conditions and added to people’s distress levels, especially among groups known to be at greater risk of suicide.
“As we return to doing the things we love with the people we love, we want to make sure that no-one is left behind,” Mrs Taylor said. “We know that mental health issues and thoughts of suicide can emerge in the weeks, months and years after a trauma, so our focus over the next two years is connecting people with the most appropriate services and support as early as possible.”
To view the media release in full click here.
Image source: Curtin University.
Enhancing Aboriginal homelessness services
Aboriginal people experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness will receive better support under a $12 million NSW Government plan to boost the capacity of Aboriginal Controlled Community Organisations (ACCOs). Minister for Families, Communities and Disability Services Alister Henskens said the Aboriginal Homelessness Sector Growth project will lead to more ACCOs delivering quality services and support to vulnerable people.
“The NSW Government is investing close to $300 million in homelessness services and this project builds on that record funding to address issues in Aboriginal communities,” Mr Henskens said. “The initiative aims to prevent and respond to homelessness by enhancing services and support by Aboriginal people for Aboriginal people in Southern NSW, Western Sydney and the New England region.
To view the media release in full click here.
Image source: NITV website.
New dashboards monitor medication safety
A collaboration with the University of Queensland, Queensland’s Metro North Health and Queensland Health, Enhanced data extraction and modelling from electronic medical records and phenotyping for clinical care and research, is an exciting project which has recently achieved a significant milestone.
This digital health research project is focused on developing a new, efficient capability for data extraction from electronic medical records, starting with Queensland’s integrated electronic Medical Record (ieMR). Two dashboards, developed to monitor opioid prescribing and insulin safety, have now been commissioned and in production for use at Australia’s newest digital hospital, Surgical Treatment and Rehabilitation Service (STARS).
Associate Professor Clair Sullivan, lead researcher from the Queensland Digital Health Research Network at the Centre for Health Services Research, The University of Queensland (UQ) is excited about the potential for this research to significantly reduce medication errors, “Medication errors are a leading cause of injury and harm across the Australian healthcare system and reducing these is a priority for all healthcare providers. Digital health is our most powerful tool in this important mission.”
Using live analytics is essential when it comes to prioritising patient care and shifting from the current ‘break-fix healthcare model to a more sustainable ‘predict-prevent’ model. This project will pioneer this more desirable and constructive approach to healthcare and aims to pave the way for Australian hospitals to increase their efficiency and improve patient care outcomes.
For more information click here.
Image source: Digital Health CRC website.
New process for job advertising
NACCHO have introduced a new system for the advertising of job adverts via the NACCHO website and you can find the sector job listings here.
Click here to go to the NACCHO website where you can complete a form with job vacancy details – it will then be approved for posting and go live on the NACCHO website.
World Stroke Day
World Stroke Day is an opportunity to raise awareness of the serious nature and high rates of stroke and talk about ways in which we can reduce the burden of stroke through better public awareness of the risk factors and signs of stroke. It is also an opportunity to advocate for action by decision makers at global, regional and national levels that are essential to improve stroke prevention, access to acute treatment and support for survivors and caregivers.
For 2021 and 2022 the World Stroke Day campaign will be focused on raising awareness of the signs of stroke and the need for timely access to quality stroke treatment.
For more information click here.
On World Stroke Day, Stroke Foundation Australia is reminding the community that despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, seeking urgent medial help is essential. It can save lives! Stroke attacks the brain and is always a time-critical medical emergency.
Stroke Foundation is inviting you to celebrate World Stroke Day by joining their Facebook Live chat with StrokeSafe Speaker and Associate Professor Caleb Ferguson to learn about the benefits of knowing the signs of stroke and acting FAST after a stroke.
12:00 PM EST – Friday 29th October – click here to RSVP to the event.