A Conceptual Model of Protective Factors Within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Culture That Build Strength

2021 ◽  
pp. 002202212110463
Author(s):  
Sue-Anne Hunter ◽  
Helen Skouteris ◽  
Heather Morris
Keyword(s):  
Conceptual Model ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Torres Strait Islander ◽  
Research Papers ◽  
Australian Population ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Social Inequities ◽  
Torres Strait ◽  
The Voice

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australian population have endured immense hardship since the colonization of Australia characterized by the loss of lands, language, leadership, and family that contributes to the health and social inequities experienced today. Culture plays a significant role in shaping the health and wellbeing of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, however the processes and mechanisms of cultural connection, how it builds strength and offers protection in times of hardship is less clear. This scoping review used the voice of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians from qualitative research papers to hear what cultural factors are protective and the ways they offer this. Quantitative research papers were then explored to understand if connection to culture lead to better health or social outcomes. Four aspects of culture were integrated into a conceptual model—cultural activities, country, connection, and identity. The eight quantitative papers assessed connection to culture poorly making it difficult to definitively determine if a strong cultural connection leads to better outcomes. Practice implications and future directions led by this conceptual model are provided.

scholarly journals Building an Indigenous-Led Evidence Base for Smoking Cessation Care among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women during Pregnancy and Beyond: Research Protocol for the Which Way? Project

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 1342
Author(s):  
Michelle Bovill ◽  
Catherine Chamberlain ◽  
Jessica Bennett ◽  
Hayley Longbottom ◽  
Shanell Bacon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Smoking Cessation ◽  
Torres Strait Islander ◽  
Aboriginal Health ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Local Health ◽  
Research Protocol ◽  
Smoking During Pregnancy ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Online Social Media ◽  
Torres Strait

Strong and healthy futures for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people requires engagement in meaningful decision making which is supported by evidence-based approaches. While a significant number of research publications state the research is co-designed, few describe the research process in relation to Indigenous ethical values. Improving the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mothers and babies is crucial to the continuation of the oldest living culture in the world. Developing meaningful supports to empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mothers to quit smoking during pregnancy is paramount to addressing a range of health and wellbeing outcomes. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women have called for non-pharmacological approaches to smoking cessation during pregnancy. We describe a culturally responsive research protocol that has been co-designed and is co-owned with urban and regional Aboriginal communities in New South Wales. The project has been developed in line with the AH&MRC’s (Aboriginal Health & Medical Research Council) updated guidelines for ethical research with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Ethics approvals have been granted by AH&MRC #14541662 University of Newcastle HREC H-2020-0092 and the Local Health District ethics committee 2020/ETH02095. Results will be disseminated through peer reviewed articles, community reports, infographics, and online social media content.

scholarly journals What Matters 2 Adults: a study protocol to develop a new preference-based wellbeing measure with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults (WM2Adults)

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kirsten Howard ◽  
Kate Anderson ◽  
Joan Cunningham ◽  
Alan Cass ◽  
Julie Ratcliffe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Torres Strait Islander ◽  
Torres Strait Islander People ◽  
Validity Testing ◽  
Conditional Logit ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Best Worst Scaling ◽  
Descriptive System ◽  
Torres Strait ◽  
Candidate Item

Abstract Background Understandings of health and wellbeing are culturally bound. Many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people perceive wellbeing and quality of life (QOL) differently from the Western biomedical models of health underpinning existing QOL instruments. Any instrument to measure the wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be culturally appropriate and safe, include relevant dimensions, and be informed by their own values and preferences. Existing QOL instruments do not meet these standards. This study will generate a new preference-based wellbeing measure, WM2Adults, for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults, underpinned by their values and preferences. Methods A mixed methods approach will be used; we will employ decolonising methodologies, privilege Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices and perspectives, and adopt a strengths-based approach rather than a deficit lens. Yarning Circles will be conducted with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across Australia. A candidate item pool will be developed from these data, on which psychometric analysis and validity testing will be undertaken to develop a descriptive system. Following finalisation of the descriptive system, wellbeing states will be valued using a quantitative preference-based approach (best-worst scaling) with a diverse sample of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults (n = 1000). A multinomial (conditional) logit framework will be used to analyse responses and generate a scoring algorithm for the new preference-based WM2Adults measure. Discussion The new wellbeing measure will have wide applicability in assessing the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of new programs and services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Results will be disseminated through journals, conferences and policy forums, and will be shared with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, organisations and research participants.

A First Nations Voice: Institutionalising Political Listening

2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (4) ◽  
pp. 529-542
Author(s):  
Gabrielle Appleby ◽  
Eddie Synot
Keyword(s):  
First Nations ◽  
Torres Strait Islander ◽  
Structural Response ◽  
The Political ◽  
Governance Structures ◽  
Torres Strait Islander People ◽  
Australian State ◽  
Torres Strait ◽  
The Voice ◽  
Careful Design

The Uluru Statement from the Heart offers an opportunity to reorder the Australian constitutional hierarchy as it relates to First Nations. The proposal for a First Nations Voice provides a tailored, structural response to the experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people under the Australian state. For the First Nations Voice to meet this potential, it will require more than careful design of the Voice as a new constitutional institution; it will require existing constitutional institutions within the legislature and executive to learn to ‘listen’. This article draws on the political and democratic listening literature to examine how political listening might be practised at the interface between the First Nations Voice and existing constitutional institutions. We suggest five principles to guide this cross-institutional relationship together with ways these principles might be incorporated into governance structures.

Interventions to address food insecurity among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people: A rapid review

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fiona H McKay ◽  
Stephanie L Godrich
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Torres Strait Islander ◽  
Significant Risk ◽  
Rapid Review ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Torres Strait Islander People ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Change Projects ◽  
Torres Strait

Food insecurity disproportionately impacts Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. This review sought to investigate research and evaluations of programs and interventions implemented to address food insecurity among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. A rapid review was conducted to collate the available research from six databases. The search was conducted in May 2020. Search constructs related to food insecurity, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and Australia. 25 publications were included in this review, 24 reported on an intervention, while nine were evaluations of an intervention. Interventions included behaviour change projects, including projects that sought to change purchasing and cooking behaviours, school-based education programs, and gardening programs. In general, the studies included in this sample were small, and lacked a systematic consideration of the factors that shape the experience of food insecurity among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people specifically. Based on the findings of this review, authors suggest greater consideration to the systematic determinants of food insecurity among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to have lasting and sustainable impact on food insecurity. This review has been registered with the international prospective register of systematic reviews (PROSPERO: CRD42020183709). Novelty bullets • Food insecurity among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people poses significant risk to health and wellbeing. • Small scale food security interventions may not provide ongoing and sustained impact. • Any intervention to promote food security will need to involve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and be sustained once external parties have left.

scholarly journals Associations between Participation in a Ranger Program and Health and Wellbeing Outcomes among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People in Central Australia: A Proof of Concept Study

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (7) ◽  
pp. 1478 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roxanne Jones ◽  
Katherine Thurber ◽  
Alyson Wright ◽  
Jan Chapman ◽  
Peter Donohoe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
General Health ◽  
Torres Strait Islander ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Psychological Wellbeing ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Funding Program ◽  
Central Australia ◽  
Torres Strait ◽  
Family Wellbeing

Culture can be viewed as an integral part of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and wellbeing. This study explores the association between caring for country, through participation in a Ranger program, and wellbeing. We analyzed cross-sectional data collected in Central Australia in 2017, comparing health and wellbeing (life satisfaction, general health, psychological wellbeing and family wellbeing) among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples employed as Rangers (n = 43) versus not employed as Rangers (n = 160). We tested if any differences in outcomes were explained by differences in key demographic or health factors. Ranger participation was significantly associated with very high life satisfaction (PR = 1.69, 95% CI: 1.29, 2.20) and high family wellbeing (PR = 1.47, 95% CI: 1.13, 1.90); associations remained significant after individual adjustment for education, income, employment, health risk factors and health conditions. The magnitude and direction of associations were similar for very good general health, but results were not significant. We did not identify an association between Ranger participation and psychological wellbeing. While based on a small sample, these findings support the assertion that participation in the Ranger program is associated with positive health and wellbeing outcomes. This supports the continuation of cultural participation and practice through the Ranger program and has implications for funding, program and policy development.

scholarly journals The case for a Torres Strait Islander‐driven, long‐term research agenda for environment, health and wellbeing

2020 ◽  
Vol 44 (3) ◽  
pp. 177-179 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen Cheer ◽  
Felecia Watkin Lui ◽  
Sanchia Shibasaki ◽  
Alistair Harvey ◽  
Daniel Grainger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Research Agenda ◽  
Torres Strait Islander ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Torres Strait
Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document