scholarly journals Identifying culturally acceptable cognitive tests for use in remote northern Australia

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Deborah Rock ◽  
Ian R. Price
Keyword(s):  
Executive Function ◽  
Aboriginal People ◽  
Cognitive Testing ◽  
Cognitive Tests ◽  
Culturally Appropriate ◽  
Consultation Process ◽  
Main Trial ◽  
Aboriginal Communities ◽  
Memory And Attention ◽  
Culturally Adapted

Abstract Background A lack of culturally appropriate tests hampers accurate assessment of cognition in remote Australian Aboriginal communities. In Arnhem Land, this study employed a community consultation process to evaluate commonly used Western tests of executive function, memory, attention, and visuospatial function. Methods An initial consultation process and a follow-up pilot study resulted in the rejection of some common tests, the development of new tests, and culturally adapted versions of others. In the subsequent 30-person main trial, adult Aboriginal volunteers were examined on nine tests, plus the Kimberly Indigenous Cognitive Assessment screen, and a brief literacy test. Results Executive function, memory, and attention tests were found to group separately after an exploratory principal components analysis. Correlations between new tests and similar Kimberly screen items were not significant, but ceiling effects may be relevant. Six of 13 test scores were found to correlate with the literacy measure. Conclusions A selection of cognitive tests were identified that Aboriginal people found culturally acceptable and engaging. In particular, Self-Ordered Pointing, Trail-Making, a verbal-switching task, and a new test “Which car?” show promise for further development. This work may contribute to the need for culturally appropriate cognitive testing in Aboriginal communities.

scholarly journals Reflections on 'Aboriginalising' the Research Process

2011 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 29-39 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marlene Burchill ◽  
Phyllis Lau ◽  
Priscilla Pyett ◽  
Steve Kelly ◽  
Peter Waples-Crowe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Initial Phase ◽  
Research Team ◽  
Aboriginal People ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Culturally Appropriate ◽  
Model Of Care ◽  
Multidisciplinary Research ◽  
Aboriginal Communities ◽  
Hunting And Gathering ◽  
Multidisciplinary Research Team

This article describes the way a multidisciplinary research team set about 'Aboriginalising' their research processes in the initial phase of a project that aimed to develop a culturally appropriate model of care for urban Aboriginal people with diabetes. Although academic conventions and protocols tended to dominate, the project incorporated the innovative approach that the Aboriginal researchers brought to the process of recruiting and facilitating focus groups, which they likened to 'hunting and gathering'. In developing and strengthening partnerships between research institutions and Aboriginal communities, it is important that Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal researchers challenge the conventional academic models of research in ways that are culturally appropriate and informed by Aboriginal scholarship. This article illustrates the difficulties and challenges on both sides of the partnership. It concludes by outlining the key principles learnt during the first phase of the project.

scholarly journals The Relationship of Psychiatric Symptoms with Performance-Based and Self-Reported Cognitive Function After Ischemic Stroke

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Elisabeth Kliem ◽  
Elise Gjestad ◽  
Truls Ryum ◽  
Alexander Olsen ◽  
Bente Thommessen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ischemic Stroke ◽  
Executive Function ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Cognitive Function ◽  
Psychiatric Symptoms ◽  
Post Stroke ◽  
Cognitive Difficulties ◽  
Memory And Attention ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract Objective: Findings on the relationship of psychiatric symptoms with performance-based and self-reported cognitive function post-stroke are inconclusive. We aimed to (1) study the relation of depression and anxiety to performance-based cognitive function and (2) explore a broader spectrum of psychiatric symptoms and their association with performance-based versus self-reported cognitive function. Method: Individuals with supratentorial ischemic stroke performed neuropsychological examination 3 months after stroke. For primary analyses, composite scores for memory and attention/executive function were calculated based on selected neuropsychological tests, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was used. Psychiatric symptoms and self-reported cognitive function for secondary aims were assessed using the Symptom-Checklist-90 – Revised (SCL-90-R). Results: In a sample of 86 patients [mean (M) age: 64.6 ± 9.2; Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), 3–7 days post-stroke: M = 28.4 ± 1.7; National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) after 3 months: M = 0.7 ± 1.6] depressive symptoms (HADS) were associated with poorer memory performance after controlling for age, sex, and education (p ≤ .01). In a subsample (n = 41; Age: M = 65.7 ± 8.1; MMSE: M = 28.4 ± 1.8; NIHSS: M = 1.0 ± 1.9), symptoms of phobic anxiety (SCL-90-R) were associated with poorer performance-based memory and attention/executive function, and symptoms of anxiety (SCL-90-R) with lower attention/executive function. Higher levels of self-reported cognitive difficulties were associated with higher scores in all psychiatric domains (p ≤ .05). Conclusion: Even in relatively well-functioning stroke patients, depressive symptoms are associated with poorer memory. The results also suggest that various psychiatric symptoms are more related to self-reported rather than to performance-based cognitive function. Screening for self-reported cognitive difficulties may not only help to identify patients with cognitive impairment, but also those who need psychological treatment.

scholarly journals Behavioral impairment and cognition in Thai adolescents affected by HIV

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Payal B. Patel ◽  
Andrew Belden ◽  
Ryan Handoko ◽  
Thanyawee Puthanakit ◽  
Stephen Kerr ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Executive Function ◽  
Neuropsychological Test ◽  
Demographic Variables ◽  
Cognitive Testing ◽  
Hiv Status ◽  
Behavioral Impairment ◽  
Neurocognitive Tests ◽  
Thai Adolescents ◽  
Resource Limited ◽  
Perinatally Acquired

Abstract Background Cognitive and behavioral impairment are common in children living with perinatally acquired HIV (pHIV) and children exposed to HIV in utero but uninfected (HEU). Methods We sought to determine the prevalence of adverse behavioral symptomatology using a Thai-translated and validated version of the SNAP-IV questionnaire and assess cognitive function utilizing the Children's Color Trails Test, Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System, and the Wechsler Intelligence Scales, in our cohort of Thai adolescents (10–20 years old) with well-controlled pHIV compared to HEU and HIV-unexposed, uninfected youth. We then evaluated the interaction between HIV status, behavioral impairment, and executive function outcomes independent of demographic variables. Results After controlling for demographic factors of age and household income, adolescents with pHIV had higher inattentive symptomatology and poorer neuropsychological test scores compared to uninfected controls. Significant interactions were found between inattention and executive function across multiple neurocognitive tests. Conclusions Behavioral impairment and poor executive functioning are present in adolescents with well-controlled pHIV compared to HIV-uninfected matched peers. The SNAP-IV questionnaire may be a useful tool to identify those with attentional impairment who may benefit from further cognitive testing in resource-limited settings.

Empowerment is the Basis for Improving Education and Employment Outcomes for Aboriginal People in Remote Australia

2018 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 153-161
Author(s):  
Byron Wilson ◽  
Tammy Abbott ◽  
Stephen J. Quinn ◽  
John Guenther ◽  
Eva McRae-Williams ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation ◽  
Aboriginal People ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Remote Communities ◽  
Aboriginal Communities ◽  
Aboriginal Community ◽  
Equation Modelling ◽  
Shared Space ◽  
English Literacy ◽  
Education And Employment

In Australia, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people score poorly on national mainstream indicators of wellbeing, with the lowest outcomes recorded in remote communities. As part of a ‘shared space’ collaboration between remote Aboriginal communities, government and scientists, the holistic Interplay Wellbeing Framework and accompanying survey were designed bringing together Aboriginal priorities of culture, empowerment and community with government priorities of education, employment and health. Quantitative survey data were collected from a cohort of 841 Aboriginal people aged 15–34 years, from four different Aboriginal communities. Aboriginal community researchers designed and administered the survey. Structural equation modelling was used to identify the strongest interrelating pathways within the framework. Optimal pathways from education to employment were explored with the concept of empowerment playing a key role. Here, education was defined by self-reported English literacy and numeracy and empowerment was defined as identity, self-efficacy and resilience. Empowerment had a strong positive impact on education (β = 0.38, p < .001) and strong correlation with employment (β = 0.19, p < .001). Education has a strong direct effect on employment (β = 0.40, p < .001). This suggests that education and employment strategies that foster and build on a sense of empowerment are mostly likely to succeed, providing guidance for policy and programs.

scholarly journals The impact of cognitive performance on quality of life in individuals with Parkinson's disease

2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 303-309 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maira Rozenfeld Olchik ◽  
Annelise Ayres ◽  
Marcieli Ghisi ◽  
Artur Francisco Schumacher Schuh ◽  
Carlos Roberto Mello Rieder
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Poor Performance ◽  
Cognitive Testing ◽  
Cognitive Tests ◽  
Patient Consent ◽  
The Impact

ABSTRACT Background: Evidence points to the occurrence of cognitive impairment in all stages of PD, constituting a frequent and debilitating symptom, due to high impact on quality of life and mortality of patients. Objective: To correlate cognitive performance with quality of life in PD. Methods: The sample was drawn from a Movement Disorders Clinic of a reference hospital in Porto Alegre. Inclusion criteria were: PD diagnosis, according to the United Kingdom Parkinson's Disease Society Brain Bank criteria for idiopathic PD (Hughes et al. 1992) and patient consent to participate. Patients with other neurological pathologies and those submitted to deep brain stimulation were excluded. The evaluation consisted of a cognitive testing battery (composed of eight tests for assessing cognitive performance), and a questionnaire on quality of life (PDQ-39) and depression (BDI). Results: The sample comprised 85 individuals with PD, with a mean age of 62.9 years (±10.7), mean disease duration of 10.4 years (±5.7), and mean educational level of four years (±4.3). There was a significant relationship between total score on the PDQ and all cognitive tests, showing that poor cognitive performance was correlated with poor quality of life. Moreover, a significant correlation was observed between cognitive tests and depression, H&Y, education level, and age. Conclusion: It may be concluded that the individuals with PD in this sample showed a correlation between poorer quality of life and worse cognitive performance. Poor performance was also correlated with more advanced stage, older age, low level of education and depression.

the Seed is the Law

2005 ◽  
Vol 34 ◽  
pp. 53-60
Author(s):  
Eileen M. Antone
Keyword(s):  
North America ◽  
Aboriginal People ◽  
Royal Commission ◽  
Aboriginal Communities ◽  
The People ◽  
The Law ◽  
Seeds Of Peace ◽  
Policies And Programs ◽  
The Many ◽  
Ways Of Life

AbstractSince humanities arise from a specific place and from the people of that place, this article will focus on Peacemaker’s revolutionary teachings about the seed of law. Long before the people from across the ocean arrived here on Turtle Island (North America) there was much warfare happening. According to John Mohawk (2001, para. 1), an Iroquoian social historian, “[t]he people had been at war for so long that some were born knowing they had enemies [but] not knowing why they had enemies”. Peacemaker planted the seeds of peace which resulted in the Kayenla’kowa, the Great Law of Peace (n. d.), which is the basis of the Hotinosh^ni Confederacy. With the burial of the weapons of war under the Great Tree of Peace the Hotinosh^ni were able to develop their rituals and ceremonies to reflect their relationship with creation. This peaceful confederacy was disrupted shortly after the Europeans arrived with their violent imperialistic ways of life. The 1996 Royal Commission on Aboriginal People (RCAP) documented the situation of Aboriginal communities, which was the result of oppressive policies and programs of colonialism. The RCAP also captured the many different voices of the Aboriginal people in their struggle to revitalise their traditional teachings that will make them strong again.

scholarly journals B-38 Gamified Mobile Cognitive Tests: Preliminary Feasibility and Acceptability in Persons with Bipolar Disorder

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (6) ◽  
pp. 984-984
Author(s):  
T Filip ◽  
S Kamarsu ◽  
D Lomas ◽  
L Eyler ◽  
C Depp ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bipolar Disorder ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Cognitive Testing ◽  
Cognitive Tests ◽  
Cognitive Changes ◽  
Average Completion Time ◽  
Temporal Relationships ◽  
Assessment Period ◽  
Changes Over Time

Abstract Objective Current measurements of cognitive functioning are time-consuming and costly, often done as point-in-time assessments. We examined the feasibility and acceptability of six newly developed smartphone-based mobile cognitive tests (MCTs), completed in the real-world, among persons with bipolar disorder (BD) and healthy controls (HC). Methods Thirteen community-dwelling participants (seven BD and six HC), aged 18-65, completed in-person neurobehavioral assessments at baseline and our MCTs three times daily for the following 14 days. The MCTs measure cognition in the following domains: reaction time, executive functions, attention, processing speed, working memory, and learning and memory. Our protocol delivered 1-2 MCTs per session, and each test was only administered once daily. Timing of the MCTs was adjusted according to individual sleep/wake schedules. Results MCT adherence was, on average, high (82.38%). The two groups did not differ in terms of adherence (p = 0.45, 95% CI = -29.51, 13.96) or average completion time (5.21 mins, SD = 1.54 min per each assessment period; t(11) = 1.12, p = .29, 95% CI = -0.91, 2.81). There was no relationship between age and adherence (r = .296, p = .326). Acceptability was measured at follow-up via a Likert-scale rating from 0 = not at all to 4 = very much; mean likeability was high (M = 3.0, SD = 1.28). Most participants noted a high willingness to complete additional MCT testing in the future. Conclusion Our preliminary findings indicate mobile cognitive testing is feasible and accepted among bipolar disorder and comparison participants. The implications of using smartphone-based MCTs are far reaching, including increased visibility of cognitive changes over time as well as examining real-time temporal relationships between cognition and other lifestyle and environmental factors.

The Koori Growing Old Well Study: investigating aging and dementia in urban Aboriginal Australians

2014 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 1033-1043 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kylie Radford ◽  
Holly A. Mack ◽  
Hamish Robertson ◽  
Brian Draper ◽  
Simon Chalkley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Rural Communities ◽  
Successful Aging ◽  
Aboriginal People ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Prevalence Rates ◽  
Aboriginal Communities ◽  
Aboriginal Australians ◽  
South Wales

ABSTRACTBackground:Dementia is an emerging health priority in Australian Aboriginal communities, but substantial gaps remain in our understanding of this issue, particularly for the large urban section of the population. In remote Aboriginal communities, high prevalence rates of dementia at relatively young ages have been reported. The current study is investigating aging, cognitive decline, and dementia in older urban/regional Aboriginal Australians.Methods:We partnered with five Aboriginal communities across the eastern Australian state of New South Wales, to undertake a census of all Aboriginal men and women aged 60 years and over residing in these communities. This was followed by a survey of the health, well-being, and life history of all consenting participants. Participants were also screened using three cognitive instruments. Those scoring below designated cut-offs, and a 20% random sample of those scoring above (i.e. “normal” range), completed a contact person interview (with a nominated family member) and medical assessment (blind to initial screening results), which formed the basis of “gold standard” clinical consensus determinations of cognitive impairment and dementia.Conclusion:This paper details our protocol for a population-based study in collaboration with local Aboriginal community organizations. The study will provide the first available prevalence rates for dementia and cognitive impairment in a representative sample of urban Aboriginal people, across city and rural communities, where the majority of Aboriginal Australians live. It will also contribute to improved assessment of dementia and cognitive impairment and to the understanding of social determinants of successful aging, of international significance.

19. INFECTIOUS SYPHILIS ELIMINATION FOR ABORIGINAL PEOPLE IN NSW: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

Sexual Health ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 292
Author(s):  
P. Spokes ◽  
M. Bartlett ◽  
K. Stewart
Keyword(s):  
Burden Of Disease ◽  
Aboriginal People ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Strategy Development ◽  
Accurate Information ◽  
Aboriginal Communities ◽  
Disease Information ◽  
Sexually Transmissible Infections ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Definition Of

Elimination of syphilis within Aboriginal communities is one of the stated goals of the NSW Sexually Transmissible Infections Strategy 2006-2009. In 2007, a project was undertaken to inform strategy development to achieve the goal of elimination of infectious syphilis in Aboriginal communities. Australian and international literature on elimination strategies for syphilis, STIs and other diseases was reviewed. Surveillance data were accessed through the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System and NSW Notifiable Disease Database and analysed to describe the current burden of disease. Key informants were consulted for advice on elimination strategies for infectious syphilis for Aboriginal people and possible barriers to the goal. Infectious syphilis notifications for Aboriginal people have decreased significantly from 64% of all infectious syphilis cases in 1995 to 3% in 2006. For the rest of the population notifications have increased. Changes in male to female ratios and an increase in metropolitan notifications have been noted in recent years. Improvements in recording of Aboriginality information for infectious syphilis in NSW have allowed greater confidence in interpreting these trends. The role of accurate and complete surveillance information will play an important role in planning and directing the implementation of interventions to achieve the goal of syphilis elimination for Aboriginal people in NSW. Challenges to the goal of elimination and the feasibility of a disease elimination strategy specific for Aboriginal people include issues of access to services for testing, diagnosis and treatment; cross-border mobility of Aboriginal people; prevalence of syphilis in the wider community; and continued access to accurate information. Lessons learned from international and Australian elimination strategies; burden of disease information; definition of elimination and target rates; challenges and strategies for achieving the goal of syphilis elimination and will be discussed.

scholarly journals Western Australia’s Remote Indigenous Communities: A Case Against Closures and a Call For New Governance

AJIL Unbound ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 109 ◽  
pp. 209-214 ◽  
Author(s):  
Asta Hill
Keyword(s):  
Western Australia ◽  
Aboriginal People ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
Indigenous Australians ◽  
New Governance ◽  
Remote Communities ◽  
Aboriginal Communities ◽  
The Government

In the late 1970s thousands of Indigenous Australians initiated a movement back to the ancestral lands they had been removed from during the assimilationist era. Less than 50 years since their return to country, Aboriginal people living in Western Australia’s (WA) remote communities are again grappling with their impending redispossession. Wa Premier Colin Barnett’s announcement late last year was panic inducing: It is a problem that I do not want and the government does not want, but it is a reality. There are something like 274 Aboriginal communities in Western Australia—I think 150 or so of those are in the Kimberley itself—and they are not viable. They are not viable and they are not sustainable . . . I am foreshadowing that a number of communities are inevitably going to close.

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