Health outcomes for Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children born preterm, low birthweight or small for gestational age: A nationwide cohort study

IntroductionEmpirical evidence on family and community risk and protective factors influencing the comparatively high rates of potentially preventable hospitalisations and deaths among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander infants and children is limited. As is evidence on geographical variation in these risks. The ‘Defying the Odds’ study aims to explore the impact of perinatal outcomes, maternal social and health outcomes and level of culturally secure service availability on the health outcomes of Western Australian (WA) Aboriginal infants and children aged 0–5 years.Methods and analysisThe study combines a retrospective cohort study that uses state-wide linked health and administrative data from 12 data sources for multiple generations within Aboriginal families in WA, with specifically collected survey data from health and social services supporting Aboriginal families in regions of WA. Data sources include perinatal/birth registration, hospital, emergency department, mental health services, drug and alcohol service use, mortality, infectious disease notifications, and child protection and family services. Multilevel regression models will be used to examine the intensity of admissions and presentations, mortality, intensity of long stays and morbidity-free survival (no admissions) for Aboriginal children born in WA in 2000–2013. Relationships between maternal (and grand-maternal) health and social factors and child health outcomes will be quantified. Community-level variation in outcomes for Aboriginal children and factors contributing to this variation will be examined, including the availability of culturally secure services. Online surveys were sent to staff members at relevant services to explore the scope, reach and cultural security of services available to support Aboriginal families across selected regions of WA.Ethics and disseminationEthics approvals have been granted for the study. Interpretation and dissemination are guided by the study team’s Aboriginal leadership and reference groups. Dissemination will be through direct feedback and reports to health services in the study and via scientific publications and policy recommendations.

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Effects of Community Singing Program on Mental Health Outcomes of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People: A Meditative Approach

American Journal of Health Promotion ◽

10.4278/ajhp.141010-arb-510 ◽

2015 ◽

pp. 150514081709002

Author(s):

Jing Sun ◽

Nicholas Buys

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Torres Strait Islander ◽

Mental Health Outcomes ◽

Torres Strait Islander People ◽

Australian Aboriginal ◽

Torres Strait ◽

Community Singing

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Effect of nutrition interventions on diet-related and health outcomes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians: a systematic review

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2018-025291 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (4) ◽

pp. e025291 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Josephine Gwynn ◽

Kyra Sim ◽

Tania Searle ◽

Alistair Senior ◽

Amanda Lee ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Community Engagement ◽

Urban Communities ◽

Torres Strait Islander ◽

Nutrition Interventions ◽

Torres Strait Islander People ◽

Remote Communities ◽

Australian Aboriginal ◽

Torres Strait

ObjectiveTo review the literature on nutrition interventions and identify which work to improve diet-related and health outcomes in Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.Study designSystematic review of peer-reviewed literature.Data sourcesMEDLINE, PubMed, Embase, Science Direct, CINAHL, Informit, PsychInfo and Cochrane Library, Australian Indigenous Health InfoNet.Study selectionPeer-reviewed article describing an original study; published in English prior to December 2017; inclusion of one or more of the following outcome measures: nutritional status, food/dietary/nutrient intake, diet-related biomedical markers, anthropometric or health measures; and conducted with Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.Data extraction and synthesisTwo independent reviewers extracted data and applied the Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies from the Effective Public Health Practice Project. A purpose designed tool assessed community engagement in research, and a framework was applied to interventions to report a score based on numbers of settings and strategies. Heterogeneity of studies precluded a meta-analysis. The effect size of health outcome results were estimated and presented as forest plots.ResultsThirty-five articles (26 studies) met inclusion criteria; two rated moderate in quality; 12 described cohort designs; 18 described interventions in remote/very remote communities; none focused solely on urban communities; and 11 reported moderate or strong community engagement. Six intervention types were identified. Statistically significant improvements were reported in 14 studies of which eight reported improvements in biochemical/haematological markers and either anthropometric and/or diet-related outcomes.ConclusionsStore-based intervention with community health promotion in very remote communities, fiscal strategies and nutrition education and promotion programmes show promise. Future dietary intervention studies must be rigorously evaluated, provide intervention implementation details explore scale up of programmes, include urban communities and consider a multisetting and strategy approach. Strong Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community engagement is essential for effective nutrition intervention research and evaluation.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42015029551.

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