scholarly journals Tobacco Related Attitudes and Behaviours in Relation to Exposure to the Tackling Indigenous Smoking Program: Evidence from the Mayi Kuwayu Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (20) ◽  
pp. 10962
Author(s):  
Rubijayne Cohen ◽  
Raglan Maddox ◽  
Mikala Sedgwick ◽  
Katherine A. Thurber ◽  
Makayla-May Brinckley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Torres Strait Islander ◽  
Health Program ◽  
Second Hand Smoke ◽  
Quit Smoking ◽  
Analysis Of Change ◽  
Torres Strait ◽  
Multi Mode ◽  
Smoking Attitudes ◽  
Over Time

Smoking is the leading contributor to the burden of disease and mortality for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, with an estimated 37% of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander deaths attributed to smoking. The Tackling Indigenous Smoking (TIS) program was implemented to support people to quit smoking, prevent initiation, and reduce exposure to second-hand smoke. Analysis of baseline (2018–2020) data from a large-scale cohort study was conducted to quantify smoking-related attitudes and behaviours among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults, overall and in relation to exposure to the TIS program. Most results were similar for TIS and non-TIS, but there was a significantly lower prevalence of smoking inside households (PR0.95; 95% CI: 0.74, 0.97), smoking ≥21 cigarettes per day (PR0.79; 95% CI: 0.62, <1.00), and smoking a first cigarette within 5 min of waking (PR0.87; 95% CI: 0.76, <1.00) in TIS-funded compared to non-TIS-funded areas. Findings from the analysis highlight encouraging anti-smoking attitudes and behaviours across TIS-funded and non-TIS-funded areas, and serve as a basis for future analysis of change in outcomes over time associated with exposure to a large multi-mode population health program (TIS).

scholarly journals Prevalence of Everyday Discrimination and Relation with Wellbeing among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Adults in Australia

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (12) ◽  
pp. 6577
Author(s):  
Katherine Thurber ◽  
Emily Colonna ◽  
Roxanne Jones ◽  
Gilbert Gee ◽  
Naomi Priest ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Torres Strait Islander ◽  
National Sample ◽  
Indigenous Populations ◽  
Emotional Wellbeing ◽  
Social And Emotional ◽  
High Prevalence ◽  
High Discrimination ◽  
Torres Strait ◽  
Everyday Discrimination

Discrimination is a fundamental determinant of health and health inequities. However, despite the high prevalence of discrimination exposure, there is limited evidence specific to Indigenous populations on the link between discrimination and health. This study employs a validated measure to quantify experiences of everyday discrimination in a national sample of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (Australia’s Indigenous peoples) adults surveyed from 2018 to 2020 (≥16 years, n = 8108). It quantifies Prevalence Ratios (PRs) and 95% Confidence Intervals (CIs) for wellbeing outcomes by level of discrimination exposure, and tests if associations vary by attribution of discrimination to Indigeneity. Of the participants, 41.5% reported no discrimination, 47.5% low, and 11.0% moderate-high. Discrimination was more commonly reported by younger versus older participants, females versus males, and those living in remote versus urban or regional areas. Discrimination was significantly associated in a dose-response manner, with measures of social and emotional wellbeing, culture and identity, health behaviour, and health outcomes. The strength of the association varied across outcomes, from a 10–20% increased prevalence for some outcomes (e.g., disconnection from culture (PR = 1.08; 95% CI: 1.03, 1.14), and high blood pressure (1.20; 1.09, 1.32)), to a five-fold prevalence of alcohol dependence (4.96; 3.64, 6.76), for those with moderate-high versus no discrimination exposure. The association was of consistent strength and direction whether attributed to Indigeneity or not—with three exceptions. Discrimination is associated with a broad range of poor wellbeing outcomes in this large-scale, national, diverse cohort of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults. These findings support the vast potential to improve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ wellbeing, and to reduce Indigenous-non-Indigenous inequities, by reducing exposure to discrimination.

scholarly journals Educative Power and the Respectful Curricular Inclusion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Music

2021 ◽  
pp. 71-86
Author(s):  
Michael Webb ◽  
Clint Bracknell
Keyword(s):  
Torres Strait Islander ◽  
Music Teachers ◽  
Music Educators ◽  
Nation State ◽  
Indigenous Cultures ◽  
Indigenous Music ◽  
Torres Strait ◽  
Musical Renaissance ◽  
Over Time ◽  
The Way

AbstractThis chapter argues for the full, respectful curricular inclusion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander music in order to promote a more balanced and equitable social and cultural vision of the nation-state in Australian schools. It challenges views that claim Indigenous cultures have been irretrievably lost or are doomed to extinction, as well as the fixation on musical authenticity. We propose that the gradual broadening of Indigenous musical expressions over time and the musical renaissance of the new millennium have created an unprecedented opportunity for current music educators to experience the educative power of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander music. This means that culturally nonexposed music teachers can employ familiar musical-technical approaches to the music even as they begin to more fully investigate the music’s cultural-contextual meanings. The chapter considers issues that impinge on the music’s educative power, especially those relating to its definition, its intended audiences, and pedagogies. It aims to help clear the way for the classroom to become an environment in which students can sense the depth and vitality of contemporary Australian Indigenous music.

scholarly journals What Matters 2 Adults (WM2Adults): Understanding the Foundations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Wellbeing

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (12) ◽  
pp. 6193
Author(s):  
Gail Garvey ◽  
Kate Anderson ◽  
Alana Gall ◽  
Tamara L. Butler ◽  
Joan Cunningham ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Torres Strait Islander ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Holistic Health ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Torres Strait Islander People ◽  
Torres Strait ◽  
And Control ◽  
Health Purpose

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people experience a greater range of health and social disadvantages compared to other Australians. Wellbeing is a culturally-bound construct, and to date, a national evidence base around the components of wellbeing for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is lacking. Understanding and measurement of wellbeing for this population is critical in achieving health equity. This paper aims to identify and describe the foundations of wellbeing for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults. This national qualitative study was underpinned by an Indigenist research approach which privileges the voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults were purposively recruited from around Australia between September 2017 and September 2018 to participate in Yarning Circles, led by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander researchers. Yarning Circles were audio recorded, transcribed and analyzed. A Collaborative Yarning Methodology was used, which incorporated reflexive thematic analysis to identify and describe the foundations of wellbeing reported by participants. A total of 359 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults participated. Our analysis revealed five foundations of wellbeing: belonging and connection; holistic health; purpose and control; dignity and respect; and basic needs. These foundations were deeply interwoven by three interconnected aspects of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander life: family, community and culture. The findings of this study will substantially aid our efforts to develop a new wellbeing measure for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults. The iterative Indigenist methods used in this study provide a robust research methodology for conducting large-scale, nationally-relevant qualitative research with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Policies and practices that are informed by our results have the potential to address outcomes that are meaningful for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

scholarly journals Are young female suicides increasing? A comparison of sex-specific rates and characteristics of youth suicides in Australia over 2004–2014

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nina Stefanac ◽  
Sarah Hetrick ◽  
Carol Hulbert ◽  
Matthew J. Spittal ◽  
Katrina Witt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Time Trends ◽  
Torres Strait Islander ◽  
Young Female ◽  
Youth Suicide ◽  
Suicide Methods ◽  
Young Males ◽  
Young Females ◽  
Suicide Rates ◽  
Torres Strait ◽  
Over Time

Abstract Background Australian mortality statistics suggest that young female suicides have increased since 2004 in comparison to young males, a pattern documented across other Western high-income countries. This may indicate a need for more targeted and multifaceted youth suicide prevention efforts. However, sex-based time trends are yet to be tested empirically within a comprehensive Australian sample. The aim of this study was to examine changes over time in sex-based rates and characteristics of all suicides among young people in Australia (2004–2014). Methods National Coronial Information System and Australian Bureau of Statistics data provided annual suicide counts and rates for 10–24-year-olds in Australia (2004–2014), stratified by sex, age group, Indigenous status and methods. Negative binomial regressions estimated time trends in population-stratified rates, and multinomial logistic regressions estimated time trends by major suicide methods (i.e., hanging, drug poisoning). Results Between 2004 and 2014, 3709 young Australians aged 10–24 years died by suicide. Whilst, overall, youth suicide rates did not increase significantly in Australia between 2004 and 2014, there was a significant increase in suicide rates for females (incident rate ratio [IRR] 1.03, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01 to 1.06), but not males. Rates were consistently higher among Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander youth, males, and in older (20–24-years) as compared to younger (15–19 years) age groups. Overall, the odds of using hanging as a method of suicide increased over time among both males and females, whilst the odds of using drug-poisoning did not change over this period. Conclusions We showed that suicide rates among young females, but not young males, increased over the study period. Patterns were observed in the use of major suicide methods with hanging the most frequently used method among both sexes and more likely among younger and Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander groups. Findings highlight the need to broaden current conceptualizations of youth suicide to one increasingly involving young females, and strengthen the case for a multifaceted prevention approach that capitalize on young females’ greater help-seeking propensity.

scholarly journals Investigating inequities in cardiovascular care and outcomes for Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people: protocol for a hospital-based retrospective cohort data linkage project

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. e043304
Author(s):  
Therese Kearns ◽  
Abbey Diaz ◽  
Lisa J Whop ◽  
Suzanne P Moore ◽  
John R Condon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heart Disease ◽  
Retrospective Cohort ◽  
Torres Strait Islander ◽  
Data Linkage ◽  
Care Pathways ◽  
Torres Strait Islander People ◽  
Change Over Time ◽  
Ethical Approval ◽  
Torres Strait ◽  
Over Time

IntroductionCardiovascular disease (CVD) represents a significant burden of disease for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, a population that continues to experience a lower life expectancy than other Australians. The aim of the Better Cardiac Care Data Linkage project is to describe patient care pathways and to identify disparities in care and health outcomes between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and other Queensland residents diagnosed with CVD in the state of Queensland.MethodsThis is a population-based retrospective cohort study using linked regional, state and national health and administrative data collections to describe disparities in CVD healthcare in primary and secondary prevention settings and during hospitalisation. The CVD cohort will be identified from the Queensland Hospital Admitted Patient Data Collection for admissions that occurred between 1 July 2010 and 31 June 2016 and will include relevant International Classification of Disease codes for ischaemic heart disease, congestive heart failure, stroke, acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease. Person-level data will be linked by Data Linkage Queensland and the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) in accordance with ethical and public health approvals to describe the patient journey prior to, during and post the hospital admission.AnalysisThis project will focus largely on descriptive epidemiological measures and multivariate analysis of clinical care standards and outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people compared with other Queenslanders, including identification of risk factors for suboptimal care and change over time. Variation in care pathways and patient outcomes will be compared by Indigenous status, sex, age group, remoteness of residence, year of index hospitalisation and socioeconomic status. Cox models for time-to-event data and mixed models or generalised estimating equations for longitudinal data will be used to measure change over time where temporal effects exist.Ethics and disseminationEthical approval has been granted by Human Research Ethics Committees of the Prince Charles Hospital (HREC/15/QPCH/289) and the AIHW (EO2016-1-233). The Northern Territory Department of Health and Menzies School of Health Research have also provided reciprocal ethical approval of the project (HREC 2019–3490). The deidentified results will be summarised in a report and shared with investigators, advisory groups, Queensland Health and key stakeholders. Findings will be disseminated through workshops, conferences and will be published in peer-reviewed journals.

scholarly journals Analysing aggregate clinical data to support evaluation of the Tackling Indigenous Smoking program, 2014–16

2019 ◽  
Vol 43 (4) ◽  
pp. 441
Author(s):  
Alyson Wright ◽  
Helen Cameron ◽  
Yvette Roe ◽  
Ray Lovett
Keyword(s):  
Torres Strait Islander ◽  
Negative Binomial ◽  
Smoking Status ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Negative Binomial Regression ◽  
Reporting Rate ◽  
Client Population ◽  
Torres Strait ◽  
Changes Over Time ◽  
Over Time

Objective The aim of this study was to assess the change in recording of client population smoking attributes (smoking status recorded and smoking status) in Tackling Indigenous Smoking (TIS)-funded services compared with non-funded services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, 2014–16. Methods The study included a cohort of 152 Aboriginal-community controlled services with aggregate client smoking data from 2014 to 2016. Negative binomial regression was used to assess change in smoking status recorded and smoking status between TIS and non-TIS funded organisations. The models controlled for size of client population, jurisdiction and remoteness. Results From 2014 to 2016, the overall reporting rate (change in recording of smoking status) of client smoking status was 1.58-fold higher (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.30–1.91; P&lt;0.001) in TIS-funded than non-TIS-funded services after controlling for year, remoteness and their interaction. The highest change in reporting of client smoking status was for TIS-funded services in remote areas (reporting ratio 6.55; 95% CI 5.18–8.27; P&lt;0.001). In 2016, TIS-funded services reported higher overall levels of recording client smoking status (current, ex- and non-smokers) than non-TIS funded services (RR 1.11; 95% CI 1.00–1.28; P&lt;0.001). There was no significant change in the reporting of smokers, ex-smokers or non-smokers over the three reporting periods. Conclusion The analysis shows higher reporting of the proportion of the service client population for services funded under the TIS program compared with non-TIS-funded services. Existing evidence suggests that following-up smokers with targeted clinical interventions once they have had smoking status recorded could reduce smoking rates in the long term. The public health contribution of this study has defined one method for assessing smoking attributes when using aggregate health service data. This method could be applied to future tobacco control programs in health services. What is known about the topic? Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander smoking prevalence is high. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander primary healthcare providers’ national key performance indicators (nKPIs) are one data source that can track changes over time in smoking in clients of these services. What does this paper add? This paper presents the first analytical study and evaluation of the nKPI dataset items on smoking. What are the implications for practitioners? There is value in analysing routinely collected data in program evaluations. The method used in this paper demonstrates one approach that could be used to assess smoking indicators and their changes over time in TIS program evaluation.

scholarly journals Supports Used by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women for Their Health, including Smoking Cessation, and a Baby’s Health: A Cross-Sectional Survey in New South Wales, Australia

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (21) ◽  
pp. 7766
Author(s):  
Gillian S. Gould ◽  
Carl Holder ◽  
Christopher Oldmeadow ◽  
Maree Gruppetta
Keyword(s):  
Smoking Cessation ◽  
Torres Strait Islander ◽  
Smoking Status ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Access To Health Services ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Quit Smoking ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Torres Strait

This study explored Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women’s use of supports for their general health, for smoking cessation, and the health of babies or children, and analyzed the women’s predictors for seeking types of support. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women were recruited for a cross-sectional survey in two regions of NSW N = 132. The 19-item survey questioned the likelihood that the participant would use the various supports for their health, to quit smoking, and for a baby or child’s health. Logistic regression analyses were performed on N = 98 with complete data. Older participants were less likely to use Facebook or the internet for their health, or the health of a child, but were more likely to consult with health professionals. Women who had quit smoking were less likely to use an app for their health compared to smokers. Women who had a child living in their household were less likely to use the internet for a child’s health. This community-based study revealed age-related differences for access to health services and differences according to smoking status. Patterns of internet and app use warrant further consideration when planning strategies to improve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and children’s health.

Syphilis testing performance in Aboriginal primary health care: exploring impact of continuous quality improvement over time

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 178
Author(s):  
Armita Adily ◽  
Seham Girgis ◽  
Catherine D'Este ◽  
Veronica Matthews ◽  
Jeanette E. Ward
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Quality Improvement ◽  
Continuous Quality Improvement ◽  
Torres Strait Islander ◽  
Torres Strait Islander People ◽  
Continuous Quality ◽  
Syphilis Testing ◽  
Testing Performance ◽  
Torres Strait ◽  
Over Time

Data from 110 primary healthcare clinics participating in two or more continuous quality improvement (CQI) cycles in preventive care, which included syphilis testing performance (STP) for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged between 15 and 54 years, were used to examine whether the number of audit cycles including syphilis testing was associated over time with STP improvement at clinic level in this specific measure of public health importance. The number of cycles per clinic ranged from two to nine (mode 3). As shown by medical record audit at entry to CQI, only 42 (38%) clinics had tested or approached 50% or more of their eligible clients for syphilis in the prior 24 months. Using mixed effects logistic regression, it was found that the odds of a clinic’s STP relative to its first cycle increased only modestly. Counterintuitively, clinics undertaking the most preventive health CQI cycles tended to have the lowest STP throughout. Participation in a general preventive care CQI tool was insufficient to achieve and sustain high rates of STP for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people required for public health benefit. Improving STP requires dedicated effort and greater understanding of barriers to effective CQI within and beyond clinic control.

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