The theme of this paper is embracing traditional knowledge in innovative educational change to move back to the future while stepping into action. A pertinent theme given many Indigenous health professionals have been leading action in our nation for many years in providing holistic healing opportunities for Indigenous communities. However, there is still much to do with many Indigenous communities continuing to struggle with the trauma outcomes of colonisation that are manifested in poor education...read more
The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the use of illicit drugs among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia. It provides general information on the context of illicit drug use in Australia and the factors of particular relevance to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, including the historical context, social context, and other social factors. This review provides detailed information on the extent of illicit drug use among Aboriginal...read more
As many as one in ten Indigenous deaths could be caused by suicide, a suicide prevention researcher has warned. Gerry Georgatos says the official statistics are masking the true extent of the crisis, and he's sounding the alarm on the rate of suicide amongst young Indigenous Australians. 'Too many are dying too young,' says Georgatos. The researcher says the Indigenous youth suicide crisis is so 'catastrophic', he's set up an online petition calling on the...read more
SEARCH, the Study of Environment on Aboriginal Resilience and Child Health, is Australia’s largest long-term study of the health and wellbeing of urban Aboriginal Children. An estimated 60% of the health gap between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people in Australia is attributable to the health of people living in non-remote, urban areas. While 57% of the Aboriginal population live in urban areas, recent data suggests only 10% of Aboriginal health research focuses on the needs of...read more
SNAICC and many of its members have been watching with concern as, around the country, a range of processes are undertaken to progress longer-term care arrangements for children. They vary in detail but have been broadly described as permanency planning measures. Some of these proposals have already taken the form of legislative changes (NSW, Vic. and NT), whilst in other jurisdictions they are still being considered (WA and Qld). The promotion of permanency planning has...read more
Objective: To describe a community developed Aboriginal model for early identification and referral of people with psychological distress and suicidal ideation. Method: A description of an Aboriginal mental health service model is presented, as established at the Njernda Aboriginal Corporation, Echuca, Victoria. Results: The model is presented under five headings: Setting; Recruitment and appointment of Voluntary Trained Support Persons; Identifying persons at risk; Follow-up and referral by Voluntary Trained Support Persons; Expansion and Sustainability. Conclusions:...read more
Objective: It has been acknowledged that the mental health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people has been “bedeviled” by the inappropriate application of non-Indigenous models of mental health. To enhance Indigenous health and well-being it is necessary for non-Indigenous practitioners to find a culturally safe way to enter the negotiated space of cross-cultural mental health. This will be facilitated through understanding both the points of similarity and divergence in perspectives of mental health across...read more
Worry Boss has been made with the Royal Flying Doctor Service together with communities in Central Australia. ‘Worry Boss’ is a story about anxiety. The story focuses on what makes people worry, how that makes them feel and what they can do about it.read more
Background: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health is generally the worst of any population group in Australia. Inaccessibility to health services is one possible cause of this. Shared medical appointments (SMAs) appear to be a culturally competent and appropriate way of improving access to, and the quality of, primary healthcare services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Objective: The objective of this article is to assess the acceptability and appropriateness of SMAs as an...read more
This book investigates the complex reasons for the discrepancy between the health and well-being of children in mainstream Australia and children in remote Indigenous communities. The high rate and causes of ill-health among Aboriginal children are explored through a unique blend of historical, anthropological, biological and medical analyses. Aboriginal children, history and health also includes the insights of specialists from a range of disciplines to provide an innovative framework for considering Indigenous health.read more
