Journal articles: 'Aboriginal Australians Mental health'

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Laugharne, Jonathan. "Poverty and mental health in Aboriginal Australia." Psychiatric Bulletin 23, no. 6 (June 1999): 364–66. http://dx.doi.org/10.1192/pb.23.6.364.

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When the Australian Governor General, Sir William Deane, referred in a speech in 1996 to the “appalling problems relating to Aboriginal health” he was not exaggerating. The Australia Bureau of Statistics report on The Health and Welfare of Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples (McLennan & Madden, 1997) outlines the following statistics. The life expectancy for Aboriginal Australians is 15 to 20 years lower than for non-Aboriginal Australians, and is lower than for most countries of the world with the exception of central Africa and India. Aboriginal babies are two to three times more likely to be of lower birth weight and two to four times more likely to die at birth than non-Aboriginal babies. Hospitalisation rates are two to three times higher for Aboriginal than non-Aboriginal Australians. Death rates from infectious diseases are 15 times higher among Aboriginal Australians than non-Aboriginal Australians. Rates for heart disease, diabetes, injury and respiratory diseases are also all higher among Aboriginals – and so the list goes on. It is fair to say that Aboriginal people have higher rates for almost every type of illness for which statistics are currently recorded.

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Rock, Daniel Joseph, and Joachim Franz Hallmayer. "The Seasonal Risk for Deliberate Self-Harm." Crisis 29, no. 4 (July 2008): 191–201. http://dx.doi.org/10.1027/0227-5910.29.4.191.

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Groups at seasonal risk for deliberate self-harm (DSH) vary according to their geographic location. It is unknown, however, if seasonal risk factors for DSH are associated with place of birth or place of residence as these are confounded in all studies to date. In order to disaggregate place of birth from place of residence we examined general and seasonal risk factors for DSH in three different population birth groups living in Western Australia: Australian Aborigines, Australian born non-Aborigines, and UK migrants. We found Aborigines are at much higher general risk for DSH than non-Aborigines, but are not at seasonal risk, whereas non-Aboriginal Australians and UK migrants are. For UK migrants, this is only found for females. For all groups at seasonal risk this peaks during the austral (southern hemisphere) spring/summer. Furthermore, non-Aboriginal Australians and UK migrants show a consistent pattern of increased case fatality with increasing age. In contrast, case fatality does not increase with age among Australian Aborigines. Overall, despite living in the same environment, the three birth groups show different patterns of seasonal risk for DSH. In particular, the sex difference found between UK migrants and non-Aboriginal Australian birth groups suggests that predisposition toward seasonal risk for DSH is established early in life, but when present this is expressed according to local conditions.

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Emden, Carolyn, Inge Kowanko, Charlotte de Crespigny, and Helen Murray. "Better medication management for Indigenous Australians: findings from the field." Australian Journal of Primary Health 11, no. 1 (2005): 80. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/py05011.

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This paper reports findings from interviews and focus groups conducted within a multi-dimensional action research project concerning medication management among Indigenous Australians. Participants were Aboriginal people with mental health problems, carers and family members, and health and social service workers from different regions in South Australia. A meta-analysis of findings from each regional project component was conducted, and major themes conceptualised and developed into a coherent summary. The findings revealed problems of a magnitude not previously realised - mental health problems (including alcohol and drug problems) and medication management among Aboriginal people clearly are major issues requiring immediate and sustained attention if the health and welfare of the Australian Indigenous population are to be improved. Findings concerned eight major areas: social and emotional wellbeing issues; stressors on Aboriginal health services and providers; training for the Aboriginal health workforce; mainstream health services for Aboriginal people; trust and confidentiality within Aboriginal health services; English language literacy and numeracy skills of Aboriginal clients; remote living arrangements for many Aboriginal people; problems with alcohol use; and institutionalised and individual racism in the community at large.

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Raeburn, Toby, Kayla Sale, Paul Saunders, and Aunty Kerrie Doyle. "Aboriginal Australian mental health during the first 100 years of colonization, 1788–1888: a historical review of nineteenth-century documents." History of Psychiatry 33, no. 1 (December 13, 2021): 3–20. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0957154x211053208.

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Past histories charting interactions between British healthcare and Aboriginal Australians have tended to be dominated by broad histological themes such as invasion and colonization. While such descriptions have been vital to modernization and truth telling in Australian historical discourse, this paper investigates the nineteenth century through the modern cultural lens of mental health. We reviewed primary documents, including colonial diaries, church sermons, newspaper articles, medical and burial records, letters, government documents, conference speeches and anthropological journals. Findings revealed six overlapping fields which applied British ideas about mental health to Aboriginal Australians during the nineteenth century. They included military invasion, religion, law, psychological systems, lunatic asylums, and anthropology.

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Lee, Jason B. L. "Committing to reconciling our differences: development of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists' Reconciliation Action Plan." BJPsych. International 12, no. 3 (August 2015): 59–61. http://dx.doi.org/10.1192/s205647400000043x.

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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians continue to experience disproportionately poor physical and mental health, and inequity of opportunity. Australia's Reconciliation Action Plan programme provides a framework and support for organisations to demonstrate leadership through public commitment to actions. The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists developed its own Reconciliation Action Plan through a consultative process, and hopes to lead and promote reconciliation as a peak medical body.

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Gentile, Victoria, Adrian Carter, and Laura Jobson. "Examining the Associations Between Experiences of Perceived Racism and Drug and Alcohol Use in Aboriginal Australians." Journal of the Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet 3, no. 1 (2022): 1–18. http://dx.doi.org/10.14221/aihjournal.v3n1.3.

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Objective This study aimed to explore the relationships between experiences of perceived racism, mental health and drug and alcohol use among Aboriginal Australians. Method Sixty-two Aboriginal Australians, ranging in age from 19-64 years (Mage = 33.71, SD = 12.47) and residing in Victoria completed an online questionnaire containing measures of perceived racism, alcohol use, substance use and mental health. Results First, 66% of the sample reported experiencing interpersonal racism, with the highest proportion of reported experiences occurring in health settings, educational/academic settings and by staff of government agencies. Second, perceived racism was significantly associated with poorer mental health and well-being. Finally, while perceived racism was not significantly associated with substance use, there was an indirect pathway from perceived racism to substance use through mental health concerns. Conclusions The current research indicates that racism is still frequently experienced by Aboriginal Australians and is directly associated with poorer mental health, and indirectly with substance use through poorer mental health. The findings demonstrate a clear need for further research in this area.

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Rege, Sanil. "State of indigenous mental health in Australia - a colonial legacy?" International Psychiatry 6, no. 4 (October 2009): 98–100. http://dx.doi.org/10.1192/s1749367600000801.

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The Aboriginal culture of Australia is one of the oldest cultures on earth, dating back 50 000 years. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) people are the indigenous inhabitants of Australia, constituting 2.4% of the population. The health status of these ‘First Australians’ has been described as a source of national shame, with the life expectancy approximately 17 years lower than that of other Australians (Eades, 2000). This gap in life expectancy is also significantly larger than that of other countries with indigenous populations and a history of colonisation, such as the USA, Canada and New Zealand (Ring & Firman, 1998). This paper offers an overview of the impact of colonisation and its subsequent influence on the social and emotional well-being of ATSI people.

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Carman, William, Marie Ishida, Justin S. Trounson, Stewart W. Mercer, Kanya Anindya, Grace Sum, Gregory Armstrong, Brian Oldenburg, Barbara McPake, and John Tayu Lee. "Epidemiology of physical–mental multimorbidity and its impact among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander in Australia: a cross-sectional analysis of a nationally representative sample." BMJ Open 12, no. 10 (October 2022): e054999. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-054999.

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ObjectivesThis study aimed to examine the differences in multimorbidity between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and non-Indigenous Australians, and the effect of multimorbidity on health service use and work productivity.SettingCross-sectional sample of the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia wave 17.ParticipantsA nationally representative sample of 16 749 respondents aged 18 years and above.Outcome measuresMultimorbidity prevalence and pattern, self-reported health, health service use and employment productivity by Indigenous status.ResultsAboriginal respondents reported a higher prevalence of multimorbidity (24.2%) compared with non-Indigenous Australians (20.7%), and the prevalence of mental–physical multimorbidity was almost twice as high (16.1% vs 8.1%). Multimorbidity pattern varies significantly among the Aboriginal and non-Indigenous Australians. Multimorbidity was associated with higher health service use (any overnight admission: adjusted OR=1.52, 95% CI=1.46 to 1.58), reduced employment productivity (days of sick leave: coefficient=0.25, 95% CI=0.19 to 0.31) and lower perceived health status (SF6D score: coefficient=−0.04, 95% CI=−0.05 to −0.04). These associations were found to be comparable in both Aboriginal and non-Indigenous populations.ConclusionsMultimorbidity prevalence was significantly greater among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders compared with the non-Indigenous population, especially mental–physical multimorbidity. Strategies are required for better prevention and management of multimorbidity for the aboriginal population to reduce health inequalities in Australia.

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Henderson, Scott, and GA Broe. "Dementia in Aboriginal Australians." Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry 44, no. 10 (October 2010): 869–71. http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/00048674.2010.514858.

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Adams, Mick, Kootsy (Justin) Canuto, Neil Drew, and Jesse John Fleay. "Postcolonial Traumatic Stresses among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians." ab-Original 3, no. 2 (September 1, 2020): 233–63. http://dx.doi.org/10.5325/aboriginal.3.2.233.

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Abstract The mental health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander males in Australia is often misunderstood, mainly because it has been poorly researched. When analyzing the quality of life of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander males, it is crucial to consider the associated factors that have directly and indirectly contributed to their poor health and wellbeing, that is, the effects of colonization, the interruption of cultural practices, displacement of societies, taking away of traditional homelands and forceful removal of children (assimilation and other policies). The displacement of families and tribal groups from their country broke up family groups and caused conflict between the original inhabitants of the lands and dislocated Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander tribal groups. These dislocated Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were forced to reside on the allocated government institutions where they would be (allegedly) protected. Whilst in the institutions they were made to comply with the authority rules and were forbidden to practice or participate in their traditional rituals or customs or speak their own tribal languages. Additionally, the dispossession from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander traditional lands and the destruction of culture and political, economic, and social structures have caused many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to have a pervading sense of hopelessness for the future. The traditional customs and life cycles of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander males were permanently affected by colonization adversely contributing to mental health problems in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. In this article we aim to provide a better understanding of the processes impacting on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander males' social and emotional wellbeing.

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Devine, Kit. "On country: Identity, place and digital place." Virtual Creativity 11, no. 1 (June 1, 2021): 111–23. http://dx.doi.org/10.1386/vcr_00045_1.

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Place is central to the identity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The Narrabeen Camp Project explores the use of immersive technologies to offer opportunities to engage with Indigenous histories, Storytelling and cultural heritage in ways that privilege place. While nothing can replace being ‘on Country’, the XR technologies of AR and VR support different modalities of engagement with real, and virtual, place. The project documents the Stories, Language and Lore associated with the Gai-mariagal clan and, in particular, with the Aboriginal Camp that existed on the north-western shore of Narrabeen Lakes from the end of the last ice age to 1959 when it was demolished to make way for the Sydney Academy of Sports and Recreation. The project will investigate evolving Aboriginal Storytelling dynamics when using immersive digital media to teach culture and to document a historically important site that existed for thousands of years prior to its demolition in the mid-twentieth century. It expects to generate new knowledge about Aboriginal Storytelling and about the history of urban Aboriginals. Expected outcomes include a schema connecting Aboriginal Storytelling with immersive digital technologies, and truth-telling that advances understanding of modern Australia and urban Aboriginal people. The research should promote better mental, social and emotional health and wellbeing for Indigenous Australians and benefit all Australians culturally, socially and economically.

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Dudgeon, Pat, and Roz Walker. "Decolonising Australian Psychology: Discourses, Strategies, and Practice." Journal of Social and Political Psychology 3, no. 1 (August 21, 2015): 276–97. http://dx.doi.org/10.5964/jspp.v3i1.126.

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Colonisation in Australia has had a devastating and lasting impact on the wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia (herein referred to as Indigenous Australians). This paper discusses the role of psychology in Australia and the negative impact that certain disciplinary theories and practices have had on Indigenous Australians. The impact has been further exacerbated by the failure of mainstream policy makers and mental health practitioners to recognise the key, distinctive cultural and social determinants that contribute to Aboriginal health and wellbeing. There is a growing response by Aboriginal psychologists, critical social theorists, and their allies to decolonise psychological theory and practice to redress this situation. This paper outlines key decolonising strategies that have been effective in interrupting those aspects of psychology that are inimical to Aboriginal wellbeing.

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Lavrencic, Louise M., Holly A. Mack, Gail Daylight, Sharon Wall, Margaret Anderson, Sue Hoskins, Emily Hindman, Gerald A. Broe, and Kylie Radford. "Staying in touch with the community: understanding self-reported health and research priorities in older Aboriginal Australians." International Psychogeriatrics 32, no. 11 (November 21, 2019): 1303–15. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1041610219001753.

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ABSTRACTObjectives:Aboriginal Australians experience higher rates of non-communicable chronic disease, injury, dementia, and mortality than non-Aboriginal Australians. Self-reported health is a holistic measure and may fit well with Aboriginal views of health and well-being. This study aimed to identify predictors of self-reported health in older Aboriginal Australians and determine acceptable research methodologies for future aging research.Design:Longitudinal, population-based study.Setting:Five communities across New South Wales, Australia (two urban and three regional sites).Participants:Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (n = 227; 60–88 years, M = 66.06, SD = 5.85; 145 female).Measurements:Participants completed baseline (demographic, medical, cognitive, mental health, and social factors) and follow-up assessments (self-reported health quantified with 5-point scale; sharing thoughts on areas important for future research). Predictors of self-reported health were examined using logistic regression analyses.Results:Self-reported health was associated with sex, activities of daily living, social activity participation, resilience, alcohol use, kidney problems, arthritis, falls, and recent hospitalization. Arthritis, kidney problems, and resilience remained significant in multiple logistic regression models.Conclusions:Perceived resilience and the absence of certain chronic age-related conditions predict older Aboriginal peoples’ self-reported health. Understanding these factors could inform interventions to improve well-being. Findings on acceptable research methodologies suggest that many older Aboriginal people would embrace a range of methodologies within long-standing research partnerships, which is an important consideration for Indigenous population research internationally.

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GRACEY, MICHAEL. "Substance misuse in Aboriginal Australians." Addiction Biology 3, no. 1 (January 1998): 29–46. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13556219872326.

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Radford, Kylie, Holly A. Mack, Hamish Robertson, Brian Draper, Simon Chalkley, Gail Daylight, Robert Cumming, Hayley Bennett, Lisa Jackson Pulver, and Gerald A. Broe. "The Koori Growing Old Well Study: investigating aging and dementia in urban Aboriginal Australians." International Psychogeriatrics 26, no. 6 (February 10, 2014): 1033–43. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1041610213002561.

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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.

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Hunter, Ernest. "An Overview of Indigenous Suicide." Australasian Psychiatry 5, no. 5 (October 1997): 231–32. http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/10398569709082278.

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The public understanding of Aboriginal suicide has been shaped by specific events, in particular the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody. The publicity surrounding the Commission contributed to a widespread view that Aboriginal suicide is common, most often occurring in custody, with indigenous prisoners being at much greater risk than non-indigenous inmates. While the Royal Commission demonstrated that these perceptions are incorrect, the images are tenacious and persistent. In fact, overall, indigenous Australians die by suicide at a rate very similar to that of the wider Australian population, the ratio of age-adjusted rates for deaths attributed to suicide for indigenous versus non-indigenous populations for the period 1990-1992 (excluding Queensland which did not, at that time, identify Aboriginality on death certificates) being 0.9 (Moller, 1996).

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Durey, Angela, Dianne Wynaden, Lesley Barr, and Mohammed Ali. "Improving forensic mental health care for Aboriginal Australians: Challenges and opportunities." International Journal of Mental Health Nursing 23, no. 3 (September 3, 2013): 195–202. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/inm.12042.

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Alexander, Jacob, and Adriana Lattanzio. "Utility of telepsychiatry for Aboriginal Australians." Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry 43, no. 12 (December 2009): 1185. http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/00048670903279911.

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Hall, David, and John Tomlinson. "Mental Health and a Mature Society: Who Cares?" Australian Journal of Primary Health 5, no. 1 (1999): 8. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/py99002.

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Community responsibility for mental health remains ambiguous. Despite welcome reform of State and Territory 'mental health systems', the majority of Australia's effort - in dollar and personnel terms - is directed to 'serious mental illness' and chronic psychiatric disability. Positive mental health, in the sense of the capacity to lead satisfyingly balanced, productive and resilient lives, is poorly studied and attracts little policy comment. This paper addresses some of the fundamental characteristics of a mature, caring society. These are contrasted with examples of current policies that perpetuate tendencies to 'blame the victim'. For as long as mental health is merely a construct of the health (read 'ilth') system, with funding skewed towards clinical crisis intervention, progress will be measured only in terms of the control or management of mental illness. What is proposed is reorientation of our ways of thinking about 'mental health' policies and service systems. Australians deserve a collaborative, coherent, comprehensive and caring mental health system. Such a system is described, through positive examples of models being adopted in some Aboriginal communities. Recommendations are made for practical initiatives at the local community level.

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Roy, Meera, and Sivasankaran Balaratnasingam. "Intellectual disability and Aboriginal Australians – training needs for psychiatrists." International Psychiatry 8, no. 2 (May 2011): 31–33. http://dx.doi.org/10.1192/s174936760000240x.

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Aboriginal Australians have relatively high rates of intellectual disability, a situation that is probably due mainly to poor health and social disadvantage. Populations with high rates of intellectual disability are more at risk of developmental disorders and mental ill health. We explore the training needs for psychiatrists working with indigenous people and how they can be met.

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Puszka, Stefanie, Kylie M. Dingwall, Michelle Sweet, and Tricia Nagel. "E-Mental Health Innovations for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians: A Qualitative Study of Implementation Needs in Health Services." JMIR Mental Health 3, no. 3 (September 19, 2016): e43. http://dx.doi.org/10.2196/mental.5837.

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Background Electronic mental health (e-mental health) interventions offer effective, easily accessible, and cost effective treatment and support for mental illness and well-being concerns. However, e-mental health approaches have not been well utilized by health services to date and little is known about their implementation in practice, particularly in diverse contexts and communities. Objective This study aims to understand stakeholder perspectives on the requirements for implementing e-mental health approaches in regional and remote health services for Indigenous Australians. Methods Qualitative interviews were conducted with 32 managers, directors, chief executive officers (CEOs), and senior practitioners of mental health, well-being, alcohol and other drug and chronic disease services. Results The implementation of e-mental health approaches in this context is likely to be influenced by characteristics related to the adopter (practitioner skill and knowledge, client characteristics, communication barriers), the innovation (engaging and supportive approach, culturally appropriate design, evidence base, data capture, professional development opportunities), and organizational systems (innovation-systems fit, implementation planning, investment). Conclusions There is potential for e-mental health approaches to address mental illness and poor social and emotional well-being amongst Indigenous people and to advance their quality of care. Health service stakeholders reported that e-mental health interventions are likely to be most effective when used to support or extend existing health services, including elements of client-driven and practitioner-supported use. Potential solutions to obstacles for integration of e-mental health approaches into practice were proposed including practitioner training, appropriate tool design using a consultative approach, internal organizational directives and support structures, adaptations to existing systems and policies, implementation planning and organizational and government investment.

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Berry, Helen L. "Social capital and mental health among Aboriginal Australians, New Australians and Other Australians living in a coastal region." Australian e-Journal for the Advancement of Mental Health 8, no. 2 (January 2009): 142–54. http://dx.doi.org/10.5172/jamh.8.2.142.

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Dudgeon, Pat, Maddie Boe, and Roz Walker. "Addressing Inequities in Indigenous Mental Health and Wellbeing through Transformative and Decolonising Research and Practice." Research in Health Science 5, no. 3 (August 10, 2020): p48. http://dx.doi.org/10.22158/rhs.v5n3p48.

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Aim: This paper discusses the current mental health and social and emotional wellbeing in Indigenous Australian mental health and wellbeing, the gaps in research, the need for transformative and decolonising research and practice, and the opportunities and recommendations to address existing mental health inequities. Method: This paper reviews key mental health and social and wellbeing policy documents and frameworks, and examines relevant literature documenting current decolonising strategies to improve programs, services and practice. It also draws on the key findings of the Centre of Best Practice in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention (CBPATSISP) and Transforming Indigenous Mental Health and Wellbeing research projects. In addition this work builds on the substantial work of the national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention Evaluation Project (ATSISPEP) which outlines a range of solutions to reduce the causes, prevalence, and impact of Indigenous suicide by identifying, translating, and promoting the adoption of evidenced based best practice in Indigenous specific suicide prevention activities. Discussion and Conclusion: This paper details the challenges as well as the promise and potential of engaging in transformative and decolonising research and practice to address the existing health service inequities. Acknowledging and addressing these health inequities is an urgent and critical task given the current COVID-19 pandemic and potential for further increasing the adverse mental health and wellbeing gap for Indigenous Australians.

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Smith, K., L. Flicker, D. Atkinson, A. Dwyer, N. T. Lautenschlager, J. Thomas, O. P. Almeida, and D. LoGiudice. "The KICA Carer: informant information to enhance the Kimberley Indigenous Cognitive Assessment." International Psychogeriatrics 28, no. 1 (August 14, 2015): 101–7. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1041610215001283.

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ABSTRACTBackground:A quality dementia-screening tool is required for older remote Aboriginal Australians who have high rates of dementia and limited access to appropriate medical equipment and clinicians. The Kimberley Indigenous Cognitive Assessment (KICA Cog) is a valid cognitive test for dementia in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The KICA cognitive informant questionnaire (KICA Carer) had yet to be analyzed to determine validity alone or in combination with the KICA Cog.Methods:The KICA Carer was completed by nominated informants of 349 remote-living Aboriginal Australians in the Kimberley region, Western Australia. Validity was assessed by comparing KICA Carer with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) and International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) consensus diagnoses based on a blinded specialist review. KICA Carer and KICA Cog were then compared to determine joint validity.Results:A KICA Carer score of ≥3/16 gave optimum sensitivity (76.2%) and specificity (81.4%), area under curve (AUC) 0.89 (95% CI = 0.85, 0.94) with positive predictive value (PPV) of 35.8%, and negative predictive value (NPV) of 96.2%. A KICA Cog score of ≤33/39 gave a sensitivity of 92.9% and specificity of 89.9%, AUC 0.96 (95% CI = 0.94, 0.98), with PPV of 55.6% and NPV of 98.9%. Cut-off scores of KICA Cog ≤ 33/39 and KICA Carer ≥ 2/16 in series indicate possible dementia, with sensitivity of 90.5% and specificity of 93.5%. In this setting, PPV was 66.5% and NPV was 98.6%.Conclusions:The KICA Carer is an important tool to accurately screen dementia in remote Aboriginal Australians when the KICA Cog is unable to be used for a patient. It is readily accepted by caregivers.Key points:•For the best practice in the cognitive assessment of an Aboriginal Australian aged over 45 years, KICA Cog should be utilized.•In cases where Aboriginal patients are not assessed directly, KICA Carer should be conducted with an informant. A cut-off score of ≥3/16 should be used (these tools can be downloaded fromwww.wacha.org.au/kica.html).

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Parker, Robert. "Australiaʼs Aboriginal Population and Mental Health." Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease 198, no. 1 (January 2010): 3–7. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/nmd.0b013e3181c7e7bc.

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de Crespigny, Charlotte, Inge Kowanko, Helen Murray, Carolyn Emden, and Scott Wilson. "Improving Indigenous health through better medication management: an overview." Australian Journal of Primary Health 11, no. 1 (2005): 17. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/py05003.

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This paper provides an overview of a major South Australian research project with implications for the health of all Indigenous Australians. The researchers set out to explore the medication needs of Aboriginal people with mental health problems and found that most Aboriginal people have to deal with profound challenges to social and emotional wellbeing with significant medication implications. No previous research had investigated the problem of medication use by Aboriginal people in metropolitan, rural and remote locations to the depth and extent of this project. The research therefore is of widespread relevance and holds interest for many Indigenous and non-Indigenous individuals and groups, consumers, service providers and policy-makers. As a research team comprising Indigenous and non-Indigenous members, we were committed to implementing strategies in the course of the project with immediate benefit to project participants as well as longer-term impact on improved use of medications. The design of the project enabled these strategic interventions and we are pleased to promote this model to other researchers. Recommendations from the project concern services, coordination of care, carers and family members, workforce education, and community development. Readers are advised where the project report and other published papers can be accessed. The project was funded by the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing.

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Butler, Tony, Stephen Allnutt, Azar Kariminia, and David Cain. "Mental Health Status of Aboriginal and Non-Aboriginal Australian Prisoners." Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry 41, no. 5 (May 2007): 429–35. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00048670701261210.

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Objective: To compare the mental health of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal prisoners in New South Wales. Methods: The sample consisted of a cross-sectional random sample of sentenced prisoners, and a consecutive sample of reception prisoners. The sample was drawn from 29 correctional centres (27 male, two female) across New South Wales. Overall, 1208 men (226 Aboriginal), and 262 women (51 Aboriginal) participated in the study. Mental illness was detected using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI-A) and a number of other screening measures incorporated into the programme. Results: No differences were detected in mental illness between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal men, apart from depression, which was lower in the latter group. Aboriginal woman were more likely than non-Aboriginal women to screen positive for symptoms of psychosis in the prior 12 months and have a higher 1 month and 12 month prevalence of affective disorder; they also had higher psychological distress scores. Suicidal thoughts and attempts were the same in both groups. Conclusions: These findings confirm that the demand for mental health services in prisons is considerable, and that Aboriginal women are one of the most vulnerable groups. Services and programmes providing an alternative to incarceration are needed, as are culturally sensitive approaches to treatment.

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Smith, Kate, Leon Flicker, Anna Dwyer, David Atkinson, Osvaldo P. Almeida, Nicola T. Lautenschlager, and Dina LoGiudice. "Factors Associated with Dementia in Aboriginal Australians." Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry 44, no. 10 (October 2010): 888–93. http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/00048674.2010.491816.

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Titov, Nickolai, Carlie Schofield, Lauren Staples, Blake F. Dear, and Olav Nielssen. "A comparison of Indigenous and non-Indigenous users of MindSpot: an Australian digital mental health service." Australasian Psychiatry 27, no. 4 (July 30, 2018): 352–57. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1039856218789784.

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Objective: To report on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (Indigenous) users of MindSpot, a national service for the remote assessment and treatment of anxiety and depression. Methods: The characteristics and treatment outcomes of Indigenous patients who registered with MindSpot between January 2015 and December 2016, were compared with non-Indigenous users. Changes in psychological distress, depression and anxiety were measured using the Kessler 10-Item (K-10), Patient Health Questionnaire 9-Item (PHQ-9), and Generalised Anxiety Disorder Scale 7-Item (GAD-7), respectively. Results: Of 23,235 people who completed a MindSpot assessment between 1 January 2015 and 31 December 2016, 780 (3.4%) identified as Indigenous Australian. They had higher symptom scores, were more likely to live in a remote location, and a third reported no previous contact with mental health services. Fewer Indigenous patients enrolled in a treatment course, but those who did had similar rates of completion and similar reductions in symptoms to non-Indigenous patients. Conclusions: MindSpot treatments were effective in treating anxiety and depression in Indigenous Australians, and outcomes were similar to those of non-Indigenous patients. Services like MindSpot are a treatment option that can help overcome barriers to mental health care for Indigenous Australians.

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Ames, David. "Australia (Melbourne)." Psychiatric Bulletin 16, no. 9 (September 1992): 552–54. http://dx.doi.org/10.1192/pb.16.9.552.

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Australia is a unique, geologically ancient island continent. Its flora and fauna are unlike those found anywhere else and the same may be said of its people, politics and health services. The population of 17.3 millions represents a multicultural mix, with an anglo-celtic core conflated by sustained post-war immigration from southern Europe, Turkey, southeast Asia and south America. One in five current Australians was born elsewhere, one in ten comes from a non-English speaking background, and a quarter of those born here have a parent who was born overseas. Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders form 1.4% of the total population. They have third world mortality figures but die of first world diseases, their life expectancy being 20 years less than that of other Australians. Two hundred and four years after what they see as the British invasion, their standard of living lags far behind all other socio-cultural groups in the country. Most members of the Aboriginal community do not live long enough to develop Alzheimer's disease, but it and other age-related diseases are emerging as the major determinants of health costs as Australia moves towards the 21st century.

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Wright, Michael, Alex Brown, Patricia Dudgeon, Rob McPhee, Juli Coffin, Glenn Pearson, Ashleigh Lin, et al. "Our journey, our story: a study protocol for the evaluation of a co-design framework to improve services for Aboriginal youth mental health and well-being." BMJ Open 11, no. 5 (May 2021): e042981. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2020-042981.

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IntroductionMainstream Australian mental health services are failing Aboriginal young people. Despite investing resources, improvements in well-being have not materialised. Culturally and age appropriate ways of working are needed to improve service access and responsiveness. This Aboriginal-led study brings Aboriginal Elders, young people and youth mental health service staff together to build relationships to co-design service models and evaluation tools. Currently, three Western Australian youth mental health services in the Perth metropolitan area and two regional services are working with local Elders and young people to improve their capacity for culturally and age appropriate services. Further Western Australian sites will be engaged as part of research translation.Methods and analysisRelationships ground the study, which utilises Indigenous methodologies and participatory action research. This involves Elders, young people and service staff as co-researchers and the application of a decolonising, strengths-based framework to create the conditions for engagement. It foregrounds experiential learning and Aboriginal ways of working to establish relationships and deepen non-Aboriginal co-researchers’ knowledge and understanding of local, place-based cultural practices. Once relationships are developed, co-design workshops occur at each site directed by local Elders and young people. Co-designed evaluation tools will assess any changes to community perceptions of youth mental health services and the enablers and barriers to service engagement.Ethics and disseminationThe study has approval from the Kimberley Aboriginal Health Planning Forum Kimberley Research Subcommittee, the Western Australian Aboriginal Health Ethics Committee, and the Curtin University Human Research Ethics Committee. Transferability of the outcomes across the youth mental health sector will be directed by the co-researchers and is supported through Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal organisations including youth mental health services, peak mental health bodies and consumer groups. Community reports and events, peer-reviewed journal articles, conference presentations and social and mainstream media will aid dissemination.

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Hazlehurst, Kayleen M. "Alcohol, Outstations and Autonomy: An Australian Aboriginal Perspective." Journal of Drug Issues 16, no. 2 (April 1986): 209–20. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/002204268601600208.

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It has been argued that a variety of pressures—a history of colonial exploitation, socio-economic decline, and psycho-environmental factors—have contributed to Aboriginal alcoholism and alcohol related crime. Other analyses have connected Aboriginal drinking patterns with a well established set of social relationships which support and continue to maintain Aboriginal life-style alcoholism. In the search for effective and long-term “solutions” to this addiction the author urges a deeper understanding of Aboriginal drinking relationships and the potential of these relationships to offer real rehabilitative alternatives for Aboriginals.

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Henderson, Scott. "Focus on psychiatry in Australia." British Journal of Psychiatry 176, no. 1 (January 2000): 97–101. http://dx.doi.org/10.1192/bjp.176.1.97.

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Humankind has been present on the Australian continent for at least 40 000, some say 60 000 years, remarkably adapted to the environment and having a cultural tradition appreciated by few Caucasians. White people have been here for only 200 years; and psychiatry for about half of that. We know nothing about the mental health of pre-contact indigenous peoples; but we now know a little about the ways in which mental disorders are explained and treated by traditional methods. In two centuries, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islands communities, which are very diverse, have been steadily reduced to become only 1.5% of the population. From settlement in 1788 until the 1950s, most non-aboriginal Australians were of Anglo-Saxon or Celtic origin. Since the Second World War, the pattern of immigration has greatly enriched Australian life, first through large numbers of people from the Mediterranean littoral, Western Europe and the Balkans, and more recently from south-east Asia. Ethnic diversity is now evident in most peoples' daily lives – whom you see in the street, whom you work alongside, who your friends are, what you eat and who you have as patients. So the present Australian population of 18 million has undergone a marked change in demography and lifestyle within only two generations. Like the people, psychiatry is also changing rapidly. Where are the changes taking place? What is it like to be a psychiatrist here at present? Where has there been success and where has there been failure? Where is there lots of action?

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Lawlor, D., and R. Kosky. "Serious Suicide Attempts among Adolescents in Custody." Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry 26, no. 3 (September 1992): 474–78. http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/00048679209072073.

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The Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody has focused attention on people who are held in custody in police cells, prisons, remand centres and detention centres. A series of research papers has been released by the Royal Commission which delineates some important aspects of the needs of these people. Nearly half of the deaths which occur in these custodial settings appear to be self-inflicted. Suicide seems to be particularly common among younger age groups of those in custody [1,2]. This pattern parallels suicide levels among young people in the Australian community generally, so that suicide is now a leading cause of death among young Australians [3,4].

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Westerman, Tracy. "Engaging Australian Aboriginal youth in mental health services." Australian Psychologist 45, no. 3 (September 2010): 212–22. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00050060903451790.

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Balaratnasingam, Sivasankaran, Murray Chapman, Derek Chong, Ernest Hunter, Jason Lee, Carolyn Little, Kim Mulholland, Robert Parker, Marshall Watson, and Aleksandar Janca. "Advancing social and emotional well-being in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians: Clinicians’ reflections." Australasian Psychiatry 27, no. 4 (September 20, 2018): 348–51. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1039856218789765.

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Objective: An expert reference group met on four occasions to consider ways forward in terms of Indigenous mental health. This paper summarises the discussion and recommendations. Conclusion: While the negative effects of colonisation and trans-generational trauma continue, we propose renewed emphasis on improving access, cultural orientation and trauma-informed care, and a focus on the needs of young Indigenous Australians.

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Lima, Fernando, Carrington Shepherd, Janice Wong, Melissa O’Donnell, and Rhonda Marriott. "Trends in mental health related contacts among mothers of Aboriginal children in Western Australia (1990–2013): a linked data population-based cohort study of over 40 000 children." BMJ Open 9, no. 7 (July 2019): e027733. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2018-027733.

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ObjectiveThis study examines the scale of maternal mental health related contacts among Australian Aboriginal children over time, and associations with socio-economic characteristics, geographical remoteness and maternal age.DesignA retrospective cohort study of the prevalence of maternal mental health related contacts among Aboriginal children born in Western Australia between 1990 and 2013.SettingPopulation of Western Australia with de-identified linked administrative data from the Western Australian Department of Health.ParticipantsAll Aboriginal children born in Western Australia between 1990 and 2013 and their mothers.Primary outcome measurePrevalence of maternal mental health related contacts among Aboriginal children born between 1990 and 2013. Mental health related contacts were identified using mental health related inpatient hospitalisations and outpatient contacts.ResultsAlmost 30% of cohort children were born to a mother with at least one mental health contact in the 5 years prior to birth, with 15% reported in the year prior to birth and the year post birth. There was a distinct increase in the prevalence of maternal mental health contacts between 1990 and 2013 (4–5% per year, with a peak in 2007). Maternal mental health contacts were associated with living in more disadvantaged areas and major cities, and having a mother aged over 20 years at birth.ConclusionsThe study affirms that mental health issues place a considerable burden on Aboriginal Australia, and suggests that many of the mental health issues that women develop earlier in life are chronic at the time of conception, during pregnancy and at birth. Early intervention and support for women in the earliest stages of family planning are required to alleviate the burden of mental health problems at birth and after birth. There is a clear need for policies on the development of a holistic healthcare model, with a multisector approach, offering culturally appropriate services for Aboriginal people.

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Parker, Robert. "The Indigenous Mental Health Worker." Australasian Psychiatry 11, no. 3 (September 2003): 295–97. http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1440-1665.2003.00572.x.

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Objective: To provide background and context for the recent Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) statement on indigenous mental health workers. Conclusions: There are a number of difficulties facing indigenous mental health workers in Australia today. The RANZCP statement is one step in a move to increase recognition of these workers. National registration of Aboriginal mental health workers or the formation of a national association may further promote their identity.

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Povey, Josie, Patj Patj Janama Robert Mills, Kylie Maree Dingwall, Anne Lowell, Judy Singer, Darlene Rotumah, James Bennett-Levy, and Tricia Nagel. "Acceptability of Mental Health Apps for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians: A Qualitative Study." Journal of Medical Internet Research 18, no. 3 (March 11, 2016): e65. http://dx.doi.org/10.2196/jmir.5314.

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Glasson, E. J., S. G. Sullivan, R. Hussain, and A. H. Bittles. "An assessment of intellectual disability among Aboriginal Australians." Journal of Intellectual Disability Research 49, no. 8 (August 2005): 626–34. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2788.2005.00722.x.

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Radford, Kylie, Holly A. Mack, Brian Draper, Simon Chalkley, Kim Delbaere, Gail Daylight, Robert G. Cumming, Hayley Bennett, and Gerald A. Broe. "Comparison of Three Cognitive Screening Tools in Older Urban and Regional Aboriginal Australians." Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders 40, no. 1-2 (2015): 22–32. http://dx.doi.org/10.1159/000377673.

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Background: Validated cognitive screening tools for use in urban and regional Aboriginal populations in Australia are lacking. Methods: In a cross-sectional community-based study, 235 participants were assessed on the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), the Rowland Universal Dementia Assessment Scale (RUDAS) and an urban modification of the Kimberley Indigenous Cognitive Assessment (mKICA). Performance on these cognitive screening tools was compared to dementia diagnosis by clinical consensus. Results: All tests were culturally acceptable with good psychometric properties. Receiver operating characteristic curve analyses revealed that the MMSE and mKICA were the most accurate. Conclusion: The MMSE is an effective cognitive screening tool in urban Aboriginal populations. The mKICA is a good alternative when illiteracy, language or cultural considerations deem it appropriate. The RUDAS also has adequate validity in this population.

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Liddelow-Hunt, Shakara, Ashleigh Lin, James Hector Laurent Hill, Kate Daglas, Braden Hill, Yael Perry, Mirella Wilson, and Bep Uink. "Conceptualising Wellbeing for Australian Aboriginal LGBTQA+ Young People." Youth 3, no. 1 (January 12, 2023): 70–92. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/youth3010005.

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It is likely that young people who are both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and LGBTQA+ would be at increased risk for poor mental health outcomes due to the layered impacts of discrimination they experience; however, there is very little empirical evidence focused on the mental health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander LGBTQA+ young people. The current study represents a qualitative exploration of wellbeing among Aboriginal LGBTQA+ young people. This study consisted of semi-structured interviews and focus groups with Aboriginal LGBTQA+ young people aged 14–25 years old in the Perth metropolitan area of Western Australia. Thematic analysis identified seven major themes that were significant to participants’ wellbeing: identity, family, community, visibility, services, stigma and navigating.

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Dunne, Emer. "Consultation, Rapport, and Collaboration: Essential Preliminary Stages in Research with Urban Aboriginal Groups." Australian Journal of Primary Health 6, no. 1 (2000): 6. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/py00001.

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Conducting quality research with any group involves rigorous attention to ethical guidelines. This area becomes more complicated when undertaking research in Indigenous Australian communities, given Australia's colonial history and power relations. The preliminary stages are important elements of the research process. Researchers need to engage in extensive community consultation, negotiation and collaboration to produce research beneficial to the Aboriginal community. Essential components of these areas are issues surrounding the development of rapport, informed consent, and ownership of data. This paper explores these areas drawing on the experience of a postgraduate research student to illustrate their importance. A research project focusing on mental health issues amongst Aboriginal people resident in Adelaide provides the framework for discussion of the issues.

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Thurber, Katherine Ann, Grace Joshy, Rosemary Korda, Sandra J. Eades, Vicki Wade, Hilary Bambrick, Bette Liu, and Emily Banks. "Obesity and its association with sociodemographic factors, health behaviours and health status among Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal adults in New South Wales, Australia." Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health 72, no. 6 (March 7, 2018): 491–98. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/jech-2017-210064.

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BackgroundHigh body mass index (BMI) is the second leading contributor to Australia’s burden of disease and is particularly prevalent among Aboriginal peoples. This paper aims to provide insight into factors relating to obesity among Aboriginal adults and Aboriginal–non-Aboriginal differences.MethodsCross-sectional analysis of data from the 45 and Up Study, comparing obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m2) prevalence and risk factors among 1515 Aboriginal and 213 301 non-Aboriginal adults in New South Wales. Age–sex-adjusted prevalence ratios (PRs) for obesity by sociodemographic factors, health behaviours and health status were estimated (multivariable log-binomial regression) for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal participants separately. We quantified the extent to which key factors (physical activity, screen time, education, remoteness, area-level disadvantage) accounted for any excess Aboriginal obesity prevalence.ResultsObesity prevalence was 39% among Aboriginal and 22% among non-Aboriginal participants (PR=1.65, 95% CI 1.55 to 1.76). Risk factors for obesity were generally similar for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal participants and included individual-level and area-level disadvantage, physical inactivity, and poor physical and mental health, with steeper gradients observed among non-Aboriginal participants for some factors (Pinteraction <0.05). Many risk factors were more common among Aboriginal versus non-Aboriginal participants; key factors accounted for >40% of the excess Aboriginal obesity prevalence.ConclusionA substantial proportion of the excess obesity prevalence among Aboriginal versus non-Aboriginal participants was explained by physical activity, screen time, education, remoteness and area-level disadvantage. Socioeconomic and health behaviour factors are potential targets for promoting healthy BMI, but these must be considered within the context of upstream social and cultural factors. Adults with health needs and disability require particular attention.

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Radford, Kylie, Holly A. Mack, Brian Draper, Simon Chalkley, Gail Daylight, Robert Cumming, Hayley Bennett, Kim Delbaere, and Gerald A. Broe. "Prevalence of dementia in urban and regional Aboriginal Australians." Alzheimer's & Dementia 11, no. 3 (June 28, 2014): 271–79. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jalz.2014.03.007.

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Gray, Dennis, Sherry Saggers, Brooke Sputore, and Deirdre Bourbon. "What works? A review of evaluated alcohol misuse interventions among Aboriginal Australians." Addiction 95, no. 1 (January 2000): 11–22. http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1360-0443.2000.951113.x.

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Katzenellenbogen, Judith M., Laura J. Miller, Peter Somerford, Suzanne McEvoy, and Dawn Bessarab. "Strategic information for hospital service planning: a linked data study to inform an urban Aboriginal Health Liaison Officer program in Western Australia." Australian Health Review 39, no. 4 (2015): 429. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ah14102.

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Objectives The aim of the present study was to provide descriptive planning data for a hospital-based Aboriginal Health Liaison Officer (AHLO) program, specifically quantifying episodes of care and outcomes within 28 days after discharge. Methods A follow-up study of Aboriginal in-patient hospital episodes was undertaken using person-based linked administrative data from four South Metropolitan hospitals in Perth, Western Australia (2006–11). Outcomes included 28-day deaths, emergency department (ED) presentations and in-patient re-admissions. Results There were 8041 eligible index admissions among 5113 individuals, with episode volumes increasing by 31% over the study period. Among patients 25 years and older, the highest ranking comorbidities included injury (47%), drug and alcohol disorders (41%), heart disease (40%), infection (40%), mental illness (31%) and diabetes (31%). Most events (96%) ended in a regular discharge. Within 28 days, 24% of events resulted in ED presentations and 20% resulted in hospital re-admissions. Emergency readmissions (13%) were twice as likely as booked re-admissions (7%). Stratified analyses showed poorer outcomes for older people, and for emergency and tertiary hospital admissions. Conclusions Future planning must address the greater service volumes anticipated. The high prevalence of comorbidities requires intensive case management to address case complexity. These data will inform the refinement of the AHLO program to improve in-patient experiences and outcomes. What is known about the topic? The health gap between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians is well documented. Aboriginal people have significantly higher hospital utilisation rates, as well as higher rates of complications, comorbidities and discharges against medical advice (DAMA). Aboriginal patients receive most of their specialist services in hospital; however, detailed person-based analyses are limited and planning is often based on crude data. What does this paper add? This is the first analysis of linked data focusing on Aboriginal patient flows and volume and 28-day health system outcomes following hospital admission for all causes in a large metropolitan setting. Because the data were linked, admissions belonging to a single episode of care were combined, ensuring that transfers were not counted as re-admissions. Linkage also allowed follow up across time. The results highlight the main disease groups for which Aboriginal patients are admitted, how this varies by age and the high proportion of patients returning to (any) hospital within 28 days, either through EDs or as booked (pre-arranged) admissions. These data aid in the planning of hospital-based Aboriginal health liaison services. What are the implications for practitioners? The paper outlines the complexity with which many Aboriginal patients present to hospital and the risk of DAMA and re-admission. Clinical and organisational strategies can be put in place in hospitals to address these risks and ensure improved continuity of care with community-based primary health services. The Western Australian South Metropolitan Health Service is reviewing these data and will monitor the impact of the hospital-based AHLO program.

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Jabran, S., S. Smith, Y. Fatima, and S. King. "O007 Sleep health promotion in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities: untapped potential of Indigenous youth workers as sleep coaches." SLEEP Advances 2, Supplement_1 (October 1, 2021): A4. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/sleepadvances/zpab014.006.

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Abstract Purpose The lack of culturally appropriate sleep health programs and community-led support services are significant barriers to sleep health promotion in Indigenous communities. This project offers Australia’s first-ever training and upskilling program for Indigenous youth workers (IYWs) to work as “Sleep Coaches” in Indigenous communities. Methods Key stakeholders, i.e., community elders, service providers, Indigenous youth and sleep scientists, were consulted to develop a training program for IYWs. Stakeholder consultations ensured community ownership of the program, facilitated co-design of educational and training activities, and integrated traditional and scientific sleep health knowledge for developing sleep health resources. Results Consultations with the advisory group (n=48) identified the need for a multipronged approach for IYWs capacity building. The education and training activities are centred around sleep and include cultural training to cover Indigenous Australians’ understanding and interpretation of sleep health, youth mental health first aid training, and participation in youth alcohol and drug education workshops. For sleep education, two blocks of activities, i.e., foundation and advanced level, are offered to cover triaging, sleep education/support and monitoring. An interactive tool for diabetes education in Indigenous communities (FeltMan/FeltMum) has been adapted to offer culturally appropriate sleep education. Conclusion IYWs’ capacity building as sleep coaches is an innovative way to empower Indigenous communities to embrace sleep health. Going forward, the program will engage with youth mental health services to evaluate the program effectiveness and transferability to other Indigenous communities. There is a need to define the scope of practice and certification to ensure compliance with industry standards.

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Chong, Ryan, and Ritesh Bhandarkar. "Intellectual Disability in the Australian Aboriginal Population: A Critical Review." Journal of the Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet 2, no. 3 (2021): 1–9. http://dx.doi.org/10.14221/aihjournal.v2n3.5.

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Objectives Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are the Indigenous population of Australia. Australian Aboriginal people represent a small percentage of the overall Australian population. However, this population group has a higher rate of Intellectual Disability when compared to the non-Indigenous Australian population. This article aims to review the current literature regarding Intellectual Disability in the Australian Aboriginal Population, build on the current evidence base for Intellectual Disability specific to the Australian Aboriginal population, investigate if any changes to the evidence base have occurred, and identify areas where further research is required. This is in comparison to a literature review completed by Roy and Balaratnasingam in 2014. Methods Literature review. Results The literature review affirms that there exists a disproportionate representation of Intellectual Disability in the Australian Aboriginal population. It highlights the current focus on predisposing risk factors and the resulting risks associated with Intellectual Disability. It also highlights the current lack of evidence-based research around interventions for Intellectual Disability in the Australian Aboriginal population. Conclusions Australian Aboriginal people are disproportionately affected by Intellectual Disability which, as mental health practitioners in Australia, we believe is an area that urgently requires further research and redress. This literature review summarises the current evidence base and identifies potential areas for further research.

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Rosen, Alan. "Australia's national mental health strategy in historical perspective: beyond the frontier." International Psychiatry 3, no. 4 (October 2006): 19–21. http://dx.doi.org/10.1192/s1749367600004987.

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The history of Australian psychiatry is entwined with the impact of European (British) invasion and settlement, initially in 1788, to form penal colonies to alleviate the overcrowding of English jails, which generated a masculine-dominated, individualistic culture. As European settlement in Australia expanded, the colonisers tried to come to terms with this remote, vast landscape and fought over land and resources with the original Aboriginal inhabitants, who had been there between 40000 and 60000 years. Australian psychiatry was profiled in a previous article inInternational Psychiatry(issue 10, October 2005).

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Journal articles on the topic 'Aboriginal Australians Mental health'

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