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Welcome to the fifth edition of Gwalwa-Gai, the newsletter for the CRC for Aboriginal Health. Gwalwa-Gai is an expression used by Larrakia people to call other members of the Larrakia nation to meet. It is used to call clan groups together. |
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Dialysis activists from the Western Desert Nganampa Walytja Palyantjaku Tjutaku (WDNWPT) hope that a new Pintubi and English language DVD on kidney disease will help more Aboriginal people stay in their communities. WDNWPT coordinator, Sarah Brown, says the DVD will help people in communities like Kintore, Mt Liebig and Papunya in the Northern Territory take preventative health steps to avoid end stage kidney disease and dialysis. She says people tend to hide their disease until the last minute because they fear having to leave their community for dialysis treatment. “One of the positive outcomes from providing short-term dialysis in their own communities to Aboriginal renal patients who are otherwise stuck in Alice is the improvement in community knowledge of kidney disease,” said Sara. “Having dialysis patients returning home, even for limited periods, allows for less fear and more opportunities for community discussions around kidney disease and our new DVD will certainly build on those opportunities." WDNWPT is also producing a DVD outlining the self-funded organisation's role and success in providing opportunities for Aboriginal dialysis patients to return to their communities and families for short periods. Sarah says the second DVD will be used by the group to seek corporate and other funds. “This is a great opportunity for Western Desert people to share their story and a great example of Aboriginal people initiating their own health promotion resources,” she told Gwalwa-Gai. “We're hoping that people will be moved to donate to our work when they see our story on the new DVD .” Copies of both DVDs will be available early next year from WDNWPT. To order your copies and to donate to WDNWPT contact Sarah Brown on 08 89530002 or wdnwpt@bigpond.com.au |
Lesley Salem, a Worimi woman with close family affiliations to the Gringai and Wanaruah clans from the Stroud and Gloucester districts of NSW, works as a nephrology nurse practitioner in the Lower Hunter New England Health Service.
Working with End Stage Kidney Disease (ESKD) patients Lesley became increasingly aware that their illness was severely limiting lifestyle choices. “Even food and fluid choices is removed from them,” Lesley explained to Gwalwa-Gai. “Food not only provides sustenance, it defines your traditional, ethical and regional background. Food provides feelings of satisfaction, comfort and familiarity. It represents home!” Aboriginal dialysis patients were unable to enjoy their traditional bush foods because nutritional information about bush foods was unknown or unavailable to patients and health practitioners alike. Lesley set out to provide this information and thereby restore some dietary choice to Aboriginal dialysis patients. She understood that choice can be in part returned to our patients by acknowledging their traditional food choices and adapting those choices rather than imposing new foods into a restrictive diet regimen.
“Entering dialysis treatment is a traumatic experience for anyone and for our people the loss of traditional foods makes that trauma even worse,” said Lesley. “Giving people back that choice can only improve their wellbeing and that can only help their treatment.” Access to expert diet advice is difficult for dialysis patients who reside distances from the tertiary referral unit and dialysis staff are poorly equipped to answer questions regarding the nutritional composition of bush tucker foods. The ‘Bush Tucker In Chronic Renal Failure and Diabetes' book was produced as a tool to assist patients, care givers and dialysis staff, to make decisions regarding quantities of food preferences that can be consumed. It provides the nutritional content of bush tucker found in different states in Australia . The nutritional content is that relevant to ESKD patients and includes (where available) sodium, potassium, protein, phosphate, iron energy, and carbohydrate. The book is available free and can be obtained by ringing Renal Resource Centre 02 9362 3995 or 1800257189. Lesley is currently working on a new publication on bush medicine for chronic conditions and is seeking information on bush medicines from Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander people across Australia . “If anyone would like to be a part of it they would be most welcome. We have started gathering information, much of it on scraps of paper and information passed down. It will take a bit to get it together,” Lesley said. If you have information of bush medicine and want to contact Lesley Salem you can do so on 0411779490 or lesley.salem@hnehealth.nsw.gov.au |
The captains of exclusive Melbourne 's girl school, Fintona, recently visited Darwin 's Danila Dilba Health Service to see first-hand the challenges and successes of the Aboriginal health sector. Gwalwa-Gai caught up with Sarah Spottiswood and Jacqueline Carr at Danila Dilba and asked them about the slightly incongruous link between a Melbourne girls' school and a Darwin-based Aboriginal Medical Service……
The world we inhabit and the world of indigenous health problems seem very distant from each other. The lives we lead are typically that of sleeping, eating, going to school and studying, far removed from the issues concerning the well being of indigenous Australians. For us, it has been embarrassing to realise how little we know of indigenous health problems because living in Melbourne we do not encounter such information, let alone pathways to which we can help improve the situation. This is the dilemma that faced us when, upon becoming captains of our school, we decided that we would like to assist in efforts to improve the health of indigenous Australians. It was astounding to find how difficult it was to do just that. It takes two minutes and a credit card to sponsor a child who lives in Africa , but locating an organisation in our own country that could help us build links between our school and the indigenous health sector, to raise awareness of the issues facing our fellow Australians, proved a long and frustrating task. Getting onto Danila Dilba Health Service was in many ways the light at the end of the tunnel. Visiting the Danila Dilba Health Service in Darwin has been the greatest opportunity offered to us during our time as school captains. Knowing as little as we did about indigenous health concerns, it became clear that we needed to see these problems first hand and witness the work of the Danila Dilba Health Service for ourselves. We are therefore grateful for the hospitality shown to us by Danila Dilba staff and the patience they have displayed in helping us understand the problems surrounding indigenous health. We were thoroughly impressed by the sheer magnitude of work undertaken by the staff everyday, and even more so by their friendliness, humour and the enthusiasm that underpins every task they do. Just being observers in that environment, one could easily feel inspiration from the passion and zest evident throughout Danila Dilba's centres. Our task now is to transfer all that we learned during our trip to the entire student body of our school and the wider community. What alarms us is illnesses such as diabetes and otitis media are prevalent in the indigenous population, in our own backyards, and yet thousands of Australians remain oblivious to it. It therefore follows that awareness of these issues will become a major focus of our campaign to assist Danila Dilba in any way that we can, firstly by developing a health promotion campaign for indigenous youth and children. Our trip to Darwin has forced us to review our own perspectives. If only every non-indigenous Australian could experience what we did, things might be different in this country. We are taking it upon ourselves, and on behalf of our students, to address these issues as ably as we can. It is in this way we are giving just one small contribution to the betterment of this country. We hope that we can play a small role in creating an Australia that is not only a better place to live, but one that we can feel proud of handing over to the next generation. |
‘They wanted all us healthworkers 'cause we were going to change everything, but we're so strictly dictated to, it's changed nothing. Some of us have great ideas, and we could do it all, but we just can't do it…we don't get enough say in the program.'
A new book published by the University of Western Australia has highlighted the challenges facing Aboriginal healthworkers and pointed to on-going lack of support and professional recognition of these workers. Aboriginal Healthworkers - Primary Healthcare at the Margins is co-edited by Bill Genat, joint coordinator of a masters program in Aboriginal health at Onemda VicHealth Koori Health Unit at the University of Melbourne and healthworkers Sharon Bushby, May McGuire, Eileen Taylor, Yvette Walley and Thelma Weston who each have between ten and twenty years' experience working in the Aboriginal health sector. Aboriginal healthworkers are employed by primary health care services to help bridge the gap between the Western medical clinic and their own people. Much controversy surrounds what they can and should be doing. Aboriginal Healthworkers looks at what healthworkers do, what they think about their work, and how their work is perceived by doctors, nurses, social workers, transport workers—and, crucially, their Aboriginal clients. In their own words, the healthworkers identify a serious lack of professional recognition and support. Daily they enter the homes of families whose health, in the broadest sense, continues to be eroded by the historical legacy of exclusion, cultural oppression and racism. The situations they encounter are often bewildering and heart-rending. Urgent family problems, often linked to housing and income, demand immediate responses and deflect attention from equally pressing health problems. The book portrays the unique healing practice offered by Aboriginal healthworkers and urges that practical steps be taken to bolster their holistic approach. A foreword to the book was written by CRCAH Research Director Professor Ian Anderson. To order: |
A report released today by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) sheds light on the extent of family violence and its associated harms for Indigenous people in particular. Report author, Dr Fadwa Al-Yaman, said the report, Family violence among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples , is the first to take a comprehensive look at the extent to which existing data can be used to profile Indigenous family violence. 'Looking at the data in this way provides important information on the services needed, and where they can be best targeted,' Dr Al-Yaman said. Findings of the report include:
'The data showed that about one-third of the assaults for which people were hospitalised, occurred in the family home' Dr Al-Yaman said. Indigenous women were 13 times, and Indigenous men seven times, more likely to seek refuge from family violence through the Supported Accommodation Assistance Program (SAAP) than were non-Indigenous women and men respectively. For report: - http://www.aihw.gov.au/publications
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SBS Television will broadcast three documentary programs on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health issues, all with a focus on community development. The Start Strong (Tuesday 14 November) and Grow Strong (Tuesday 21 November) programs highlight community-based initiatives that combat some of the poor birth outcomes and early health problems experienced by Aboriginal peoples. The Keep Safe program (Tuesday 28th November) offers successful models and ideas on how to prevent injuries in Aboriginal communities. Filming for Start Strong and Grow Strong took place at the Townsville Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Service, Daruk Aboriginal Medical Service, Jirnani Childcare Centre on Bathurst Island, Strong Women Strong Babies Strong Culture program in Darwin . Projects examined in Keep Safe include the Hermannsburg (NT) Night Patrol, the Top End Women's Legal Service (Darwin) and the Western Australian water safety initiative Watch the Kids. “Such culturally sensitive and respectful educational resources are still all too rare in the field of maternal and child health. I believe this [Start Strong] to be an essential program for all midwives, nurses, Aboriginal Health Workers and medical staff.” Pat Brodie, National President, Australian College of Midwives |
The CRCAH would like to congratulate Brendan Gibson on his new job as Assistant Secretary, Health Care Services and Financing Branch, Acute Care Division at Department of Health and Ageing. As part of Brendan's current role at Office of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health (OATSIH), he has been Program Leader for the Chronic Conditions Program since August 2005. In this time, Brendan has made an invaluable contribution to the CRCAH through his support in developing a Chronic Conditions Program Statement and in providing high level advice on the development and assessment of research. Regrettably due to his new job, Brendan has resigned from his role as Program Leader for Chronic Conditions. On behalf of the CRCAH, we would like to thank Brendan for all the work & time he has dedicated to the Program. |
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AIHW Report calls for Improvements in Indigenous |
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A new report by the Australian Institute of Health & Welfare, highlights the fact that Australia already has a relatively large number of data sources and suggests ways to use them to provide a better understanding of substance use issues.
“There are many complexities in collecting reliable information about substance use in general and illicit substances in particular, and these complexities are amplified when collecting information about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, especially those living in small communities,” said report author, Louise York. “Overall, available data sources on this subject are inadequate, in that they fail to provide answers to many of the key questions expressed by stakeholders, such as, what is the level of illicit substance use among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples living in rural and remote Australia, or how many Indigenous people are currently receiving alcohol or other drug treatment?” said Ms York. The report, Drug use among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples: an assessment of data sources, suggests ways of improving current data collections including:
'Also key to better utilisation of existing data sources would be to develop an appropriate methodology for gathering information about emerging issues relevant to Indigenous substance use such as petrol sniffing,' Ms York said. 'An examination of emerging issues would ideally produce community-level information that could identify local supply and demand issues. It would also be useful to highlight the characteristics of strong communities versus communities at risk,' she said. Further information: Ms Louise York 02 6244 1271 For the full report : |
The University of Adelaide is seeking a Senior Research Fellow in Indigenous Health Research in its Indigenous Health Unit (Yaitya Purruna). Yaitya Purruna provides support to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people enrolling in the Faculty of Health Sciences, and works with staff and students on building a working understanding on the current key issues which impact on the health of Indigenous Australians. This role has grown out of strong collaboration between Yaitya Purruna and the Central Northern Adelaide Health Service (CNAHS) with a specific focus on seeking funding grants for research projects that will lead to improved health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Applicants should have:
Full-time salary: (Level C) $77,768 - $89,677 per annum, pro rata at fractional time 80%. An employer superannuation contribution of 17% applies. This fixed-term position is available immediately for a period of 3 years on an 80% fractional-time basis. Further information, including the position statement and selection criteria may be obtained from Jennifer Caruso, Indigenous Health Unit Coordinator. Telephone: 08 8303 6275 or |
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The Chronic Conditions Program Team have been working together to prioritise which projects fit directly into the four research areas, as identified in the Chronic Conditions Roundtable meeting. The Program Leaders have identified several projects that directly respond to the proposed research areas and indicative questions. Feedback on these projects and feedback to all applicants in the expression of interest round, will be sent out within the next couple of weeks. As part of our commitment to the capacity development of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander lead research, the Chronic Conditions Program funded nine people to attend the 10 th Annual Chronic Diseases Network Conference in Darwin . Eight people were involved in delivering presentations at the conference and two of these people were CRCAH students. According to one the students, Angelina Tabuteau-Moore, the conference proved extremely worthwhile. “It provided a great introduction to the range of research and health promotion opportunities out there and to meet new peoples or to see some old faces with an opportunity to just sit,” she told Gwalwa-Gai. “The CRC are a fantastic bunch of people and it was a great opportunity for me to put faces to names and voices. My attendance at this conference would not have been made possible without CRC support.” Angelina also highlighted Mick Gooda's conference presentation, which reminded participants that achieving good outcomes is possible if we develop priorities, take small steps and ensure research findings are passed on. |
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On September 25 and 26, the Program Manager for Healthy Skin Program – Arwen Pratt, had the opportunity to visit Yirrkala in East Arnhem Land . Arwen visited the community council, the health service at Yirrkala and met two Aboriginal Community Workers from Yirrkala and Ski Beach. The Healthy Skin Team Coordinator, Paige Shreeve, from MSHR was in Yirrkala to help the community council and Community Workers organise Healthy Skin Day.
Healthy Skin Day involves the Healthy Skin Team working alongside community workers, local clinics, the local council and schools to reduce the prevalence of scabies and skin sores and provide community-based education and health promotion. As part of Healthy Skin Day, the movie, Ten Canoes was shown and from all reports this was a great success. The CRCAH would like to thank Paige Shreeve for this opportunity and congratulate her and the Healthy Skin Program Team on all the effort and hard work put into organising Healthy Skin Day and week. As part of the Program's community-based education, in October the Healthy Skin Team at MSHR hosted 11 Aboriginal Community Workers from various North East Arnhem communities. Loyla Lesley, Healthy Skin Educator, ran the day and all community workers successfully completed their requirements for the Healthy Skin Cert II Curriculum. One participant, Lucy Armstrong from Gapulwiyak told G-G that she had been a healthy skin worker for two and a half years but wanted to build her skills by doing the course. “Everyone at the clinic said that I should do the course to get the proper story on healthy skin,” said Lucy. “I want to go back to my community and family to help my grandsons stay healthy; no scabies and no skin sores. “It's very important to take these stories back to my people – manymak (good)! When people know the story then they can do something about stopping scabies and skin sores.” |
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The Social Emotional Wellbeing (SEWB) Industry Roundtable was held in Cairns in September. The aim of the Roundtable was to examine current CRCAH activities within the Social and Emotional Wellbeing Program and to produce research questions as prioritised by the Community Controlled Health Sector and other organisations servicing Aboriginal health. Over fifty industry representatives were brought together at the roundtable to identify key areas requiring research in this area. The roundtable included representatives for the following organisations:
A list of research questions developed by the roundtable is currently being considered by the CRCAH Board who will then direct the further development of the Social Emotional Wellbeing Program. The Roundtable gave participants the opportunity to identify gaps and priorities within SEWB and to provide advice to the CRCAH about possible future research. The program engaged a consultant Ms Wendy Edmondson to develop a scoping paper for the purpose of providing a theoretical framework as a basis for developing a shared understanding of the Social Emotional Wellbeing area and to identify research priorities and facilitating further research activity in this area. In developing a shared understanding the paper will explore social, cultural and historical issues in the context of Aboriginal perspectives of health and wellbeing. The notion of what ‘good outcomes' may mean for Aboriginal people, and ‘culture' as a determinant of health. The scoping paper draws on Aboriginal perspectives of health in seeking to understand social and emotional wellbeing, particularly holistic concepts that incorporate the collective social, spiritual, emotional and cultural wellbeing of Aboriginal people. Interventions at the community level include the provision of counselling for individuals, and families, healing programs, men's and women's programs, community development and empowerment programs, early intervention and education programs. Specific programs and strategies that address the effects of colonisation and fall within the scope of SEWB include substance use, family violence, child abuse, and suicide prevention. The roundtable recommended that research in this area needs to be underpinned by philosophical and theoretical perspectives such as;
The seven priorities that are now before the CRCAH Board include: 1. Evaluating what is currently working and why, and how to ensure that knowledge is passed on to funders and service providers. 2. Spirituality - What is the evidence for how spirituality affects SEWB outcomes? What is the evidence for the role of spirituality in promoting or enhancing Indigenous SEWB? 3. Resourcing and service provision - SEWB services range across a very wide field, and are currently funded (or under-funded) by many and varied funders and a need for the CRCAH to investigating the resource allocation to SEWB programs – such as issues of under resourcing, short term funding and vagaries and constraints of funding availability in relation to the actual nature and scope of need. 4. Workforce - key issues around workforce that supports SEWB interventions. What are the skills needed (including what might be ‘invisible' skills)? What is the gap between the skills required and the available workforce? How might this be addressed? 5. Families – There was strong recognition at the roundtable that families are at the core of SEWB, what makes a strong family? How do we communicate that? What does it mean? What has made Aboriginal people strong enough to survive the last 200 years? 6. Activism – Aboriginal communities and individuals need the skills to be able to take on and change the conditions around them, what are these ‘activist' skills and how are they gained/developed? What if any services currently provide such training? 7. Research transfer and capacity development - Social and Emotional Wellbeing is hard to define and finding a common language that defines such meanings as resilience is difficult. To support research transfer the creation of a network of researchers and practitioners in this field through regular roundtables/workshops, learning workshops and forums was proposed as was the establishment of a central home for information and resources about SEWB. |
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At the Social Determinants roundtable in June of this year Rumbalara, a Victorian Koori sports and health organisation based in Shepparton, gave a presentation on their home ownership program and the positive benefits the program is having on Aboriginal families in the Shepparton area. Rumbalara was interested in evaluating their program and it was agreed that the CRCAH would assist Rumblara with the evaluation process. CRCAH Program Manager Vanessa Harris and Nea Harrison visited Rumbalara in October, to start discussions on supporting an evaluation. The Home Ownership program currently owns and administers 60 houses in and around Shepparton and has been running for approximately 2 years. Preliminary discussions included highlighting the need to track new home owners and to evaluate the benefits on home ownership; to collect baseline data on a range of health issues such as history and habits of home owners over a period of 12 months to 2 years and eventually incorporating the evaluation outcomes into long term planning and allocations for families. |
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Developing a Resource to Support Best Practice Research in Indigenous Communities One of the roles of the CRCAH is to help build the capacity of the Indigenous health research sector to use and participate in research. The CRCAH is undertaking a project to develop a resource which will help fulfil this role. The resource will be an easy to read manual presenting useful information for research supervisors, for developing researchers and on research in Indigenous communities. This manual is intended to be a hands-on resource in the field and a resource to support training. The research manual will:
An expert working group will be appointed to guide the writing task of the project officer. Manual content will focus on:
Getting started…
The first task in this project is a mapping exercise to locate and record existing accredited courses/course units offering relevant training for research in Indigenous communities. If you can provide information please complete the attached “Course Information” form OR provide sufficient information for the project officer to follow up.
The project team needs to start gathering useful information about relevant resources including people, print and web publications, studies, projects and case studies to include in the manual. To start the process of gathering information for this important manual there will be a workshop, Building Aboriginal Research Capacity - a Guide to Practice conducted by Diane Walker at the upcoming CRCAH 2006 Symposium. See Symposium program for further details. Return information by email or post to Alison Laycock , Project Consultant on alipat@adelaide.on.net by 15 December 2006. If you would like more information about this project or you are interested in getting involved in manual development please contact; |
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| Cairns Community Forum Attracts Big Turn Out |
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More than a hundred Far North Queenslanders turned out for the CRCAH-sponsored Aboriginal Community Health Forum held on October 18. The forum was co-hosted by five Aboriginal health services in the region: • Apunipima Cape York Health Council ( Cape York ) • Wu Chopperen Health Service ( Cairns and region) • Gurriny Yealamucka Health Service (Yarrabah) • Mamu Health Service (Innisfail) • Mulungu (Mareeba) The meeting was initiated by the CRCAH as part of our efforts to expand our networks into every region in Australia . After discussion with the five local health services it was decided to use the forum as an opportunity to explore options for community-controlled health services and review models, concepts and practicalities of establishing community control. Plans by both Cape York and Yarrabah to move towards Aboriginal-control of health service delivery were a major focus of the Cairns forum which heard presentations from each of the five health services and researchers from both James Cook University and the University of Queensland. Of particular interest was a detailed description of the history of collaboration between JCU, UQ and the Yarrabah Aboriginal community. Other highlights of the day were a panel discussion on community control, governance and representation which included Gregory Phillips from the University of Melbourne , Terry O'Shane, CEO of the Aboriginal & Islander Alcohol Relief Service, Tanya Hosch, a consultant with an interest in governance and representation and Dr Mark Wenitong, President of the Australian Indigenous Doctors Association. The crowd was treated to performances by two local dance groups, the Yirrakandji dancers and Yarrabah's Yabba Bimbi dancers who performed a special “health dance” which tells the story of the growth of the Yarrabah Men's group and the need for men to support each other. Amongst the participants were five young Murri students from the local Djarragun College who came to listen to the discussion. Apunipima and the CRCAH are planing visits to Djarragun in the future as part of our education and training activities within the CRCAH Capacity Development Strategy. Members of local health councils from Cape York's Lockhart River , Aurukun, Coen and Hopevale also attended. A media release was distributed and local media, including ABC, the Cairns Post and WIN and Channel 7 TV, gave the event good coverage. A CRCAH discussion paper is being drafted as we go to publication and will be distributed as part of the CRCAH's effort to promote discussion and debate around important issues affecting the Aboriginal health sector. A short DVD highlighting the forum will also be available for distribution shortly. To order copies of the discussion paper and DVD contact Alastair Harris at alastair.harris@crcah.org.au For further information:
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Planning for the CRCAH 2006 Symposium (formerly Convocation) is progressing well with an interesting program nearing finalisation for the meeting being held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Adelaide from November 14 -16. On Tuesday afternoon at 2.30 representatives from the Aboriginal community health sector will hold a preliminary meeting. Two exciting key note speakers have been confirmed for the Symposium; Social Justice Commissioner (www.hreoc.gov.au/social_justice/index.html ), Tom Calma will address the meeting at 10.00 am on Wednesday November 15 on the subject of Health Equity and Human Rights; and Mohawk Elder and community leader from Kahnawake, Amelia McGregor, will speak about the Kahnawake Schools Diabetes Prevention Project ( www.ksdpp.org ) . Amelia, who is visiting Australia from Canada to attend the Indigenous Diabetes Conference in Melbourne will provide a community perspective on the project and discuss future directions for the prevention of type 2 diabetes in Aboriginal communities. Following Tom Calma's address, Thursday morning will see a session run by Darren Dick, Director of the Human Rights Commission's Social Justice Unit and Dr Ngiare Brown on the HREOC's proposed summit on health equality. Other sessions planned for the two day Symposium include presentations from the five CRCAH Programs which will incorporate specific research projects. Amongst these will be presentations from Men's Health groups, the Arnhemland Healthy Skin project, the Aboriginal People Travelling Well project, and the Coordinated Aboriginal Mental Health Care project from Port Lincoln. Wendy Edmondson will present her scoping paper from the Social and Emotional Wellbeing Program's Roundtable. Workshops on Writing for Publication, Building Aboriginal Research Capacity and the importance of data collection in managing improvements in health service delivery will also be a feature of the Symposium. Health representatives from North Queensland's Yarrabah community will jointly present with the University of Queensland a workshop on Building Effective Community/Researcher Partnerships. Delegates will be welcomed to Country by the Kaurna Dance Group and entertained at the Symposium dinner by local comedian Diat Alferink. All meals will be provided and a Symposium dinner will be held at the Hyatt on Wednesday evening. Local DJ, Julian Kovacs will be spinning tunes and all participants will be expected to join Mick Gooda on the dance floor. Program detail will soon be posted on the CRCAH website www.crcah.org.au Finally the CRCAH would like to thank the Kaurna people for allowing us to hold this important meeting on their land and to use words from their Kaurna language, Ngadluko Taikurringga Ngutto – the Knowledge We Share, to properly name the 2006 Symposium. |
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| The diagnosis and management by of the debilitating and sometimes fatal rheumatic heart disease has been enhanced by the release of new guidelines for doctors and other health workers.
The guidelines are part of an evidence-based review of the diagnosis and management of Acute Rheumatic Fever (ARF) and Rheumatic Heart Disease ( RHD ). Organised and undertaken by the National Heart Foundation and the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand. Launched nationally in June the guidelines were launched in the NT, with the assistance of the CRCAH Communications Unit, in early November by NT health Minister Chris Burns. Virtually unknown in non-Indigenous populations, ARF typically attacks young Indigenous children aged 5 – 14 years. There are no reported cases among corresponding groups of other Australian children. A preventable illness caused by a reaction to a bacterial infection which often causes great pain and distress and can also acutely affect the joints, brain and skin, ARF can result in lasting damage to the heart ( RHD ) and can cause life-long disability and premature death. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are up to eight times more likely than non-Indigenous Australians to be hospitalised for ARF and RHD and are nearly 20 times more likely to die from these conditions. CRCAH Board member, Professor Jonathan Carapetis, who chaired the guidelines writing group, told Gwalwa-Gai that the launch was a significant step in attempts by Aboriginal people and the health sector to eradicate a preventable disease which causes numerous premature deaths every year in northern and central Australia. “There is no reason why any Australian child should die from this condition and these guidelines will ensure health professionals are better equipped to diagnose and treat the disease”, said Professor Carapetis. Paula Arnol of Darwin 's Danila Dilba Heath Service, welcomed the guidelines. “Any improvements to the treatment of this disease will save lives and reduce the suffering of RHD patients and their families and that's a priority for the Aboriginal health sector,” she said. The NT launch also heard from Aboriginal mother-of-seven and RHD sufferer Lynette Hoffman who described the painful treatment she received for the disease which culminated with open-heart surgery to replace damaged heart valves. For more information: http://www.heartfoundation.com.au/downloads/ARF_RHD_PP-590_Diag-Mgnt_Evidence-Review_0606.pdf
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The Indigenous Ear InfoNet and InfoNetwork went on line in March this year.
The web resource, a one stop shop for health and education workers who need information about middle ear disease and the associated hearing loss, aims to provide practical evidence-based information in a user friendly format. The email based Network aims to improve communication and collaboration between people working in this important area. Indigenous health and education workers, audiologists, health department managers, GP's, ENT specialists, researchers, speech therapists and nurses from urban, rural and remote settings all over Australia have joined the Network. As the word spreads, more and more people who often work in relative isolation are joining each month, highlighting the desire they have to communicate with others working in this field. There are currently 66 members and there have been 10 new members join up in the last month.
Check out the Ear InfoNet at: http://www.healthinfonet.ecu. If you don't work in the area of ear health or Indigenous education but you know someone who does, please forward them this link. |
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Trainee commences at the University of Melbourne , Onemda VicHealth Koori Health Unit |
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The Australian Federation of University Women – South Australia Inc Trust Fund currently have bursaries on offer for 2007. The Jean Gilmore, Thenie Baddams and Daphne Elliot Bursaries These Bursaries are open to women with a good Honours degree or equivalent to assist with research towards a Master's by Research or PhD degree at any Australian university. There is no restriction on field of study. Applicants must have completed one year of postgraduate research. The amount of Bursary will not exceed $6,000, but may be less depending on the requirements of each successful applicant. A lodgement fee of $ 12.00 applies. The AFUW-SA Inc. Trust Fund Bursary The Bursary is open to women with a good undergraduate academic record to assist with a Master's by Coursework degree or a Doctorate where the major component is coursework at any Australian university. There is no restriction on field of study. No lodgement fee is required whey applying for this Bursary. The bursary is up to $4,000. Internal closing date is 8 th February, 2007. For Further Information: http://www.afuw.org.au/index.htm |
In our efforts to build the capacity of Aboriginal people to fully participate in the health sector the CRCAH is providing support for a trainee, Adam Moffatt, to commence training at Onemda. The traineeship recognises that there are many pathways that Aboriginal people can take by to work in health research. The CRCAH envisages that these two trainees will gain ongoing work at the University of Melbourne , go on to further studies or work in the area of Aboriginal health. The CRCAH through its Capacity Development Strategy is proud to assist and support young people who wish to work or study in the area of Aboriginal Health. Adam Moffatt is an IT Website Administration trainee for Onemda. He has qualifications in the Multi-media industry which includes knowledge in areas such as website design and computer animations.
Adam prefers the design side of Multi-media and enjoys creating digital graphics, he also has a keen interest in 3d modelling. Adam was born in Bairnsdale in the Gippsland area where he lived until he was 4, he then moved to Roxbrough Park of Melbourne where he has lived for the past 14 years. |
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The National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health is seeking enthusiastic people who share a commitment to increase the public health education and research capacity of Indigenous communities.
outcomes for the benefit of your own and the general community. NCEPH provides opportunities for either short or long-term study, in coursework or research programs. NCEPH supports Indigenous applicants through:
(MAE), a two year, field-based program with twice yearly intensive coursework on campus.
Information and Application material: NCEPH Student Office E: nceph.student.office@anu.edu.au T: 02 6125 2790 |
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