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Research

Aboriginal children and families contend with higher rates of preventable infectious diseases that can be attributed to their immediate living environment. The environments in which children spend most of their time are their homes and schools. We aimed to understand the opportunities in the school setting to support student skin health and wellbeing through environmental health activities, how these activities were completed, and the barriers to their implementation.

Research

Although essential for overall health and wellbeing, little is known about skin health in urban-living Australian Aboriginal children. This co-designed, research-service project aimed to describe skin health and document skin disease frequency in urban-living Aboriginal children and young people in Western Australia and investigate housing associations for skin infections.

Research

Integrating First Nations knowledge systems and Western research methodologies recognizes the strength, experience, and insight of First Nations peoples in addressing health issues in their communities. In research, this includes projects being led by First Nations Elders and peoples, including First Nations researchers in the team, and collecting data in ways that reflect First Nations ways of knowing, being, and doing.

Research

Evidence about the association between maternal mental health disorders and stillbirth and infant mortality is limited and conflicting. We aimed to examine whether maternal prenatal mental health disorders are associated with stillbirth and/or infant mortality. MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, and Scopus were searched for studies examining the association of any maternal prenatal (occurring before or during pregnancy) mental health disorder(s) and stillbirth or infant mortality. A random-effects meta-analysis was used to calculate pooled odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The between-study heterogeneity was quantified using the I2 statistic. Subgroup analyses were performed to identify the source of heterogeneity.

Research

Chronic wet cough in children is the hallmark symptom of protracted bacterial bronchitis (PBB) and if left untreated can lead to bronchiectasis, which is prevalent in Indigenous populations. Underrecognition of chronic wet cough by parents and clinicians and underdiagnosis of PBB by clinicians are known.

Research

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is a condition caused by prenatal exposure to alcohol and characterised by severe neurodevelopmental impairment which have lifelong implications. Impairments in executive function, memory, cognition, language and attention are common, and can lead to early and repeat engagement with the criminal justice system.

Research

In the ongoing debate on optimum methods for identification of Indigenous people within linked administrative data, few studies have examined the impacts of method on population counts and outcomes in family-based linkage studies of Aboriginal children.

Research

Risk-based recommendations are common for pneumococcal vaccines but little is known about their uptake. In Australia, pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) was funded only for Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander (Indigenous) children and those with underlying medical conditions in 2001, and then there were different booster dose recommendations depending on risk after the introduction of universal PCV vaccination in 2005.

Research

Indigenous people tend to exhibit a higher burden of disability than their non-Indigenous counterparts, and are often underserved by disability services. Engaging appropriately with Indigenous communities, families and individuals in the initial stages of disability assessment and planning is crucial in order to build trust and understanding of disability service models and ensure that Indigenous people receive support that is tailored to their needs and cultural realities. This article aims to identify key elements of culturally competent communication in Indigenous disability assessment and planning, and provide recommendations for strengthening capacity in this area.

Research

The RHD Endgame Strategy: the blueprint to eliminate rheumatic heart disease in Australia by 2031 (the Endgame Strategy) is the blueprint to eliminate rheumatic heart disease (RHD) in Australia by 2031. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people live with one of the highest per capita burdens of RHD in the world.