ORCID Profile
0000-0003-0713-7803
Current Organisation
University of Sydney
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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health | Environmental Science and Management | Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Environmental Knowledge | Environmental Management
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health - Determinants of Health | Health Inequalities | Environmental Health |
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 06-06-2023
Abstract: This study explores the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the work and social and emotional well-being (SEWB) of staff at Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHS) in Australia. Between September and November 2021, staff from three ACCHSs in New South Wales completed an online survey to report changes to their roles, concerns about becoming infected with the COVID-19 virus, and job satisfaction in the last month. The survey measured emotional exhaustion and psychological distress by using the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey and Kessler-5 scale, respectively. The survey determined staff’s access to SEWB support. Descriptive statistics were calculated for each variable. Among 92 staff from three ACCHSs, 36% reported a COVID-19-related change in their role and 64% were concerned about becoming infected. In spite of the pandemic, most staff (69%) were satisfied with their job. While most staff were not burnt out or psychologically distressed, 25% had high emotional exhaustion and 30% had high to very high psychological distress. Relatedly, 37% had accessed SEWB support at least once in their lifetime and 24% had accessed support in the last month. As the pandemic continues, it is important to identify factors influencing burnout or psychological distress among ACCHS staff and implement evidence-based solutions.
Publisher: The Sax Institute
Date: 11-2022
DOI: 10.57022/PRGE4182
Abstract: [placeholder] Aboriginal Affairs NSW, Department of Premier and Cabinet commissioned and funded this research and we extend our thanks for their support of this project. The views expressed in this paper are those of the authors and may not reflect those of Aboriginal Affairs NSW or the New South Wales Government.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2023
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2021
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 21-07-2021
Abstract: Wellbeing is culturally bound and is shaped by many aspects of life, including experiences, beliefs and values. As such, in order to accurately measure wellbeing for a specific cultural group, it is necessary to understand the experiences, beliefs and values that influence the conception and experience of wellbeing of that group. This paper presents a conceptual model of wellbeing for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, which was developed from a large national qualitative study that explored the views of 359 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults. An Aboriginal- and Torres Strait Islander-led research team used an Indigenist research approach to iteratively develop this conceptual model, called the Fabric of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Wellbeing model, which takes inspiration from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander weaving traditions whereby in idual strands are twined to create fabrics that are both beautiful and strong. This reflects our findings that the parts of life that are most important to wellbeing for many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are interwoven with their families, communities and culture.
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 03-03-2020
Abstract: Learning management systems have become a key component of teaching and learning in higher education. However, the evidence on the importance of learning management systems to learning is still in its infancy. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the role that the Canvas learning management system played in the Sydney School of Public Health at the University of Sydney, Australia. To do this, we conducted interviews with lecturers ( n = 9) and postgraduate coursework students ( n = 7) from the School during Semester 2, 2018. We analysed the interviews thematically, identifying one overarching theme: that Canvas is predominantly used and perceived as an information repository by teaching academics and students. This means that lecturers place course materials on the learning management system for students to use and are making limited use of other, more interactive features of the learning management system, despite interaction being seen as essential to effective teaching and learning. This use of Canvas was explained by two factors: (1) face-to-face learning is perceived as superior to online learning and (2) the existence of skill and capacity barriers that hinder improved online teaching and learning practice, even where professional development opportunities exist for lecturers. We argue that this represents suboptimal use of a learning management system, especially when online learning is likely to become more significant in the coming years. To address this issue, we recommend employing and appropriately resourcing educational designers within higher education settings. These specialists can aid lecturers in the creation of genuinely interactive online environments so that the benefits of online teaching and learning can be fully realised.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 17-03-2021
DOI: 10.1111/HEX.13230
Abstract: Evaluations of health interventions for Indigenous peoples rarely report outcomes that reflect participant and community perspectives of their experiences. Inclusion of such data may provide a fuller picture of the impact of health programmes and improve the usefulness of evaluation assessments. To describe stakeholder perspectives and experiences of the implementation and impact of Indigenous health programmes. We conducted a systematic review of qualitative studies evaluating complex health interventions designed for Indigenous communities in high‐income countries. We searched 6 electronic databases (through to January 2020): MEDLINE, PreMEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, EconLit and CINAHL and hand‐searched reference lists of relevant articles. From 28 studies involving 677 stakeholders (mostly clinical staff and participants), six main themes were identified: enabling engagement, regaining control of health, improving social health and belonging, preserving community and culture, cultivating hope for a better life, and threats to long‐term programme viability. The prominence of social, emotional and spiritual well‐being as important aspects of the health journey for participants in this review highlights the need to reframe evaluations of health programmes implemented in Indigenous communities away from assessments that focus on commonly used biomedical measures. Evaluators, in consultation with the community, should consistently assess the capacity of health professionals to meet community needs and expectations throughout the life of the programme. Evaluations that include qualitative data on participant and community‐level outcomes can improve decision‐makers' understanding of the impact that health programmes have on communities. This paper is a review of evaluation studies and did not involve patients or the public.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 05-04-2023
DOI: 10.1002/HPJA.600
Abstract: Physical activity participation can improve the physical health and social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The evaluation of physical activity programmes can elicit a clearer understanding of where these impacts occur and to what extent. We describe applying a collaborative approach to the selection of a set of measures that can be used to examine health and wellbeing impacts of Indigenous community running groups. Physical activity, health and wellbeing measurement tools previously used with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples were collated. Participants in the collaborative process were nine female running group members aged 30+ years from a regional New South Wales (NSW) town. The Indigenous research method, Yarning, explored views of participating in the group on health and wellbeing and how these could be measured using those collated measurement tools. Runners described participating for holistic physical, mental and social reasons and stated the importance of the group participating together and providing social support to each other. There was broad support for the identified physical activity, lifestyle, physical health, and social and emotional wellbeing measures, with social networks and sports injuries identified as additionally relevant. Co‐selecting measures to evaluate a physical activity programme for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participants can better inform the development of relevant future healthy lifestyle programme evaluation, revealing factors that may be missed as relevant by researchers. This process presents an ex le of determining evaluation measures with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participants that could be applied more broadly to evaluation design.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 31-01-2023
Abstract: Solastalgia is a term used to describe the pain and distress experienced by those witnessing their home environments destroyed or changed in unwelcome ways. Solastalgia is expected to become more prominent as climate change worsens and transforms landscapes. This scoping review examines and maps the existing literature on solastalgia in Australia, particularly focusing on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander experiences. Four focus questions guided the review to explore how solastalgia is conceptualized, highlight risk and protective factors, and identify strategies for addressing solastalgia. Eighteen papers met the criteria for inclusion. Overall, our results show a minimal evidence base on solastalgia in Australia with an even greater gap in exploring solastalgia from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives. A strong connection to home environments was suggested as both a risk and protective factor for experiencing solastalgia. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are considered at risk due to intimate connections to home environments, and since the invasion, have experienced mental distress resulting from significant, damaging changes to landscapes and home environments. We recommend further exploration of lived experiences of solastalgia across a greater ersity of Australian contexts, particularly amongst Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, including a focus on practical implications.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 23-10-2020
DOI: 10.1186/S12939-020-01301-5
Abstract: In Australia, models of care have been developed to train antenatal care providers to promote oral health among pregnant women. However, these models are underpinned by Western values of maternity care that do not consider the cultural needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women. This study aimed to explore the perceptions and experiences of Aboriginal health staff towards oral health care during pregnancy. It is part of a larger program of research to develop a new, culturally safe model of oral health care for Aboriginal women during pregnancy. A descriptive qualitative methodology informed the study. Focus groups were convened to yarn with Aboriginal Health Workers, Family Partnership Workers and Aboriginal management staff at two antenatal health services in Sydney, Australia. A total of 14 people participated in the focus groups. There were four themes that were constructed. These focused on Aboriginal Health Workers and Family Partnership Workers identifying their role in promoting maternal oral health, where adequate training is provided and where trust has been developed with clients. Yet, because the Aboriginal health staff work in a system fundamentally driven by the legacy of colonisation, it has significantly contributed to the systemic barriers Aboriginal pregnant women continue to face in accessing health services, including dental care. The participants recommended that a priority dental referral pathway, that supported continuity of care, could provide increased accessibility to dental care. The Aboriginal health staff identified the potential role of Aboriginal Health Workers and Family Partnership Workers promoting oral health among Aboriginal pregnant women. To develop an effective oral health model of care among Aboriginal women during pregnancy, there is the need for training of Aboriginal Health Workers and Family Partnership Workers in oral health. Including Aboriginal staff at every stage of a dental referral pathway could reduce the fear of accessing mainstream health institutions and also promote continuity of care. Although broader oral health policies still need to be changed, this model could mitigate some of the barriers between Aboriginal women and both dental care providers and healthcare systems.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 18-01-2023
Abstract: This article assesses the accessibility of mainstream mental health services (MMHSs) in two regions of New South Wales (NSW), Australia, based on experiences and perspectives of Aboriginal young people aged 16–25. Semi-structured yarning interviews were conducted with thirteen Aboriginal young people in two regions of NSW. Thematic analysis was undertaken by all research team members to identify major themes from the data and conceptual connections between them. The identified themes from in idual analysis and coding were triangulated during several analysis meetings to finalise the key themes and findings. Aboriginal young people had no experience of engaging with early-intervention MMHSs. MMHSs were identified as inaccessible, with most participants unaware that MMHSs existed in each region. Due to MMHSs being inaccessible, many Aboriginal young people presented to emergency departments (EDs) during a crisis. Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHSs) were identified as key providers of accessible, culturally meaningful, and effective social and emotional wellbeing (SEWB) service support for Aboriginal young people in NSW. If health and wellbeing outcomes are to improve for Aboriginal young people in NSW, MMHSs must increase accessibility for Aboriginal young people requiring SEWB support.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2019
DOI: 10.1016/J.SOCSCIMED.2019.06.004
Abstract: There are significant health and social disparities between the world's Indigenous and non-Indigenous people on factors likely to influence quality of life (QOL) and wellbeing. However, these disparities in wellbeing are not captured in conventional QOL instruments, as they often do not include dimensions that are likely to be relevant to Indigenous people. The objective of this comprehensive literature review was to identify these wellbeing domains for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia (hereafter, respectfully referred to collectively as Indigenous Australians). We searched PsycINFO, MEDLINE, Econlit, CINAHL, and Embase (from inception to June 2017, and updated in March 2019), and grey literature sources using keywords relating to adult Indigenous Australians' QOL and wellbeing. From 278 full-text articles assessed for eligibility, 95 were included in a thematic analysis. This synthesis revealed nine broad interconnected wellbeing dimensions: autonomy, empowerment and recognition family and community culture, spirituality and identity Country basic needs work, roles and responsibilities education physical health and mental health. The findings suggest domains of wellbeing relevant to and valued by Indigenous Australians that may not be included in existing QOL and wellbeing instruments, domains that may be shared with Indigenous populations globally. This indicates the need for a tailored wellbeing instrument that includes factors relevant to Indigenous Australians. Developing such an instrument will ensure meaningful, culturally-relevant measurement of Indigenous Australians' wellbeing.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 17-11-2020
DOI: 10.1186/S12889-020-09821-Z
Abstract: Understandings of health and wellbeing are culturally bound. Many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people perceive wellbeing and quality of life (QOL) differently from the Western biomedical models of health underpinning existing QOL instruments. Any instrument to measure the wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be culturally appropriate and safe, include relevant dimensions, and be informed by their own values and preferences. Existing QOL instruments do not meet these standards. This study will generate a new preference-based wellbeing measure, WM2Adults, for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults, underpinned by their values and preferences. A mixed methods approach will be used we will employ decolonising methodologies, privilege Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices and perspectives, and adopt a strengths-based approach rather than a deficit lens. Yarning Circles will be conducted with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across Australia. A candidate item pool will be developed from these data, on which psychometric analysis and validity testing will be undertaken to develop a descriptive system. Following finalisation of the descriptive system, wellbeing states will be valued using a quantitative preference-based approach (best-worst scaling) with a erse s le of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults ( n = 1000). A multinomial (conditional) logit framework will be used to analyse responses and generate a scoring algorithm for the new preference-based WM2Adults measure. The new wellbeing measure will have wide applicability in assessing the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of new programs and services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Results will be disseminated through journals, conferences and policy forums, and will be shared with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, organisations and research participants.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 11-09-2021
Abstract: Background: this study aimed to develop and pilot test the model of care, Grinnin’ Up Mums & Bubs, to train Aboriginal Health Workers to promote oral health among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander pregnant women. Methods: Participatory Action Research was employed to develop the different components of the model (oral health promotion resources, training workshop, and a culturally safe referral pathway to dental services). The model was piloted (pre-post), using an embedded mixed-methods design, to determine the acceptability, satisfaction, and any recommendations made by seven Aboriginal Health Workers at an antenatal service in Western Sydney, Australia. Results: there was a high level of satisfaction with the components of the model of care among the participants, who believed that the model could be integrated into practice. The training showed some improvement in oral health knowledge and confidence. The participants recommended strategies for discussing oral health with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander pregnant women, and changes in public health dental policy to ensure that all women would be able to access affordable dental services through the referral pathway. Conclusion: the findings suggest a high level of satisfaction with the model of care among the Aboriginal Health Workers. Further evaluation is needed to confirm the short and long-term impact of the model.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 13-07-2023
DOI: 10.3390/NU15143127
Abstract: Access to food is a right that every in idual must have to ensure a standard of living that is sufficient for maintaining good health and wellbeing. This review, developed and implemented by a team of First Nations and non-First Nations peoples, aimed to scope the literature on programs addressing food security for First Nations peoples in Australia, Aotearoa/New Zealand, Canada, and the United States of America. Collectively, First Nations groups share continued traumas, disadvantages, and devastation brought upon them as a result of British colonisation. Despite the impacts of colonial conquest, the resilience of First Nations peoples continues through the fight for self-determination, sovereignty, equity, and equality. Three databases and grey literature were searched from 2010. Two reviewers completed screening, data extraction, and critical appraisal. Nine food security programs were included in this review. Five were from the United States of America and four from Canada, with no program from Australia or Aotearoa/New Zealand meeting the inclusion criteria. The programs that appear to be most suitable for addressing food security for First Nations peoples were participatory in design, had community governance, integrated cultural knowledge and food systems to increase the accessibility and availability of cultural foods, incorporated educational components, and utilized collaborations among various agencies. Findings showed that while it is important to address short-term emergency food relief, the aim should be sustainable food security through a longer-term system and policy change underpinned by co-designed research and evaluation.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 29-07-2021
Abstract: The aim of this study was to explore whether oral health was an important consideration for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women during pregnancy, whether oral health could be promoted by Aboriginal health staff, and strategies that would be appropriate to use in a new model of care. A qualitative descriptive methodology underpinned the study. All participants in this study identified as Aboriginal, with no Torres Strait Islander participants, and were from New South Wales, Australia. The interviews were analysed using inductive thematic analysis. From the data, two themes were constructed. The first theme identified that oral health was not always the first priority for participants as poor accessibility alongside other competing commitments were challenges to accessing oral health services. The second theme highlighted how relationships with personal networks and healthcare providers were essential and could be used to support maternal oral health during pregnancy. Effective strategies to promote oral health during pregnancy for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women should involve key stakeholders and health care providers, like Aboriginal Health Workers, to facilitate culturally safe support and tailored oral health advice.
Publisher: Medknow
Date: 2014
Abstract: The University of Sydney's Graduate Diploma in Indigenous Health Promotion (GDIHP) and Masters of International Public Health (MIPH) students have expressed a consistent desire to engage more with each other through student tutorials or any small group activity. MIPH students have expressed an interest in learning about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanderpeople and their health issues recognising contextual similarities in health priorities and social-cultural determinants. A and TSI students enrolled in the GDIHP have traditionally had very little contact with other students and are often unaware of the innovative solutions implemented in developing countries. Through this inclusive teaching innovation the MIPH and GDIHP programmes utilised ersity in the student population and responded to the University's Strategic Plan to promote and enhance pathways for supporting Indigenous students. This innovation provided an opportunity for both groups to learn more about each other as they develop into globally competitive public health practitioners. The 'Beyond Borders' initiative exposed MIPH and GDIHP students to problem-based learning that incorporated global perspectives as well as focusing on the very specific and unique realities of life in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Both student cohorts reported that the knowledge and skill exchange was highly valuable and contributed to their development as health professionals. This simple yet effective initiative created a sustainable cross-cultural, interdisciplinary and community-oriented partnership that benefited all involved and assisted in addressing health inequities in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and in developing countries.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 21-10-2022
Abstract: Indigenous children and young people (hereafter youth) across CANZUS nations embody a rich ersity of cultures and traditions. Despite the immense challenges facing these youth, many harness cultural and personal strengths to protect and promote their wellbeing. To support this for all youth, it is critical to understand what contributes to their wellbeing. This review aims to identify components contributing to wellbeing for Indigenous youth in CANZUS nations. Five databases were searched from inception to August 2022. Papers were eligible if they: focused on Indigenous youth in CANZUS nations included views of youth or proxies and focused on at least one aspect of wellbeing. We identified 105 articles for inclusion (Canada n = 42, Australia n = 27, Aotearoa New Zealand n = 8, USA n = 28) and our analysis revealed a range of thematic areas within each nation that impact wellbeing for Indigenous youth. Findings highlight the unique challenges facing Indigenous youth, as well as their immense capacity to harness cultural and personal strengths to navigate into an uncertain future. The commonalities of Indigenous youth wellbeing across these nations provide valuable insights into how information and approaches can be shared across borders to the benefit of all Indigenous youth and future generations.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 23-10-2020
DOI: 10.1186/S12913-020-05804-3
Abstract: Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health professionals often juggle the challenges of working and living in the same community in ways that are positive for both themselves and their clients. This study specifically examines the strategies Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health professionals have developed to enable them to feel empowered by the sense of being always visible or perceived as being always available. Findings provide ex les of how participants (Team Members) established a seamless working self, including how they often held different perspectives to many work colleagues, how Team Members were always visible to community and how Team Members were comfortable to be seen as working when not at work. This qualitative study engages an Indigenous research methodology and uses an Indigenous method, PhotoYarning, to explore lived experiences of a group ( n = 15) of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workers as they worked in the Australian health sector. The analysis presented here comes from data generated through PhotoYarning sessions. Team Members in this study all work in health care settings in the communities in which they also live, they manage an extremely complex network of interactions and relationships in their daily working lives. They occupy an ambivalent, and sometimes ambiguous, position as representing both their health profession and their community. This article explores ex les of what working with seamlessness involved, with findings citing four main themes: (1) Being fellow members of their cultural community, (2) the feeling of always being visible to community as a health worker, (3) the feeling of always being available as a health worker to community even when not at work and (4) the need to set an ex le. While creating the seamlessness of working and living in the same community was not easy, Team Members considered it an important feature of the work they did and vital if they were to be able to provide quality health service to their community. However, they reported that the seamless working self was at odds with the way many of their non-Indigenous Australian colleagues worked and it was not well understood.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 23-03-2018
DOI: 10.1002/HPJA.43
Abstract: Physical inactivity is a key health risk among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (Indigenous) Australians. We examined perceptions of the Indigenous Marathon Program (IMP) in a remote Torres Strait island community. Semi-structured interviews with community and program stakeholders (n = 18 14 Indigenous) examined barriers and enablers to running and the influence of the IMP on the community. A questionnaire asked 104 running event participants (n = 42 Indigenous) about their physical activity behaviours, running motivation and perceptions of program impact. Qualitative data were analysed using thematic content analysis, and quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics. Interviews revealed six main themes: community readiness, changing social norms to adopt healthy lifestyles, importance of social support, program appeal to hard-to-reach population groups, program sustainability and initiation of broader healthy lifestyle ripple effects beyond running. Barriers to running in the community were personal (cultural attitudes shyness) and environmental (infrastructure weather dogs). Enablers reflected potential strategies to overcome described barriers. Indigenous questionnaire respondents were more likely to report being inspired to run by IMP runners than non-Indigenous respondents. Positive "ripple" effects of the IMP on running and broader health were described to have occurred through local role modelling of healthy lifestyles by IMP runners that reduced levels of "shame" and embarrassment, a common barrier to physical activity among Indigenous Australians. A high initial level of community readiness for behaviour change was also reported. SO WHAT?: Strategies to overcome this "shame" factor and community readiness measurement should be incorporated into the design of future Indigenous physical activity programs.
Publisher: The Sax Institute
Date: 12-2019
DOI: 10.17061/PHRP2941925
Abstract: Childhood obesity poses an urgent and serious public health challenge in Australia. Aboriginal children are more profoundly affected than non-Aboriginal children, with the gap in weight status between the two groups widening, indicating an increased risk of metabolic disorders earlier in life. Obesity is the second biggest contributor (16%) to the gap in health status between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people. The bulk of this gap is attributable to people living in non-remote settings who make up 81% of the total Aboriginal population in Australia. The complex interplay of socio-environmental factors that contribute to obesity are well known and include prolonged financial stress associated with food insecurity, urbanisation, substandard and overcrowded housing, and lack of adequate access to health services. In addition, Aboriginal people, specifically, contend with the loss of traditional lands, and poor dietary behaviours due to the transition from traditional to Western diets as a result of colonisation. There are very few national policies and guidelines for obesity prevention and treatment for Australian children. This is especially the case for Aboriginal children. Most Australian states and territories have a suite of programs targeting obesity in childhood through healthy eating and active living strategies but with the exception of a few programs, the reach and effectiveness among Aboriginal children is either not known or has not been adequately assessed. Where programs have assessed Aboriginal participation, completion rates have generally been lower compared with the general population. The problem cannot be addressed without proper Aboriginal governance and leadership, and collaborative program development for Aboriginal-specific obesity interventions. Meaningful engagement and empowering Aboriginal communities to have control over programs that affect their health and wellbeing are more likely to result in positive health outcomes. Importantly, appropriate funding and support is essential to simultaneously facilitate the building of an Aboriginal health workforce to develop, coordinate, deliver and evaluate programs.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 20-09-2021
Abstract: Physical activity has cultural significance and population health benefits. However, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults may experience challenges in participating in physical activity. This mixed methods systematic review aimed to synthetize existing evidence on facilitators and barriers for physical activity participation experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults in Australia. The Joanna Briggs Institute methodology was used. A systematic search was undertaken of 11 databases and 14 grey literature websites during 2020. The included studies reported physical activity facilitators and barriers experienced by Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander participants aged 18+ years, living in the community. Twenty-seven studies met the inclusion criteria. Sixty-two facilitators were identified: 23 in idual, 18 interpersonal, 8 community/environmental and 13 policy rogram facilitators. Additionally, 63 barriers were identified: 21 in idual, 17 interpersonal, 15 community/environmental and 10 policy rogram barriers. Prominent facilitators included support from family, friends, and program staff, and opportunities to connect with community or culture. Prominent barriers included a lack of transport, financial constraints, lack of time, and competing work, family or cultural commitments. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults experience multiple facilitators and barriers to physical activity participation. Strategies to increase participation should seek to enhance facilitators and address barriers, collaboratively with communities, with consideration to the local context.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 08-06-2021
Abstract: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people experience a greater range of health and social disadvantages compared to other Australians. Wellbeing is a culturally-bound construct, and to date, a national evidence base around the components of wellbeing for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is lacking. Understanding and measurement of wellbeing for this population is critical in achieving health equity. This paper aims to identify and describe the foundations of wellbeing for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults. This national qualitative study was underpinned by an Indigenist research approach which privileges the voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults were purposively recruited from around Australia between September 2017 and September 2018 to participate in Yarning Circles, led by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander researchers. Yarning Circles were audio recorded, transcribed and analyzed. A Collaborative Yarning Methodology was used, which incorporated reflexive thematic analysis to identify and describe the foundations of wellbeing reported by participants. A total of 359 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults participated. Our analysis revealed five foundations of wellbeing: belonging and connection holistic health purpose and control dignity and respect and basic needs. These foundations were deeply interwoven by three interconnected aspects of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander life: family, community and culture. The findings of this study will substantially aid our efforts to develop a new wellbeing measure for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults. The iterative Indigenist methods used in this study provide a robust research methodology for conducting large-scale, nationally-relevant qualitative research with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Policies and practices that are informed by our results have the potential to address outcomes that are meaningful for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Location: No location found
Location: Australia
Location: Australia
Start Date: 08-2022
End Date: 08-2026
Amount: $1,389,000.00
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded Activity