Lowitja Institute Repository
We are Australia’s only Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community controlled health research institute, named in honour of our namesake and co-patron, the late Dr Lowitja O’Donoghue AC CBE DSG. We deliver high-impact quality research, knowledge exchange, and by supporting a new generation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health researchers. This repository contains information on Lowitja research outputs.
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Browsing Lowitja Institute Repository by Subject "Cardiovascular health"
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Item Cardiovascular disease risk in young Indigenous Australians: a snapshot of current preventive health care.(2016-11-08) Crinall B.; Boyle J.; Gibson-Helm M.; Esler D.; Larkins S.; Bailie R.Objective: To examine preventive health attendance and recording of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease risk factors and their management in young Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islanders (Indigenous Australians) at primary health care centres (PHCs). Method(s): This descriptive cross-sectional study audited medical records of 1,986 Indigenous people aged 15-34 years attending 93 Australian PHCs. Measurements included blood pressure (BP), blood glucose level (BGL), smoking status, body mass index (BMI) and lipid profile. Result(s): Last attendance was most commonly for acute care (46%); 12% attended for preventive assessment. BP was recorded in 85% (1,686/1,986), BGL 63% (1,244/1,986), smoking status 52% (1,033/1,986), BMI 37% (743/1,986) and lipids 31% (625/1,986). Of those with a recorded assessment, elevated BGL (39%, 479/1,244), smoking (63%, 649/1,033), overweight/obesity (51%, 381/743) and dyslipidaemia (73%, 458/625) were common. Follow-up of abnormal results was documented for elevated BP 28% (34/120), elevated BGL 17% (79/479), smoking 65% (421/649), overweight/obesity 11% (40/381) and abnormal lipids 16% (75/458). Conclusion(s): These findings highlight the importance of raising awareness and assessment of chronic disease risk factors in young Indigenous people and implementing preventive health care strategies. Implications: Strengthening the capacity of PHCs to provide preventive health care may contribute to reducing the chronic disease burden experienced by young Indigenous people. Copyright © 2016 Public Health Association of AustraliaItem Identifying psychosocial mediators of health amongst Indigenous Australians for the heart health project.(2008-09-15) Reilly R.E.; Doyle J.; Bretherton D.; Rowley K.G.; Harvey J.L.; Briggs P.; Charles S.; Calleja J.; Patten R.; Atkinson V.Objective. The Heart Health Project is an ongoing community-directed health promotion programme encompassing the collection of health-related data and interventions promoting cardiovascular health. Following research which has emphasised the importance of psychological factors including mastery, or personal control, in mitigating cardiovascular health outcomes, this qualitative study explored whether such constructs were relevant from Indigenous perspectives, or whether there were other, more meaningful and relevant psychosocial factors identified by participants that should be incorporated into models of Indigenous health and which could be effective targets for change. Design. The study fits within the broader participatory action research design of the Heart Health Project. Data comprised 30 in-depth interviews with members of a rural Aboriginal community in south-eastern Australia to identify psychosocial factors relevant to their health. Interviews were semi-structured and carried out by two interviewers, one Aboriginal and one non-Aboriginal. Qualitative analysis using QN6 software resulted in a number of salient themes and sub-themes. These are summarised using extracts from the data. Results/Conclusions. Five major themes and 15 sub-themes emerged from data analysis. The findings indicated that while a sense of control may be one factor impacting on health and health behaviours, there were other factors that participants spoke about more readily that have specific relevance to the social and cultural context of Indigenous health. These included history, relationship with mainstream and connectedness. These may be worthy of further empirical investigation and are likely to assist in the design of community health promotion interventions for Aboriginal people. © 2008 Taylor & Francis.