Month: October 2003

Kelvin, Marilyn and Marlene grew up in Shoal Bay, NSW with their mother Grace and their extended family from the Worimi (located north of Newcastle in the Port Stephens area). All three have gone on to form part of the new wave of Indigenous medical graduates from NSW. Kelvin is presently training at John Hunter Hospital to be an ear nose and throat surgeon. Marilyn is training to be an obstetrician and Marlene is a qualified GP currently working in Sudan.

Kelvin and Marilyn acknowledge that their career aspirations have been inspired by a long line of strong women and by their firsthand experience and observations of the poor health of their community.

Their mother, the eldest in her family, didn’t have the opportunity to finish secondary school. However, after helping raise her siblings, she obtained her nursing qualifications. As one of the first Indigenous registered nurses in Australia she strove to address the health needs of her local Aboriginal community. Grace was a strong woman who instilled in her children pride for their Indigenous heritage. She never wavered in her support of their culture, and always explained the importance of their ancestry.

Kelvin feels that his achievements are a testament not only to his family, his mother, his community, and his ancestors, but also to the struggle that they and the Australian Aboriginal community have endured and continue to endure.

For further information:

View MJA full paper (HTML)
View MJA full paper (PDF – 340KB)
View interview transcript (HTML – GNT Health, ABC)

Australian of the Year and distinguished medical researcher Professor Fiona Stanley AC, launched the Health and Welfare of Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples 2003 on Friday 29 August at Indigenart, the Mossenson Gallery of Authentic Aboriginal Art in Perth.

Professor Stanley described the report as a rich source of information for anyone interested in the health and welfare of Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. She commented that the ‘report will be a valuable tool in the ongoing efforts of government and the community to understand the needs of, and improve services and outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.’

Professor Ted Wilkes (Curtin University of Technology and Institute for Child Health Research) noted that the report provided a grim Indigenous health snapshot, with life expectancy at birth estimated to be 20 years lower in the Indigenous population than in the total population. He was, however, optimistic about improvements for the next generation.

Dennis Trewin (Australian Statistician, ABS) acknowledged the progress in reporting Indigenous statistics but spoke of the quest for further improvements (view speech PDF – 32KB).

The report, by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) and the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), provides a current statistical overview of the health and wellbeing of Indigenous Australians. It covers information on a variety of health issues including health risks, ill health, mortality, community and health services, and social determinants such as, employment, income and housing. There are separate chapters on the health and welfare of Indigenous mothers and babies and on Torres Strait Islander people.

Statistics in the report demonstrate that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people experience greater disadvantage than other Australians in terms of their living conditions, vulnerability to risk factors, and ability to access health services. These factors increase their likelihood of poor health and contribute to the early onset of disease.

The report highlighted initiatives to improve health-related circumstances in Indigenous communities, including:

• the building of public pools in three remote Aboriginal communities in Western Australia;
• increased access to financial services and products to improve family budgeting and saving achieved through the Cape York Family Income Management project;
• improved birth weights and a reduction in perinatal mortality achieved through the Nganampa Health Council’s antenatal care program in South Australia;
• improved access to health services for the local Indigenous population through the establishment of a General Practitioner Aboriginal Health Clinic, in partnership between the Shoalhaven Division of General Practice and the Aboriginal community controlled South Coast Medical Service.

The Health and Welfare of Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples 2003 report (ABS Catalogue No. 4704.0, AIHW Catalogue No. IHW 11) is available from the ABS for $60. The ABS and AIHW websites have made the report (PDF – 4.75MB – large file warning!) available for downloading and provided details regarding how to obtain a hardcopy.

For further information:

View HealthInfoNet abstract
View ABS summary
View interview transcript (PM, Radio National)
View launch speech (Dennis Trewin)

Reference
1. Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2003) The health and welfare of Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people 2003. Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare and the Australian Bureau of Statistics

The 3rd National Indigenous Male Health Convention was held in Cairns, Queensland from 8-9 September 2003. The conference provided the opportunity for Indigenous men to review the cultural and social context of their health and to further develop the integration of traditional ways with contemporary best practice. The Indigenous convention was restricted to male participants and presenters in accordance with cultural customs, traditions and Lore.

The concept behind the convention emphasised the importance of ‘learning with and from Indigenous Men’. It highlighted that Indigenous men are a part of the mainstream, regardless of where they live, and that there is a need for mainstream health to focus on Indigenous health and not just urban populations.

Key note speakers were Dr Barry Lavallee, Aboriginal Health and Wellness Centre of Winnipeg, Canada and Dr Noel Hayman, Inala Health services, Queensland. Presentations and discussions on Indigenous men’s health issues included: health behaviours; sexual health; alcohol and drug abuse; the impact of colonialism; Indigenous participation in the health workforce; social relationships; and incarceration. Health policy initiatives on the agenda included the National Framework for Improving the Health and Well-being of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Males.

Conference workshops included:

• Men at work and in the community;
• Male mental wellbeing – options and approaches to effective counselling;
• Men and violence;
• Medical and social aspects of male health – innovations, best practice, concepts;
• ‘Just do it’ – showcasing excellence in men’s health programs.

The Indigenous men’s conference was followed by the 5th National Men’s and Boy’s Health Conference from 10-12 September 2003. September 10 was organised as a bridging day to link the events. Widening the approach to all men – urban, rural and remote – of all backgrounds, both conferences built on themes from earlier conferences which have sought to promote positive aspects of the health and wellbeing of men and boys.

We’d like to thank conference delegates who provided written permission for us to display the photos included in the following gallery:

View photo gallery

For further information:

View conference website
View news item (ABC News Online)
View interview transcript (Health Report, Radio National)
View HealthInfoNet men’s health webpage