The HealthInfoNet conducted a HealthInternet workshop on 4th May 2005 in our new location at the School of Indigenous Australian Studies, Kurongkurl Katitjin, Edith Cowan University, Mount Lawley, WA. Participants in the workshop included Indigenous primary health care and mental health students, from all around Australia, studying at the Centre for Aboriginal Studies at Curtin University. They were accompanied by Associate lecturer Cheryl Davis who teaches primary health care in the second year of the Associate Degree in Aboriginal Health.
The purpose of the workshop was to provide participants with an interactive introduction to the use of Indigenous health information resources on the HeathInfoNet website, and to gain feedback on how the website could be developed to better meet their information needs. The workshop was facilitated by Sam Burrow and Kim Hansen, and the HealthInfoNet Multimedia Coordinator, Krishanka Gunasekera, set up the computers and provided technical support. The workshop commenced with a demonstration of the HealthInfoNet site. Participants then proceeded through a series of guided exercises that illustrated how to find Indigenous health information on the website, and how to use the range of other online resources and services. The workshop activities gave participants the opportunity to explore the HealthInfoNet site and the Internet more widely, to find health information relevant to their immediate study needs.
The workshop was well received and provided constructive feedback for developing the HealthInfoNet website further. Some students had extensive experience with computers and had used the website and/or the Internet previously, while others were relatively new to computer use. The flexible nature of the workshop made it possible to cater to the needs of individuals with different levels of computer and Internet literacy. It is anticipated that the students will be able to apply the hands-on experience and skills gained during the workshop to more readily locate information relevant to their studies and work in Indigenous health. On completion of the workshop, participants received a certificate, and were provided with a current copy of the HealthInfoNet site on a CD-ROM, and promotional material to take back to their places of study and/or work. Participants highlighted the need to let others know about the HealthInfoNet’s various web-based resources, and planned to distribute promotional materials to colleagues working or studying in related areas. There is growing interest in workshops of this type and it is hoped that funding may be obtained in the future to conduct similar workshops across Australia on a more regular basis. We would like to thank the workshop participants who provided written permission for us to display their photos here. |
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Month: July 2005
The Government announces free health check-ups for Indigenous children
| The following summary has been adapted from media releases provided by the Minister for Health and Ageing, National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) and the ABC
The Commonwealth Government has announced a new Medicare-funded annual health check for all Indigenous children from birth to 14 years of age. The new health check will be introduced within the next 12 months. This additional Medicare item will encourage doctors to carry out regular and comprehensive health checks on Indigenous children to enable early detection of disease and reduce the high rates of illness. In particular, the new health assessments will allow doctors to target risk factors for chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease, substance use and other health problems that can commence in childhood or early adolescence. Details of the child health check will be developed in consultation with child health experts, GP organisations and other groups involved in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health. With the development of the child health check, a framework will be in place for health assessment and health promotion interventions for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people at all stages of life. The initiative complements the $102.4 million Healthy for Life package announced in the 2005-06 Budget, which will improve the health of Indigenous mothers and babies through targeted activities at various places across the country. The Rural Doctors Association of Australia, while acknowledging the child health check as a welcome move, has cautioned that the health initiative will be of greatest benefit to those near a bulk-billing GP. Association vice-president Doctor Ross Maxwell commented that ‘As this is a Medicare funded system, a little bit depends on whether they have access to Medicare funded services as to whether or not this announcement will make a difference’. Dr Maxwell emphasised that efforts to improve Indigenous health cannot stop with the new initiative ‘Indigenous health standards are still absolutely inadequate on international benchmarks so it is important that we take every opportunity to improve Indigenous health.’ Three leading primary health care organisations – the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO), Australian Divisions of General Practice (ADGP) and Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP), have all welcomed the annual health checks. Dr Naomi Mayers, Acting NACCHO Chair, explained that adult health can be improved if Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children have access to primary health care. She said ‘There is good evidence that Aboriginal children are less likely to be vaccinated than other children, have more anaemia, have poorer access to hearing services even though deafness is more common from ear infections, and they are at higher risk of developing poor health as adults.’ Professor Kidd, President of the RACGP, added ‘By acting to meet these challenges early in life, better health can provide a greater chance for positive education, social and employment outcomes. This additional funding recognises the valuable role played by general practice in delivering enhanced health care for some of our most disadvantaged Australians.’ According to ADGP Chair, Dr Rob Walters, the new items ‘closed a gap’ that had existed in the current stock of health prevention measures accessible to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population. ‘This initiative will provide a mechanism for Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander peoples of all ages to access preventive health care, something that is critically important given the well-documented, tragically poor health levels of Australia’s Indigenous population.’ Dr Walters said the new health check item demonstrated that preventative health initiatives – aimed at promoting good health rather than simply treating disease down the track – were a major priority for the Government. ‘It is encouraging that the Government appears to recognise that investing in primary care strategies not only saves health dollars but promotes good health outcomes. The pay off comes in the form of healthier communities overall and hospitals less burdened by patients needing treatment for preventable diseases.’ On behalf of the RACGP, Professor Michael Kidd congratulated both NACCHO and the Australian Government for improving access to vital primary health care services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. For further information: Minister for Health and Ageing ABC NACCHO |
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Launch of The social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal children and young people
The following summary has been adapted from media releases and information provided by the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research)
The social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal children and young people was launched in April 2005 at the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research, Perth, Western Australia (WA). It is the second volume of findings from the Western Australian Aboriginal Child Health Survey (WAACHS), with three more volumes to follow (view media backgrounder – HTML). This report presents data collected on the social and emotional wellbeing of 3,993 children aged 4-17 years. Other volumes cover the topics of health(view previous HealthInfoNet current topic), education, family, and community and justice .
The report details the complexity of factors that contribute to significantly higher rates of social and emotional difficulties experienced by Aboriginal children compared with other Australian children. Findings reveal that nearly a quarter (24%) of Aboriginal children are at high risk of clinically significant emotional or behavioural difficulties.
WAACHS Steering Committee Chairman, Associate Professor Ted Wilkes said that ‘what this report quantifies is the level of suffering faced by too many Aboriginal children and young people…a burden that affects their long term social and emotional development’. The survey found that over 70% of Aboriginal children were living in families which had experienced three or more major life stress events, such as death in the family, serious illness, family breakdown, financial problems, or arrest, and that 22% of Aboriginal children had experienced seven or more of these serious events in the past 12 months (view media release – HTML).
Report co-author Professor Sven Silburn said that ‘stress levels experienced by Aboriginal children and families are a reflection of their economic and social disadvantage, their comparatively poor health and how these factors impact on family and community functioning’. The cumulative impact of chronic stress affects development of the nervous, endocrine and immune systems, placing children at an increased risk of acquiring chronic diseases later in life, such as cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes and mental health problems. Professor Silburn emphasised the need for urgent action ‘to buffer children from the effects of these stresses as well as longer-term measures to reduce their underlying causes’ (view media release – HTML).
The report provides the first scientific evidence of the long-term effects on the health and wellbeing of children cared for by Aboriginal Australians who were forcibly separated from their natural families by missions, the government or welfare. The report found that children of Aboriginal carers who were forcibly separated from their families were 2.3 times more likely to be high risk for clinically significant emotional and behavioural difficulties, and had double the proportion of both alcohol and other drug use than other Aboriginal children. Professor Wilkes said the findings were of national significance because they prove that the legacy of past government policies is still a real issue for Aboriginal communities today (view media release – HTML).
The report’s findings highlight the extent and urgency of the emotional and behavioural difficulties faced by many Aboriginal communities and families. Importantly, the findings also include information on those children and young people who, despite past or current adversity, are living healthy and resilient lives. Professor Wilkes said that ‘understanding how they achieved these good outcomes will guide us in helping more individuals and families have better outcomes’ (view media release – HTML).
The social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal children and young people (view HealthInfoNet abstract; view report) is available on the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research website. For information regarding reproduction of the report contact: Telethon Institute for Child Health Research, PO Box 855, West Perth WA 6872, Ph: (08) 94897777, Fax: (08) 9489 7700, Email: waachs@ichr.uwa.edu.au.
For further information:
- WA Aboriginal Child Health Survey
View media release (HTML) (released 13 April) - High stress burden takes toll on Aboriginal children
View media release (HTML) (released 13 April) - Pain of forced separation affecting a new generation
View media release (HTML) (released 13 April)
Or contact:
Elizabeth Chester
Ph: 0409 988 530 (mobile)
or
Tammy Gibbs
Telethon Institute for Child Health Research
Ph: 08 9489 7963
