Mini-SymposiumBridging the Survival Gap Between Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Australians: Priorities for the Road Ahead
Section snippets
Background
The life-expectancy gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians remains one of contemporary Australia's most enduring health divides [1]. In fact, on an international stage, few within-country health differentials are as large or as consistent [2].
From a health policy perspective, the reduction of observed health outcome disparity between population groups based on measures of socioeconomic status, geography, or ethnicity stands as a key target of coordinated societal and health
CVD and the Life-Expectancy Gap
There is growing recognition of the contribution of cardiovascular disease (CVD) to the profound gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. CVD remains the principal cause of death among all Australian population groups, including Aboriginal males and females, and is the primary contributor to the life-expectancy gap. Between 1996 and 2000, CVD alone accounted for almost one third of the 17 years less that an Indigenous child could expect to live when compared to a non-Indigenous
Challenges to Reducing the Gap for Aboriginal Australians
Data deficiencies are only one challenge on a list of many impediments to the health and well-being of Indigenous Australians. The context in which ‘Indigenous health’ and, in particular ‘Indigenous health disparity’, is being constructed and discussed has shifted, all the more noticeable as a result of the year long “Northern Territory Intervention” [5]. Indigenous affairs are now being framed by the false notion that Aboriginal people are unable to manage any element of their lives and
Getting It Right-Opportunities for Australia
Despite the challenges, there exist significant opportunities in the pursuit of improved CVD outcomes for Aboriginal people. Given the age-related burden of diabetes, cardiovascular and renal disease, in isolation and as co-morbid conditions, the synergistic impact of these ailments among Indigenous people may offer a window into the transition of disease patterns already observed and which we can expect to escalate within Australian society in the coming decades. This affords an opportunity to
Outcomes of Acute Coronary Syndromes in Aboriginal People
Unfortunately, little data beyond cross sectional community surveys have been available to guide the development of systems that can better respond to the needs of Aboriginal people with CVD. Linked jurisdictional data from Queensland has previously demonstrated the sub-optimal delivery of appropriate invasive cardiovascular procedures and adverse medium-term outcomes in Aboriginal people experiencing AMI [16]. Recent national registry data from multiple jurisdictions has failed to capture
Reducing Adverse Outcomes in Aboriginal CVD
There are clear opportunities for improving outcomes through increased access to evidence-based investigation and care, including cardiac rehabilitation (CR), discharge medication, and appropriate invasive procedures. The challenge rests on establishing the data to better identify Aboriginal patients at elevated risk of adverse outcomes and to more aggressively target necessary intervention points. This will require, as a priority, significant improvements in the recording of Indigenous status
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Cited by (28)
Time to listen: Chronic disease yarning with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples living in remote Australia
2021, CollegianCitation Excerpt :Participants in this study believed that health services need redesigning to better meet their chronic disease healthcare needs. The Australian Indigenous health disparity is often unfairly seen as a result of Indigenous Australian peoples’ own failings which reinforces ideas of Indigenous incapacity, rather than shifting the narrative towards that of a failing of clinicians and health services (Brown, 2009). Transformation of healthcare requires a shift from expecting Indigenous Australian patients to adapt to the expectations of the ‘status-quo’ health service delivery to health services’ being more inclusive (Durey, Thompson, & Wood, 2012), collaborative and flexible in responding to the needs of Indigenous Australian people in ways that are respectful and more likely to build trust and strengthen relationships (Durey et al., 2016).
Impact by Citations and Downloads: What are Heart, Lung and Circulation's Top 25 Articles of All Time?
2016, Heart Lung and CirculationAUStralian indigenous chronic disease optimisation study (AUSI-CDS) prospective observational cohort study to determine if an established chronic disease health care model can be used to deliver better heart failure care among remote indigenous Australians: Proof of concept-study rationale and protocol
2013, Heart Lung and CirculationCitation Excerpt :It is generally accepted that inadequate provision of usual therapies contributes to poorer outcomes. This picture of worse disease and poorer care delivery is particularly evident in the Northern Territory of Australia with a vast area serviced by two major public hospitals [1–13]. In excess of 70,000 Indigenous Australians live in the NT, 63% remotely, with 70 spoken languages.
Measuring the gap-It may well be worse than we thought
2010, Heart Lung and CirculationExcellent cardiac surgical outcomes in paediatric indigenous patients, but follow-up difficulties
2010, Heart Lung and CirculationCitation Excerpt :This may reflect difficulties in Indigenous patients accessing health care [11] and/or poor communication between medical and community health institutions. As noted by Brown [21], data deficiencies are a major impediment to Aboriginal health and make it difficult to implement improvement. Cardiology Indigenous outreach services, despite being under resourced have demonstrated that services can be provided to those in the rural setting.