Australian Indigenous HealthBulletin
Vol 6 No 2 April 2006 - June 2006: ISSN 1445-7253

A peer-reviewed electronic journal from the Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet

Reports and publications

 

This section of the Bulletin identifies recent reports and publications, including book chapters. If you are aware of material that would be appropriate for inclusion in this section please contact us.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner (2005)
Indigenous young people with cognitive disabilities and Australian juvenile justice systems.
Sydney: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission
View report (PDF - 175KB)
View website: HREOC

The Commonwealth Attorney General's Department for the Social Justice Commissioner funded the research project detailed in this report. The project examined issues relating to Indigenous young people in the Australian juvenile justice systems who have a cognitive disability and/or mental health issues. The report provides an overview, relevant statistical information, and the findings of a series of consultations and a national roundtable discussion. Current policy and program approaches are highlighted, and areas for future research are discussed together with recommendations regarding possible strategies.

Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet abstract

  • Contact details:
    • Publications Officer, Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, GPO Box 5218, Sydney NSW 1042, ph: (02) 9284 9600, fax: (02) 9284 9611, email: publications@humanrights.gov.au.

Australian Bureau of Statistics (2006)
National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey: Australia, 2004-05.
Canberra: Australian Bureau of Statistics
View report (PDF - 1.7MB - large file warning!)
View state and territory details

This summary of results from the 2004-05 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey provides information about health status, health actions, and lifestyle factors, of Indigenous peoples. There are comparisons with the 1995 and 2001 National Health Surveys and the 2002 National Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander Social Survey.

Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet abstract

  • For further information:
    • Eye conditions top Indigenous health problem: ABS
      View article: ABC (HTML) (11 April 2006)
    • Indigenous health needs to be addressed with a holistic rights-based approach
      View media release: HREOC (HTML) (12 April 2006)
  • To purchase the report:
    • ABS recommends that you purchase products online
      View information
    • To purchase products offline:
      View information; or
      Contact the ABS National Information and Referral Service (NIRS), Mail Order Sales, Australian Bureau of Statistics, GPO Box 796, Sydney NSW 2001, ph:1300 135 070, fax: 1300 135 211, email: client.services@abs.gov.au

Australian Medical Association (2006)
Undue punishment?: Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders in prison: an unacceptable reality.
Barton, ACT: Australian Medical Association
View report (PDF - 196KB)
View The good news report (PDF - 153KB)
View website: AMA

The Australian Medical Association Report Card Series 2006 draws attention to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the prison system and highlights their poor health status - rates of violence and abuse, smoking, alcohol abuse and illicit drug use are far greater than those for the Indigenous community generally. The report details the: facts, figures, problems, rights and wrongs, and suggests solutions to address the chronic health problems that overwhelm Indigenous prisoners and those in juvenile detention. Subject headings include: Indigenous imprisonment - who is locked up?; Women in prison; Repeat offending; Juvenile detention; Prison health services; and Who is responsible for prison services?. The report also highlights that there is no systematic collection of data on the health status of Indigenous prisoners. The AMA calls on the Federal government to keep those with mental health and substance abuse problems out of prisons, and to ensure the delivery of effective health services within prisons.

The accompanying Good News report summarises three successful programs that are available for Indigenous Australians affected by drug and alcohol issues. The programs are intended to divert Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people away from the criminal justice system and into treatment. They are run by Benelong's Haven, Milliya Rumurra, and through NSW local courts (the Magistrates Early Referral Into Treatment program (MERIT) is not Indigenous specific). But despite these good news stories, assessing the effectiveness of diversionary programs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is complicated by the lack of published evaluations in this area.

Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet abstract

  • For further information:
  • Contact details:
    • Australian Medical Association, 42 Macquarie Street, Barton ACT 2600, PO Box 6090, Kingston ACT 2604, ph: 02 6270 5400, email: ama@ama.com.au

Biddle N, Hunter BH (2006)
Factors associated with internal migration: a comparison between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.
Canberra: Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research
View report: (PDF - 3.76MB - large file warning!)
View website: Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research

Encouraging migration and mobility has been proffered as a solution to Aboriginal disadvantage in Australia. This paper examines patterns of migration, factors associated with the decision to relocate, and destination choice, in order to assess the feasibility of this solution. The results suggest that non-Indigenous Australians are more likely to be influenced by local economic factors than Indigenous Australians, where cultural and social factors appear to play a significant role in their decision making. It is anticipated that the paper will motivate a more detailed examination of the features driving both Indigenous and non-Indigenous mobility.

Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet abstract

  • Contact details:
    • Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research, Hanna Neumann Building #21, Australian National University, Canberra ACT 0200, ph: 026125 8211, email: publications.caepr@anu.edu.au

Cass A, Chadban S, Craig J, Howard K, McDonald S, et al. (2006)
The economic impact of end-stage kidney disease in Australia.
Sydney: The George Institute
View report (932 KB)
View website: The George Institute

This report approximates the burden and cost of end stage renal disease (ESRD) in Australia. The cost effectiveness of increasing kidney transplant rates and alternatives to hospital dialysis are examined. The analysis is based on data from the George Institute for International Health and forms the first part of a broader study into the burden of kidney and urinary tract disease in Australia. Indigenous populations experience far greater rates of ESRD than non-Indigenous populations and there are frequent references to this throughout the report, with chapter five devoted to ESRD among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet abstract

Community Services and Health Industry Skills Council (2006)
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participation in vocational education and training.
Sydney : Community Services and Health Industry Skills Council
View report (PDF - 669KB)
View website: Industry Skills Council

This research report provides an overview of the numbers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people participating in apprenticeships for community and health services. The report also identifies opportunities and options for increasing the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people participating in new apprenticeships and vocational education and training more generally.

Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet abstract

  • Contact details:
    • Community Services & Health Industry Skills Council Ltd, ph: 02 9263 3589, fax: 02 92633599, email: admin@cshisc.com.au

Gray W, Sanders WG (2006)
Views from the top of the 'quiet revolution': secretarial perspectives on the new arrangements in Indigenous affairs.
Canberra: Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research
View report (PDF - 3.1MB - large file warning!)
View website: Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research

This paper details interviews held in 2005 with eleven members of the Commonwealth Government's Secretaries Group on Indigenous Affairs, to explore their experiences of the new arrangements in Indigenous affairs implemented in July 2004. A range of issues are discussed relating to the new arrangements and developments with the Ministerial Taskforce, the National Indigenous Council, Indigenous Coordination Centres, and regional agreement making. The discussion suggests an unprecedented level of senior executive attention to Indigenous affairs across a collection of Commonwealth portfolios, but notes that aspects of the new arrangements draw on and rework past experience and well-established ideas in Indigenous affairs.

Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet abstract

  • Contact details:
    • Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research, Australian National University, Canberra ACT 0200, ph: (02) 6125 5111, email: enquiries@anu.edu.au

Lawrence C, Prestage G, Leishman B, Ross C, Muwadda W, et al. (2006)
Queensland survey of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men who have sex with men:2004.
Darlinghurst, NSW: National Centre in HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Research
View report (1.7MB - large file warning!)
View website: National Centre in HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Research

This report provides data on the risk behaviour and community relationships of homosexually active Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men in Queensland. The methodology and findings from in-depth interviews and survey questionnaires are detailed. Identity and community attachment with respect to both sexuality and Indigeneity were also explored.

Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet abstract

  • Contact details:
    • National Centre in HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Research, Level 2, 376 Victoria Street, Sydney NSW 2010, ph: (02) 9385 0900, fax: (02) 9385 0920, email: recept@nchecr.unsw.edu.au

McCalman J, Tsey K, Wenitong M, Whiteside M, Haswell M, et al. (2006)
A literature review for Indigenous men's groups.
Smithfield, QLD: School of Indigenous Australian Studies and School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, James Cook University
View report (Word doc - 4.0MB - large file warning!)
View website: James Cook University

This literature review was written to inform research with north Queensland Indigenous men's groups and to provide a guide for the groups' leaders and those who support them. The review provides information from Australian and international literature on best practice initiatives to address the ranges of issues that Indigenous men may face. There are four sections in the review: background; Indigenous men's health and Indigenous frameworks; relevant mainstream theoretical frameworks; and program interventions (counselling, programs for parenting, family violence, suicide prevention, culture, tradition and spiritual recovery, work with young men and boys, social enterprise initiatives, improving access to health services, and employment strategies).

Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet abstract

  • Contact details:
    • School of Indigenous Australian Studies and School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, James Cook University, McGregor Rd, Smithfield, QLD 4878, ph: (07) 4042 1046. email: janya.mccalman@jcu.edu.au

Priest K (2005)
Preparing the ground for partnership: exploring quality assurance for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander child care.
Canberra: Department of Family, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs
View report (PDF - 819KB)
View website: Department of Family, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs

This paper provides background information and a literature review in preparation for a national consultation regarding the development of an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander child care quality assurance process. The Australian Government is investigating the viability of such a process in collaboration with the Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care (SNAICC) and the National Childcare Accreditation Council (NCAC). Notions of quality in child care are explored with discussion of the complexities involved when representing diverse Indigenous cultures within a national quality assurance process. An overview is also provided of work being done in Indigenous communities worldwide.

Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet abstract

Sexual Health and Blood-borne Virus Program (2005)
Western Australian Aboriginal sexual health strategy 2005-2008.
 Perth: Department of Health
View report (PDF - 346KB)
View website: Department of Health, WA

The Western Australian Aboriginal sexual health strategy provides a framework for engaging communities and service providers to bring about improvements in sexual health. This report outlines how the strategy frames current needs within the context of relevant past policies, programs and strategies. Priority groups are identified, and there is specific reference to the prevalence and risk of STIs and HIV .

Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet abstract

  • To purchase the report: view information
  • Contact details:
    • Executive Director, Population Health Division, Department of Health, 3rd Floor, A Block, 189, Royal Street, East Perth, Western Australia 6004, ph: (08) 9222 4222, fax: (08) 9222 2165

Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health, Statistical Information Management Committee (2006)
National summary of the 2003 and 2004 jurisdictional reports against the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health performance indicators.
Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
View report (HTML)
View website: AIHW

This report is the second national summary of 56 health performance indicators for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The indicators have been developed to monitor whether the health of Indigenous people is improving, and to highlight problem areas and priorities. Although information is given for separate states and territories, the relatively poor quality of current Indigenous health data makes comprehensive comparisons impossible.

Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet abstract

  • To purchase the report:
  • Contact details :
    • Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Publications Unit, GPO Box 570, Canberra ACT 2601.

Zubrick SR, Lawrence D, de Maio J, Biddle N (2006)
Testing the reliability of a measure of Aboriginal children's mental health: an analysis based on the Western Australian Aboriginal Child Health Survey.
Canberra: Australian Bureau of Statistics
View report (PDF - 914KB - large file warning!)
View website: ABS

This report details an assessment of the reliability of a measure of mental health commonly used for assessing children. The analysis, based on data from the Western Australian Aboriginal Child Health Survey, assesses the validity and scale reliability of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) when it is used as an estimate of the social and emotional well-being of Aboriginal children and young people. The report does not discuss the mental health outcomes of Aboriginal children.

Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet abstract

Zubrick SR, Silburn SR, de Maio JA, Shepherd C, Griffin JA, et al. (2006)
The Western Australian Aboriginal Child Health Survey: improving the educational experiences of Aboriginal children and young people.
Perth: Curtin University of Technology and Telethon Institute of Child Health Research
View report (HTML)
View summary booklet (PDF - 5.95MB - large file warning!)
View website: ICHR

This report is the third volume of findings from the Western Australian Aboriginal Child Health Survey (WAACHS), one of the largest and most comprehensive investigations into the health and wellbeing of WA Aboriginal children, their families and communities. The survey findings outline complex factors that contribute significantly to the health of WA Aboriginal children. This volume focuses on educational experiences and provides clear evidence of the need for change, and a greater understanding of the challenges facing governments, educators, Aboriginal people and society, in providing educational opportunities for Aboriginal children and youth.

Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet abstract

  • For further information:
  • Contact details :
    • WA Aboriginal Child Health Survey, Telethon Institute for Child Health Research, 100 Roberts Road, Subiaco, WA, 6008, postal address: PO Box 855, West Perth WA 6872, ph: (08) 9489 7777, fax: (08) 9489 7700, email: waachs@ichr.uwa.edu.au.
 
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