Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health program

• Reach:

  National

• Focus area:

  Indigenous

• Status:

  Current

• Evaluated:

  No

Overview

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health program was formally instated at the National Centre in HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Research (NCHECR) in 2007. The program was developed to address the gaps in sexual health and blood borne virus (BBV) health outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. Primarily the program seeks to develop the capacity of Indigenous communities to respond to sexually transmissible infections (STIs), HIV, and viral hepatitis.

The program is comprised of four domains including:
1) Research - undertaking culturally appropriate, ethical research in collaboration with Indigenous communities;
2) Surveillance - supporting surveillance initiatives already in place while identifying potential new areas of surveillance;
3) Capacity building - enhancing the capacity of health services in the areas of sexual health and BBVs;
4) Information dissemination - developing a clearinghouse of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander sexual health initiatives.

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health program is currently engaged in several research projects including:

• A study seeking to control the prevalence of STIs in remote Aboriginal communities in northern and central Australia using a randomised community trial;
• Developing a Centre for Clinical Research Excellence that focuses on STIs and BBVs in the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Sector
• A survey of young Indigenous people focusing on risk behaviour, knowledge, and health service access.

The program receives input from a range of institutions, health services, and organisations when undertaking research projects and also acts as a collaborator on a range of other projects.

Contacts

James Ward
Program Head
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Program
NCHECR
Level 2
St Vincents Medical Centre
376 Victoria Street
Sydney NSW 2010
Ph: (02) 9385 0900
Fax: (02) 9385 0920
Email: jward@nchecr.unsw.edu.au

Links

• View information: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health program
• View website: National Centre in HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Research