Kimberley Indigenous mental health: An examination of metabolic syndrome risk factors
Objective: There is an increased risk of physical health comorbidities in people with a mental illness. This paper examines the metabolic syndrome parameters for the general population, indigenous Australians and people with a mental illness, and compares them to a sample of predominantly indigenous adults with mental health problems. Design: A longitudinal (24 month) audit […]
Illawarra Aboriginal community profile: a snapshot of an urban Aboriginal community
This community profile report provides information about the Aboriginal population of the Illawarra Region. It is intended to begin a discussion about how research can contribute to the social health and wellbeing of Aboriginal people. The report highlights disparities between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians that are apparent not only in the health statistics but also […]
Review of illicit drug use among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the use of illicit drugs among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia. It provides general information on the context of illicit drug use in Australia and the factors of particular relevance to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, including the historical context, […]
Calls for a royal commission into the alarming rate of Indigenous youth suicide
As many as one in ten Indigenous deaths could be caused by suicide, a suicide prevention researcher has warned. Gerry Georgatos says the official statistics are masking the true extent of the crisis, and he’s sounding the alarm on the rate of suicide amongst young Indigenous Australians. ‘Too many are dying too young,’ says Georgatos. […]
Study of Environment on Aboriginal Resilience and Child Health
SEARCH, the Study of Environment on Aboriginal Resilience and Child Health, is Australia’s largest long-term study of the health and wellbeing of urban Aboriginal Children. An estimated 60% of the health gap between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people in Australia is attributable to the health of people living in non-remote, urban areas. While 57% of the […]
Aboriginal children, history and health: beyond social determinants
This book investigates the complex reasons for the discrepancy between the health and well-being of children in mainstream Australia and children in remote Indigenous communities. The high rate and causes of ill-health among Aboriginal children are explored through a unique blend of historical, anthropological, biological and medical analyses. Aboriginal children, history and health also includes […]
Men, hearts and minds: developing and piloting culturally specific psychometric tools assessing psychosocial stress and depression in central Australian Aboriginal men
Purpose The health inequalities experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians are well documented but there are few empirical data outlining the burden, consequences, experience and expression of depressive illness. This paper seeks to address the lack of accessible, culturally specific measures of psychosocial stress, depression or quality of life developed for, and validated […]
Study protocol for screening and diagnosis of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) among young people sentenced to detention in Western Australia
Introduction Prenatal alcohol exposure can cause lifelong disability, including physical, cognitive and behavioural deficits, known as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). Among individuals with FASD, engagement with justice services is common. Little is known about the prevalence of FASD among young people engaged with the Australian justice system. This study aims to establish FASD prevalence […]
Increasing Indigenous self-harm and suicide in the Kimberley: an audit of the 2005–2014 data
Suicide rates among Indigenous people in the Kimberley region of Western Australia are among the highest in the world. During the period 2001–2010, age-adjusted suicide rates among Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians were respectively 21.4 and 10.3 per 100 000 population per year. As staff of the regional state government-funded mental health service provider, Kimberley Mental […]
Implementation Plan for the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan 2013–2023
Both the Implementation Plan and the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan 2013–2023 (Health Plan) have been developed in close partnership with the National Health Leadership Forum and reflect the priorities that will improve the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The Implementation Plan outlines the actions to be […]
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Framework 2014 Report
This is the fifth report against the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Framework (HPF). The HPF monitors progress in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health outcomes, health system performance and the broader determinants of health. The health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples is improving for a number of measures, although there […]
Overview of Australian Indigenous health status 2014
This Overview of Australian Indigenous health status provides a comprehensive summary of the most recent indicators of the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia (states and territories are: New South Wales (NSW), Victoria (Vic), Queensland (Qld), Western Australia (WA), South Australia (SA), Tasmania (Tas), The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and The […]
Rising Spirits Community Resilience Project – Final Research Report
The Rising Spirits Project investigated what supports Aboriginal people need during bereavement, what is available that is being utilised by Aboriginal people, where the gaps are and the levels of community and state readiness to address grief and loss.
Social Justice and Native Title Report 2015
The Social Justice and Native Title Report from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner is delivered to the Australian Parliament on the exercise and enjoyment of the human rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. This also includes reporting on the operation of the Native Title Act 1993 (Cth) and its […]
Lost in the great desert, preventing Aboriginal suicide
“We are working at a pace to make a real difference but in the end it will come down to governments recognising that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander suicide is a catastrophic humanitarian crisis. If you are an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander aged 15 to 35, nearly one in three deaths will be a […]
A profile of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander higher education student population
This paper brings together recent statistics relating to the participation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in higher education. A number of key statistical realities relating to their enrolment into, retention during, and completion of, their university courses are depicted. Foremost amongst these realities is that despite the initiatives over recent years to redress […]
Australian Medical Association 2015 Report card on Indigenous Health
The Elders Report into preventing Indigenous self-harm and youth suicide
Interview excerpts of Elders featured in the Report. The Culture Is Life campaign aims to give a platform for Indigenous Elders and community leaders to influence public awareness, policy-making and service provision around Indigenous suicide prevention. One of the initial actions of the Culture Is Life campaign was the development of the’Elders Report on Preventing […]
A reference list for teaching about Indigenous Australians in psychology
The purpose of the list is to compile a reference list for psychology professionals who might be searching for relevant research to cover in their undergraduate courses. The list is partial and doubtless will expand in future updates. Sections include: 1) Scholarly articles 2) Coverage of relevant issues in psychology textbooks; 3) Psychology studies with […]
The Lowitja Institute – Literature Search
This search tool provides easy access to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health literature on the PubMed database You can choose to look at all literature or one of 27 search topics. You can refine each choice by entering keywords, filter options and published dates.
Analysis & Policy Observatory – Indigenous
IRHD Publications and Resources Index
Database of publications and resources produced by and for the Indigenous and Rural Health Division
Closing the Gap Clearinghouse
A clearinghouse for research and evaluation evidence on what works to overcome Indigenous disadvantage
Bringing Them Home Oral history interviews
In December 1997, in response to the first recommendation of Bringing Them Home: Report of the National Inquiry into the Separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children from Their Families, the Commonwealth Government announced the National Library would be funded to develop and manage an oral history project. The Bringing Them Home Oral History […]
Footprints in time: the longitudinal study of Indigenous children
This website provides information on the Footprints in Time study and links to its publications. Footprints in Time is the name given to the Longitudinal Study of Indigenous Children (LSIC), an initiative of the Australian Government. Footprints in Time is conducted by the Department of Social Services (DSS) under the guidance of the Footprints in […]