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Strengthening primary health care to improve Indigenous health outcomes

John Wakerman and Cindy Shannon
Med J Aust 2016; 204 (10): . || doi: 10.5694/mja16.00031
Published online: 6 June 2016

We need to better implement what we know works for Indigenous populations

What can the health system do to improve Indigenous health outcomes in Australia? Two articles recently published in the Journal offer some insights into the evidence behind what works, how we know it works, why it works and implications for policy.1,2


  • 1 Flinders NT - Flinders University, Darwin, NT
  • 2 University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD



Competing interests:

No relevant disclosures.

  • 1. Segal L, Nguyen H, Schmidt B, et al. Economic evaluation of Indigenous health worker management of poorly controlled type 2 diabetes in north Queensland. Med J Aust 2016; 204: 196. <MJA full text>
  • 2. Cresp R, Clarke K, McAuley KE, et al. Effectiveness of the Koorliny Moort out-of-hospital health care program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in Western Australia. Med J Aust 2016; 204: 197. <MJA full text>
  • 3. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Admitted patient care 2013–14: Australian hospital statistics (AIHW Cat. No. HSE 156. Health Services Series No. 60). Canberra: AIHW, 2015.
  • 4. Zhao Y, Thomas SL, Guthridge SL, Wakerman J. Better health outcomes at lower costs: the benefits of primary care utilisation for chronic disease management in remote Indigenous communities in Australia’s Northern Territory. BMC Health Serv Res 2014; 14: 463.
  • 5. Starfield B, Shi L, Macinko J. Contribution of primary care to health systems and health. Milbank Q 2005; 83: 457-502.
  • 6. Peiris D, Brown A, Cass A. Addressing inequities in access to quality health care for indigenous people. CMAJ 2008; 179: 985-986.
  • 7. McDermott RA, Schmidt BA, Sinha A, Mills P. Improving diabetes care in the primary healthcare setting: a randomized cluster trial in remote Indigenous communities. Med J Aust 2001; 174: 497-502.
  • 8. Rowley K, Odea K, Anderson I, et al. Lower than expected morbidity and mortality for an Australian Aboriginal population: 10-year follow-up in a decentralised community. Med J Aust 2008; 188: 283-287. <MJA full text>
  • 9. Paneretto K, Wenitong M, Button S, Ring I. Aboriginal community controlled health services: leading the way in primary care. Med J Aust 2014; 200: 649-652. <MJA full text>
  • 10. Lavoie J, Forget E, Prakash T, et al. Have investments in on-reserve health services and initiatives promoting community control improved First Nations’ health in Manitoba? Soc Sci Med 2010; 71: 717-724.
  • 11. Thompson S, Haynes E, Shahid S, et al. Shedding light or fanning flames?: a consideration of the challenges in exploring the relative effectiveness of Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services. Qual Prim Care 2015; 23: 141-149.
  • 12. Wakerman J, Stothers K. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health. General practice embraces its significant role to close the gap. Aust Fam Physician 2014; 43: 7.
  • 13. Ham C, Timmins N. Managing health services through devolved governance: a perspective from Victoria, Australia. London: The King’s Fund, 2015.

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