Indigenous health

For a realistic analysis, all primary care use and all known associations must be taken into account

David J Whyatt · Alistair Vickery · Matthew Yap

In reply: Social factors may, in part, explain the outcomes

Susan L Thomas

Broadening surveillance among Indigenous Australians and centralising care will bring down unacceptably high rates

Christopher Parker MB BS · Steven Y C Tong MB BS, FRACP, PhD · Karen Dempsey BSc, MAE · John Condon MB BS, FAFPHM, PhD · Suresh K Sharma RN · John W C Chen MB BS, FRACS, PhD · William Sievert MD, FRACP · Joshua S Davis MB BS, FRACP, PhD

High levels of active infection and susceptibility suggest routine HBV testing and vaccination could be beneficial in this population

Mary E Harrod PhD · Sophia Couzos FRACGP, FACRRM, FAFPHM · Dea Delaney-Thiele MPH · Gregory J Dore MPH, PhD, FRACP · Belinda Hammond · Mark Saunders · Mary Belfrage MB BS, DRANZCOG, MRACGP · Sidney Williams AdvDipMgt · John M Kaldor PhD · James Ward BA

High-risk children need ongoing surveillance and follow-up

Emma Griffiths MB BS, MPHTM, FRACGP · Carole Reeve FRACGP, FACRRM, FAFPHM · Julia V Marley PGDipSc, PGDipPolSt, PhD,

An incredibly tragic story with a surprising note of hope

Mahatia I M Minniecon

Smoking cessation or reduction should be made a clear priority for improving pregnancy outcomes

Nicolette A Hodyl PhD, GradCert(Biostats) · Luke E Grzeskowiak PhD, BPharm(Hons), GCertClinEpid · Michael J Stark PhD, MB ChB · Wendy Scheil MB BS · Vicki L Clifton PhD

Australia’s health policy will need to reflect the new international goals

Cindy Shannon · Claire E Brolan · Deepa Gajjar

Current targets based on insufficient data create potential risks and pose implementation problems

Dev A S Kevat MPH, LLB(Hons), BMedSc(Hons) · Ashim K Sinha MB BS, MD, FRACP · Anna G McLean MB BS(Hons), FRACP

Expanding data sources for surveillance offers hope for improving child protection

Steven L Guthridge MB BS, MTH, FAFPHM · Philip Ryan MB BS, BSc, FAFPHM · John R Condon MB BS, PhD, FAFPHM · John R Moss MSocSci, MB BS, BEc · John Lynch PhD, MPH

Health professionals’ duty of care includes combating racism in society as well as in health care settings

Chelsea J Bond PhD, BAppHSc · Geoffrey K Spurling MB BS, MPH, RACGP · Deborah A Askew BAppSci, MHltSci, PhD

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people strongly assert that health research has contributed little to improving their health, in spite of its obvious potential. The health concerns of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were largely ignored in early research published in the MJA, which reflected broader colonial history and racial discourses. This began to change with the demise of scientific racism, and changed policies and political campaigns for equal treatment of Indigenous people after the Second World War. In response to pressure from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and organisations, in parallel to broader political struggles for Indigenous rights since the 1970s, there have been significant and measurable changes to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health research. Many of these changes have been about the ethics of health research. Increasingly, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander researchers, communities and organisations are now controlling and decolonising health research to better meet their needs, in collaboration with non-Indigenous researchers and research organisations.

David P Thomas MB BS, PhD, AFPHM · Roxanne Bainbridge PhD, BSocSc(Hons) · Komla Tsey BA(Hons), PhD

The medical community has a role to play in promoting constitutional recognition of Indigenous Australians

Tammy M Kimpton FRACGP, BMed

Maintaining funding for primary care would be an effective and efficient strategy to reduce inequity

Brad Murphy MB BS, FRACGP · Jennifer S Reath MB BS, MMed, FRACGP

How research might best contribute to Indigenous health and wellbeing in 2030

Mary Guthrie

Beware of groundhog day in Indigenous policy

Ernest M Hunter MPH, MD, FRANZCP, FAFPHM

New centre delivers high-quality, culturally safe primary care, research, teaching and access to specialists

Noel E Hayman MB BS, MPH, FAFPHM · Deborah A Askew BAppSci, MHlthSci, PhD · Geoffrey K Spurling MB BS, MPH, DTM

Efforts to decolonise health care practice and research holds lessons for journalists and the media industry

Melissa A Sweet MA, BA · Patricia Dudgeon BAppSc, GradDip(Psych), PhD · Kerry McCallum PhD, BA · Matthew D Ricketson BA(Hons), MA, PhD

Aboriginal community controlled primary health care services are making a real difference in the Northern Territory

Pasqualina M Coffey · Alex Hope · John D Boffa

Community controlled health services are key to closing the gap, but success is still a long way off

Lesley M Russell

Discussions with men about sexual health may also help identify life-threatening disease

Mark Wenitong · Michael Adams · Carol A Holden

Case report highlighting the increased risk of scabies with HTLV-1 infection in endemic areas

Lloyd J Einsiedel · Clinton Pepperill · Kim Wilson

A novel program could prevent a highly infectious and disfiguring disease in remote Aboriginal communities

Buddhi Lokuge MB BS, MPH, PHD · Alex Kopczynski · Angela Woltmann MB BS(Hons), DipRACOG, FRACGP · Faye Alvoen · Christine Connors MB BS, FAFPHM, MPH · Terrence Guyula · Eddie Mulholland · Samantha Cran BA(Comm), BA(Arts) · Tim Foster BEng(Civil)(Hons), LLB(Hons), MSc · Kamalini Lokuge MB BS, PhD · Tanya Burke MA, BA, DipEd · Sam Prince

Community controlled health services outperform mainstream general practice at improving Aboriginal outcomes

Kathryn S Panaretto MB BS, MPH, FAFPHM · Mark Wenitong MD · Selwyn Button BEd · Ian T Ring MPH, FAFPHM, FACRRM

Despite an increase in uptake of health assessments, delivery of Indigenous-specific follow-up care is lagging

Jodie Bailie BA, GradDipEd · Gill H Schierhout PhD · Margaret A Kelaher PhD · Alison F Laycock BFA, BEd · Nikki A Percival BSc, MPH · Lynette R O’Donoghue · Tracy L McNeair BA, MPH · Amal Chakraborty · Barbara D Beacham BSocSc, MCDM, CertBT · Ross S Bailie MB ChB, MPhil, MD