A new healthcare model for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander teens

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2024-10-28 16:40

Australia; VIC; QLD; SA; WA

CC-0. https://pixabay.com/photos/map-world-map-australia-countries-8526430/

The health gap between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and non‐Indigenous Australians widens during adolescence, and evidence suggests current health care services are failing Indigenous teens, according to Australian researchers. They propose an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adolescent model of primary health care that centres the health and wellbeing needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander teens, their families and communities. Their suggestions include: involving teens, their families, and communities in primary health care design and delivery; providing health care that is free from discrimination; building an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workforce to provide care to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adolescents; improving the competencies of the health care workforce to acknowledge and address the unique health and wellbeing needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adolescents; and strengthening primary health care services, particularly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community‐controlled health services, to deliver care to Indigenous teens.

Attachments

Note: Not all attachments are visible to the general public. Research URLs will go live after the embargo ends.

Editorial / Opinion Wiley, Web page

Journal/
conference: Medical Journal of Australia

Research:Paper

Organisation/s: The University of Queensland, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), The Kids Research Institute Australia, Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI)

Funder: SH was supported by an Australian Government research training program scholarship, an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research training program, UQ Poche Centre for Indigenous Health Research top-up scholarships, and a Lowitja Institute higher degree research top-up scholarship.

Media Contact/s

Contact details are only visible to registered journalists.