Major study to plug gaps in Indigenous health data
Source: National Indigenous Times, 30 October 2018
The biggest ever study of health and wellbeing among Indigenous adults will be launched Thursday.
Among the data to be collected by researchers is the impact of historical policy decisions such as the Stolen Generations and exposure to racism, as well as how culture is linked to wellbeing.
The Mayi Kuwayu study will kick off in Brisbane at the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation Members’ Conference.
It is spearheaded by Australian National University Associate Professor and Wongaibon man Ray Lovett and is the first of its kind.
Hundreds of thousands of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are expected to participate.
“We are trying to plug gaps in data and change the mistaken narrative that being Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander is the cause of ill health,” Associate Professor Lovett said.
“It is important because past policies likely contribute to intergenerational health and wellbeing outcomes for our mob.”
“Governments and statistical agencies are very reluctant to collect and report information on that.”
HIV diagnoses hit seven year low: Australia’s annual HIV figures released today
Source: Kirby Institute at UNSW Sydney, 24 September 2018
Australia has recorded its lowest level of HIV diagnoses in seven years, according to a new report from the Kirby Institute at UNSW Sydney.
The report, released today at the Australasian HIV & AIDS Conference in Sydney, found that there were 963 new HIV diagnoses in 2017, the lowest number since 2010. Researchers are attributing the promising results to more people getting tested for HIV, more people living with HIV starting treatment which reduces the risk of HIV transmission to effectively zero, and an increased use of preexposure prophylaxis (or PrEP, an HIV prevention pill).
“We should be very pleased with these results,” said Professor Rebecca Guy, head of the Kirby Institute’s Surveillance, Evaluation and Research Program. “Although the declines are relatively small, the downward trend over recent years, alongside increased testing rates and enhanced national prevention strategies, mean we can be cautiously optimistic about these reductions.”
Gay and bisexual men continue to represent the highest proportion of new HIV diagnoses in Australia, accounting for almost two-thirds of all infections. “Some encouraging news from this year’s report is that we’re seeing the greatest reductions in HIV diagnoses in this population, with a 15% decrease in diagnoses in the past year,” said Professor Guy.
“This decline is good news, but there is much more work to be done. PrEP offers every opportunity to drive down HIV to low levels, but it needs to reach all people who could benefit from it. In particular we need to improve access for gay and bisexual men living outside of inner-city areas, gay and bisexual men born overseas and Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander gay and bisexual men.”
Read the full story and view the report