Interrogating the intentions for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health: a narrative review of research outputs since the introduction of Closing the Gap

Michelle Kennedy; Jessica Bennett; Sian Maidment; Catherine Chamberlain; Kate Booth; Romany McGuffog; Bree Hobden; Lisa J Whop; Jamie Bryant

doi:10.5694/mja2.51601

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Interrogating the intentions for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health: a narrative review of research outputs since the introduction of Closing the Gap

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Interrogating the intentions for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health: a narrative review of research outputs since the introduction of Closing the Gap

Michelle Kennedy, Jessica Bennett, Sian Maidment, Catherine Chamberlain, Kate Booth, Romany McGuffog, Bree Hobden, Lisa J Whop and Jamie Bryant

Medical journal of Australia, Vol.217(1), pp.50-57

2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5694/mja2.51601

PMCID: PMC9545599

PMID: 35686477

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Abstract

Health Services, Indigenous

Humans

Indigenous Peoples

Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander

Intention

General Medicine

Uncategorized

Australia

Communicable Diseases

Despite the “best of intentions”, Australia has fallen short of federal targets to close the gap in disproportionate health outcomes between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians. We examined 2150 original research articles published over the 12-year period (from 2008 to 2020), of which 58% used descriptive designs and only 2.6% were randomised controlled trials. There were few national studies. Studies were most commonly conducted in remote settings (28.8%) and focused on specific burdens of disease prevalent in remote areas, such as infectious disease, hearing and vision. Analytic observational designs were used more frequently when addressing burdens of disease, such as cancer and kidney and urinary, respiratory and endocrine diseases. The largest number of publications focused on mental and substance use disorders (n = 322, 20.5%); infectious diseases (n = 222, 14.1%); health services planning, delivery and improvement (n = 193, 33.5%); and health and wellbeing (n = 170, 29.5%). This review is timely given new investments in Aboriginal health, which highlights the importance of Aboriginal researchers, community leadership and research priority. We anticipate future outputs for Aboriginal health research to change significantly from this review, and join calls for a broadening of our intellectual investment in Aboriginal health.

Details

Title: Interrogating the intentions for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health: a narrative review of research outputs since the introduction of Closing the Gap
Authors/Creators: Michelle Kennedy
Jessica Bennett
Sian Maidment
Catherine Chamberlain
Kate Booth
Romany McGuffog
Bree Hobden
Lisa J Whop
Jamie Bryant
Publication Details: Medical journal of Australia, Vol.217(1), pp.50-57
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Identifiers: 991005621213607891
Murdoch Affiliation: Ngangk Yira Institute for Change
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration
Citation topics: 1 Clinical & Life Sciences; 1.156 Healthcare Policy; 1.156.436 Health Inequities
Web Of Science research areas: Medicine, General & Internal
ESI research areas: Clinical Medicine