The legacy of the exclusion of Aboriginal people in Australia

Abstract

My placement as a Master of Philosophy in Applied Epidemiology (MAE) scholar was with the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS); later based at the National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health (NCEPH). In meeting my Masters requirements I conducted an epidemiology project using mixed methods entitled ‘A community perspective of Burdekin rot’ - based on the anecdotal reports of ‘Burdekin rot’ and the perceived higher incidence of cancer (and death) in the Burdekin community. Analysis of cancer incidence and geographic level analysis of Queensland Cancer Registry data was conducted for the period 2003-2012 to ascertain whether cancer rates and mortality rates vary between the Aboriginal and Torres Strait peoples and the general population within each Statistical Division (SD) of Queensland. Qualitative interviews were conducted to understand the experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples living in the Burdekin region in terms of cancer diagnosis, treatment and treatment outcomes. I conducted a cross sectional study and analysis of the 2010 Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Inmate Health Survey to determine if contact (phone and visits) was associated with lower levels of psychological distress. Comparisons of proportions between a range of exposure variables and the outcome variable of psychological distress were conducted to further examine any association between mild to severe psychological distress. Further, as a team member within NCEPH in collaboration with Qld Health I assisted in an outbreak investigation primarily with undertaking hypothesis generating questionnaires for an outbreak of Salmonella Saintpaul cases in Qld. Case information was provided by Qld Health including case pathology reports. My role in the outbreak included case interviews, data analysis comparing current data to Qld S. Saintpaul data 2006-2014 and preparing a brief for OzFoodNet in terms of a possible multi-jurisdictional outbreak of S. Saintpaul. My final project to meet study requirements was the evaluation of the Queensland Cancer Registry specifically concerning the completeness of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander status data. A teaching component of the MAE program core competency was fulfilled via a group teaching session on measurement bias to the 2015 MAE cohort. Also, developing and conducting a Lesson from the Field (LFF) component on cultural awareness and appropriate community engagement and partnership when conducting research with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.