The health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adolescents and young people: opportunities for applied epidemiology

Abstract

My MAE was undertaken at the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), during 2018-2019. My studies focussed on the health and wellbeing of adolescent and young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, with the exception of my outbreak project. My studies included:

Analysis of public health dataset - A retrospective study of South Australian adolescents aged 10-24 years utilising data from the Integrated South Australian Activity Collection dataset. The aim of the study was to assess leading causes and trends in hospital separations among adolescents in South Australia (SA) between 2006 and 2015, by sex, age groups and Aboriginal status. Counts and proportions of leading causes of separation were calculated as age-standardised rates and negative binominal regression was used to assess trend over time.

Epidemiological study - Let's Talk About It 2019, an online survey of sexual health, knowledge, behaviours and access to health services for sexually transmitted infections (STI) and bloodborne viruses (BBV), amongst young South Australians aged 16-29 years, both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous. Descriptive analysis, univariate and adjusted logistic regression models were used to determine whether socio-demographic characteristics and sexual risk behaviours were associated with specific behaviours.

Evaluation of a public health surveillance system - The preliminary evaluation of the ATLAS Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sexual Health Surveillance Network - a national sentinel surveillance system within Aboriginal community-controlled health services (ACCHS). The evaluation of ATLAS involved a document review, stakeholder interviews and analysis of ATLAS data using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (United States of America) Updated Guidelines for Evaluating Public Health Surveillance Systems. I assessed the following attributes: acceptability, simplicity, flexibility, data quality, representativeness, timeliness, stability, and usefulness.

Outbreak investigation - An epidemiological investigation and a retrospective case-control study of an outbreak of Salmonella Havana in alfalfa sprouts, in Adelaide. The outbreak was conducted during June and July 2018 with colleagues from SA Health. Investigations identified the most likely source to be alfalfa sprouts. Public health action lead to a consumer level recall of all alfalfa sprout products and public health alert.

Teaching - This chapter outlines two teaching sessions, (i) a teaching session to first year MAE scholars, on a Single Overarching Communication Outcome (SOCO) in relation to the communication of a public health message; and (ii) a Lessons From the Field to my fellow scholars, on 'Conducting research with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities'.