Experience of racism and tooth brushing among pregnant Aboriginal Australians: exploring psychosocial mediators

Despite burgeoning evidence regarding the pathways by which experiences of racism influence health outcomes, little attention has been paid to the relationship between racism and oral health-related behaviours in particular. We hypothesised that self-reported racism was associated with tooth brushing, and that this association was mediated by perceived stress and sense of control and moderated by social support.

Experiencing racism in health care: the mental health impacts for Victorian Aboriginal communities

To examine experiences of racism in health settings and their impact on mental health among Aboriginal Australians.

Self-reported racism and experience of toothache among pregnant Aboriginal Australians: the role of perceived stress, sense of control, and social support

Objectives We hypothesized that the psychosocial factors perceived stress and sense of personal control mediated the relationship between self-reported racism and experience of toothache. We hypothesized that social support moderated this relationship. Methods Data from 365 pregnant Aboriginal Australian women were used to evaluate experience of toothache, socio-demographic factors, psychosocial factors, general health, risk behaviors, and self-reported racism exposure. Hierarchical logistic regression models estimated odds ratios (ORs) and 95 percent confidence intervals (CIs) for experience of toothache. Perceived stress and sense of personal control were examined as mediators of the association between self-reported racism and experience of toothache. Social support was examined as a moderator. Results Self-reported racism persisted as a risk indicator for experience of toothache (OR 1.99, 95 percent CI 1.07-3.72) after controlling for age, level of education, and difficulty paying a $100 dental bill. The relationship between self-reported racism and experience of toothache was mediated by sense of control. The direct effect of self-reported racism on experience of toothache became only marginally significant, and the indirect effect was significant (β coefficient-=-0.04, bias-corrected 95 percent CI 0.004-0.105, 21.2 percent of effect mediated). Stress was insignificant as a mediator. Social support was insignificant as a moderator. Conclusions The findings indicate that high levels of self-reported racism were associated with experience of toothache and that sense of control, but not perceived stress, mediated the association between self-reported racism and experience of toothache among this sample of pregnant Aboriginal Australian women. Social support did not moderate the association between self-reported racism and experience of toothache.

Genetic counseling for Indigenous Australians: an exploratory study from the perspective of genetic health professionals

Indigenous populations are thought to have particularly low levels of access to genetic health services, and cultural issues may be a contributing factor. This article presents the findings of the first study of genetic health service provision to Indigenous Australians. This qualitative study aimed to identify elements of culturally-competent genetic health service provision in Indigenous Australian contexts. Twelve semi-structured interviews were conducted with genetic counselors and clinical geneticists from around Australia who had delivered services to Indigenous Australians. Participants were asked to describe their experiences and identify any collective cultural needs of Indigenous clients, as well as comment on specific training and resources they had received or used. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed with thematic analysis conducted on the data. The findings show that participants were reluctant to generalize the needs of Indigenous peoples. Some participants asserted that Indigenous peoples have needs that differ from the general population, while others felt that there were no collective cultural needs, instead advocating an individualized approach. Being flexible and practical, taking time to build rapport, recognizing different family structures and decision-making processes, as well as socio-economic disadvantage were all identified as important factors in participants' interactions with Indigenous clients. Indigenous support workers and hospital liaison officers were seen as valuable resources for effective service provision. The implications of this study for training and practice are discussed.

The significance of northern-central Bass Strait in south-eastern Australia as habitat for burrowing seabirds

The present study provides the first complete estimate of the abundance and distribution of burrowing seabirds in northern-central Bass Strait, a key region for breeding seabirds in south-eastern Australia. The estimated total number of breeding burrows in the region in 2008-11 were 755300±32400 (s.e.) burrows of Short-tailed Shearwaters (Ardenna tenuirostris), 26700±3500 of Little Penguins (Eudyptula minor), 19100±2200 of Common Diving-Petrels (Pelecanoides urinatrix) and 4200±2700 of Fairy Prions (Pachyptila turtur). These represent substantial proportions of the total estimated Australian breeding populations of these species: 6% of the total population of Short-tailed Shearwaters, 14% of Little Penguins, 0.4% of Fairy Prions and 13% of Common Diving-Petrels. Based on the number of active burrows, the number of breeding Short-tailed Shearwaters in the region is estimated to have decreased 35% between 1978-80 and 2008-11, equivalent to a decrease of 1.4% per annum between 1980 and 2011. The regional population of Little Penguins, however, appears to have increased substantially over the same period. Identification of population trends of the other species is limited by a lack of previous data. The importance of this area for burrowing seabirds and the substantial decline in numbers of Short-tailed Shearwaters warrants more frequent monitoring of the abundance of seabirds in the region to allow a robust comparison of changes in populations over time as well as the identification of possible causative factors. © BirdLife Australia 2014.

The diet of Pacific gulls (Larus pacificus) breeding at Seal Island in northern Bass Strait

The endemic Pacific gull (Larus pacificus) is Australia's largest larid, and though little is currently known of its foraging ecology, its size and wide distribution suggest that it may play an important role within the marine environment. In the present study, regurgitate pellets collected from Seal Island in northern Bass Strait were used to compare intra- and interannual trends in diet composition. The main taxa identified in pellets were the common diving-petrel (Pelecanoides urinatrix), leatherjacket species (Family Monacanthidae), short-tailed shearwater (Puffinus tenuirostris) and mirror bush (Coprosma repens). Analysis of similarity (ANOSIM) identified no significant differences in numerical abundance of the dominant prey species between years, suggesting that the prey base in this region is temporally consistent or that the gulls consume low enough numbers to be unaffected by fluctuation in prey populations. Diving-petrels were consumed in consistently high numbers, suggesting the gulls may be an important predator of this species, or that the gulls are particularly skilled at foraging for them. © CSIRO 2014.

Aboriginal people and local government. A Shepparton story

Sequential governments have created policies to deal with the "Aboriginal problem". None of these have been particularly successful. I contend that the absence of effective dialogue has been the cause of most failures. I also argue that future policies will also fail unless a dialogic approach of deep listening, respect and love is adopted.

Education for productive futures: a white woman learning from Aboriginal voices

High incarceration rates of Aboriginal Western Australians leads to between 1800 and 2000 Aboriginal prisoners at any one time. Despite this little is written or noted in Australian peer reviewed academic literature about education provision to Aboriginal prisoners. "Closing the Gap: learning from and privileging Aboriginal voices to learn what helps and hinders educationin WA prisons" is a PhD project nearing submission. It has been conducted in partnership with the Deaths in Custody Watch Committee as we ll as with the support of a local community legalservice. The findings are relevant beyond a prison context.This paper specifically focuses on how understandings of the concept of productivity can differ. Itconsiders what might or might not be helpful in achieving productive educational and trainingoutcomes in Western Australian prisons for Indigenous individuals, families and communities. Itrelies heavily on the words of the author's teachers; the Aboriginal participants in the project alongside Indigenous authors and academics. The paper concludes by considering implications for developing and evaluating training programs in more flexible ways that respect diversity.