Published on Friday, 23 September 2022 at 11:00:00 AM
The NHMRC National Institute of Dementia Research launched the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Roadmap for Dementia Research and Translation which was developed through extensive community consultation and through the leadership of co-chairs Dr Kate Smith and Professor Dawn Bessarab.
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Roadmap for Dementia Research and Translation aims to address the challenge of dementia, and improve the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people currently living with dementia, their families, carers and communities.
It identifies five priorities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander dementia research, which include
- Health literacy,
- Prevention,
- Risk reduction and diagnosis,
- Access to services and supports,
- Culturally informed services and workforce and end of life care.
The Roadmap was developed through Australia-wide consultation . It included 253 community members across 26 urban, rural and remote communities and was guided by a working group of researchers and health care professionals, who are primarily Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.
Aboriginal elders played an important role in communities and contributed to the wellbeing of people in those communities. They are the knowledge holders. If Elders are affected by dementia, the whole community is affected.
It’s really important to work with the community from the ground up. Adopting these priorities outlined in the roadmap will improve health outcomes and increase opportunities for early collaboration and ongoing engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander elders and communities.
Co-chair, Dr Kate Smith said there was limited research targeting dementia and dementia risk in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples directly, and poor recognition of the health condition within communities. From community consultations, we heard that people wanted more information about what causes dementia and how to prevent it, early warning signs, and how to access quality and culturally-appropriate care.
The Roadmap identifies dementia research priorities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in urban, regional and remote areas, and guiding principles for culturally-appropriate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander dementia research. Dementia is experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians at a much higher rate and with an earlier onset than in non-Indigenous Australians. The Roadmap’s vision is to achieve these goals through high quality, strengths-based research that values Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge systems and community priorities, and recognises the social and cultural determinants of health.
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