TY - JOUR
T1 - Cardiovascular Health in Indigenous Communities
T2 - Successful Programs
AU - Huffman, Mark D.
AU - Galloway, James M.
N1 - Funding Information:
The profile of these baseline data is reportedly similar to the complete dataset, which is to be published later this year (Dr. Alex Brown, personal communication) and have provided a background for the development of several programs specifically targeted toward Indigenous people in Australia and New Zealand. In March 2009, the Baker IDI Heart & Diabetes Institute in Alice Springs Hospital announced the development of a Centre of Excellence in Indigenous Cardiovascular Disease. A central goal is to reduce the absolute risk of vascular events amongst Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians by 2.5% within 10 years through primary prevention. This centre aims to develop research-based programs and interventions that provide health solutions to Indigenous people. The institute is funded by the National Health & Medical Research Council, the National Heart Foundation, and private donations to study epidemiology, health systems research, the impact of social, cultural and psychological factors on chronic disease, and clinical research.
PY - 2010/5
Y1 - 2010/5
N2 - Background: Indigenous people across the globe have generally had suboptimal access to quality medical care and effective prevention programs. The available programs that existed have generally been poorly funded and have primarily focussed on infectious diseases. More recent trends denoting significant rising morbidity and mortality of chronic diseases have brought some limited medical focus on cardiovascular diseases, their risk factors and their prevention. However, there is a growing body of evidence-published and unpublished-of developed and developing successful programs to provide culturally appropriate and sensitive treatment for cardiovascular diseases and prevention. Within this report, we aim to describe some of these programs in order to understand common approaches and links that make them successful. Once this survey is completed, a template for successful CVD programs can be created for the development of future programs. Methods: We used several methods to gather information about successful Indigenous CVD programs: Pub Med search (keywords: Indigenous, native, First Nation, Aboriginal, cardiovascular, cardiac, etc.), online searches of government-based health programs (World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control, etc.) and non-government health programs (World Heart Federation, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, etc.), and, importantly, personal communication with multiple thought leaders and program directors in the field of international CVD treatment and prevention. Results: Programs can be divided into: (1) epidemiologic programs, which focus on data collection, (2) focussed prevention programs and population approach to CVD prevention, and (3) clinical prevention and intervention programs. Discussion: Common themes that define successful Indigenous CVD programs include: dedicated focus on the Indigenous population, widespread community involvement within the Indigenous population, often through the use of Indigenous community health workers, a focus on high-risk individuals within the population and regularly scheduled contact between the program and participants. We recommend that these themes are incorporated during development of future CVD programs for Indigenous people.
AB - Background: Indigenous people across the globe have generally had suboptimal access to quality medical care and effective prevention programs. The available programs that existed have generally been poorly funded and have primarily focussed on infectious diseases. More recent trends denoting significant rising morbidity and mortality of chronic diseases have brought some limited medical focus on cardiovascular diseases, their risk factors and their prevention. However, there is a growing body of evidence-published and unpublished-of developed and developing successful programs to provide culturally appropriate and sensitive treatment for cardiovascular diseases and prevention. Within this report, we aim to describe some of these programs in order to understand common approaches and links that make them successful. Once this survey is completed, a template for successful CVD programs can be created for the development of future programs. Methods: We used several methods to gather information about successful Indigenous CVD programs: Pub Med search (keywords: Indigenous, native, First Nation, Aboriginal, cardiovascular, cardiac, etc.), online searches of government-based health programs (World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control, etc.) and non-government health programs (World Heart Federation, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, etc.), and, importantly, personal communication with multiple thought leaders and program directors in the field of international CVD treatment and prevention. Results: Programs can be divided into: (1) epidemiologic programs, which focus on data collection, (2) focussed prevention programs and population approach to CVD prevention, and (3) clinical prevention and intervention programs. Discussion: Common themes that define successful Indigenous CVD programs include: dedicated focus on the Indigenous population, widespread community involvement within the Indigenous population, often through the use of Indigenous community health workers, a focus on high-risk individuals within the population and regularly scheduled contact between the program and participants. We recommend that these themes are incorporated during development of future CVD programs for Indigenous people.
KW - Cardiovascular risk
KW - Community Health
KW - Indigenous
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=77953122021&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.hlc.2010.02.013
DO - 10.1016/j.hlc.2010.02.013
M3 - Article
C2 - 20359950
AN - SCOPUS:77953122021
SN - 1443-9506
VL - 19
SP - 351
EP - 360
JO - Heart Lung and Circulation
JF - Heart Lung and Circulation
IS - 5-6
ER -