Innovations in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Symposium

Innovations in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Symposium (June 2014)

The Lowitja institute awarded a small grant to the University of Queensland and the Institute for Urban Indigenous Health (IHUH) in 2013 to evaluate the IUIH’s Deadly Choices program – Evaluation of a health education initiative for urban Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The findings from the Deadly Choices evaluation, in addition to other IUIH research and student projects, prompted a symposium on knowledge translation.

The aims of the symposium were to

• to showcase student projects in urban Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health
• to provide opportunities to exchange knowledge regarding best practice health care in urban Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health.

The symposium provided an opportunity to hear about innovative approaches towards closing the gap in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, including in the areas of chronic disease self-management, children’s therapy approaches, equipping the workforce and ensuring cultural safety in practice, and governance in community-controlled health services. Keynote presentations from IUIH CEO, Mr Adrian Carson, and Director of Workforce Development and Allied Health, Dr Alison Nelson, were followed by concurrent sessions highlighting over 20 individual projects. The symposium also provided the opportunity to showcase university student projects, which have led to sustainable ongoing programs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander people.

More than 100 people attended the symposium including academics, students, executives and health care providers from both mainstream and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health services. The symposium created several key links between IUIH and other community-based programs as well as consolidating links with the University and with students conducting placements with the IUIH.