Thread by @_PHAA_

Bardi woman Prof Pat Dudgeon gets our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social and Emotional Wellbeing session underway. Must acknowledge colonisation and the strength and resilience of Indigenous peoples, she tells #AustPH2021

Suicide is second leading cause of death of Indigenous men, and 7th leading cause for Indigenous women, Prof Dudgeon says. Institutionalised racism and lack of culturally-appropriate services.

Prof Dudgeon says there is regional disparity among suicide rates for Indigenous people. Reasons include grief and loss in families, dislocation, trans-generational trauma. We need more culturally appropriate services. #AustPH2021

Prof Dudgeon notes the global Indigenous context of suicide, and the ATSISPEP project that outlines what solutions work, and how they can guide responses to support Indigenous suicide prevention activities, cbpatsisp.com.au #AustPH2021

Prof Dudgeon encourages people to view the Manual of Resources in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention, a living document, available via cbpatsisp.com.au

Prof Dudgeon explains WA context, her team, the role of traditional healers, workforce expansion. Some responses are local, some are national. See more at cbpatsisp.com.au and also timhwb.org.au #AustPH2021

Our next presenter, Dr Michael Doyle, is speaking about imprisonment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. He notes the @ulurustatement and its references to imprisonment, imprisonment rates, and how to decrease these rates. #AustPH2021

Dr Doyle says in early 2020, authorities decided to release many prisoners across Australia as the COVID19 pandemic hit. We are now entering a potentially dangerous phase as some measures are being reduced, he says. #AustPH2021

Various factors contributing to imprisonment rates of Indigenous people, including the normalisation of the criminal justice system as a part of life, Dr Doyle says #AustPH2021 .

Dr Doyle says every time an inquiry is held to address imprisonment rates, they all refer to the 1991 Royal Commission. Any future inquiry should look at why some recommendations from the '91 inquiry have not been introduced, he tells #AustPH2021.

Goals of #ClosingTheGap include two references to the criminal justice system. Lots of effort required to ensure adult rates are tracking to parity with non-Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, Dr Doyle says. His study explores alcohol use among inmates #AustPH2021

Dr Doyle outlining how men he interviewed felt discriminated on a daily basis, financial difficulties, stress from family conflict. All the inmates relapsed after release. Some were told to go to rehab but wanted to spend time with family first. #AustPH2021

Hope for the future includes justice reinvestment projects, social connection, work, behavioural and social factors, Dr Doyle says. #AustPH2021

We can't rely solely on the individual, we must provide a range of supports, Dr Doyle says. He wants to see leadership scaled up across Australia. #ClosingTheGap #AustPH2021

Wiradjuri woman Dr @michelle_bovill introduces our final speaker, A/Prof @Lisa_J_Whop of @ANUPopHealth. Dr Whop is a descendent of the Wagedagam tribe of the Gumulgal people of Mabuiag Island in the Torres Strait and has family connections to the Darling Downs in SW Qld.

A/Prof @Lisa_J_Whop discuss cervical cancer elimination in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Measures have included screening and HPV vaccination. #AustPH2021

It will take another 37% reduction to reach elimination of cervical cancer in women in Australia. May reach it by 2028, but factors including COVID19 pandemic still at play, A/Prof @Lisa_J_Whop says #AustPH2021

Massive persistent inequities. Basically largely no progress since 2001. Not just confined to Australia. Why have public health programs not benefitted Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, A/Prof @Lisa_J_Whop asks #AustPH2021

There are lots of data gaps. We are not on track to achieve elimination, but hope is not lost, A/Prof @Lisa_J_Whop says. Must work with Indigenous communities to develop culturally-appropriate solutions. #AustPH2021

A/Prof @Lisa_J_Whop outlines her research program entitled 'vision: elimination of cervical cancer for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women' with categories including HPV vaccination, cervical screening, advocacy and treatment. #AustPH2021

Next steps include co-designing Indigenous programs, and focusing on community-led implementation, A/Prof @Lisa_J_Whop tells #AustPH2021

A 68% reduction is required to eliminate cervical cancer in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, A/Prof @Lisa_J_Whop. This is achievable, but will take lots of effort, she tells #AustPH2021