The Minns Labor Government is investing more than $4 million in Aboriginal-led research projects which aim to reduce heart disease and improve heart health outcomes for Aboriginal communities across NSW.
Nine Aboriginal researchers have been awarded funding for three-year research projects under the NSW Government's Aboriginal Heart Health Grant program.
Among the successful recipients is Belinda Field and her team at the Eleanor Duncan Aboriginal Services based on the Central Coast, who will work in close consultation with Darkinjung Community members to develop the Walk Strong Project.
The $750,000 grant will support Ms Field and her team to address the disproportionately high rates of peripheral artery disease among Aboriginal people through a culturally responsive, community-led heart disease education and exercise program.
Other grant recipients are located in Sydney and regional areas across the state, including Mardi, Kempsey, Newcastle, Griffith and Bathurst.
Cardiovascular disease includes many different conditions affecting the heart and blood vessels and disproportionately affects Aboriginal people at a rate 2.4 times higher than non-Indigenous Australians.
The disease also develops, on average, more than 10 years earlier in Aboriginal people. Despite improvements in health outcomes, coronary heart disease remains the leading cause of death for Aboriginal people.
Research consultation and co-design will ensure the funded projects and outcomes are grounded in the knowledge and lived experience of Aboriginal communities and are aligned with Aboriginal cultural values, community priorities and local strengths.
The grants are being delivered through two funding streams. One stream provides up to $750,000 to support the development of new cardiovascular interventions which were identified through extensive consultation with local communities.
A second stream offers up to $250,000 for early-stage developmental research projects, where consultation with Aboriginal communities will be undertaken to determine and identify needs, better understand causes, and gather local community input on potential solutions.
The other successful grant recipients and research projects are:
- Dr Juanita Sherwood - Building a culturally relevant Model of Care for Cardiovascular Health
- Professor Tony Dreise - Healthy Mouth, Healthy Heart: Co-designed action research project to improve integrated First Nations care models between heart and oral health
- Amy Thompson - Re-imagining F.A.S.T: Community-led co-design of a culturally responsive early warning stroke message, to improve stroke outcomes
- Lisa Curry - Marrambidya Murrayalalinya: Sound as a Cultural Determinant of Health for Aboriginal People
- Cassia Lindsay - Elders in Wellness: A culturally grounded healthy ageing journey
- Mandy Debenham - Caring for Country's Hearts: A Collaborative Approach to Cardiac Health
- Yeena Thompson - CIRCLE: Aboriginal Community-led initiative for Research on Cardiovascular Health Lived Experiences
- Dr Liesa Clague - "Getting at the heart of it": Aboriginal community-led participatory action research using storytelling yarning.
The grants are part of the NSW Government's Cardiovascular Research Capacity Program, a $150 million investment over 10 years, which aims to improve the cardiovascular health of people in NSW.
For more information visit: https://medicalresearch.nsw.gov.au/grants/aboriginal-heart-health
Minister for Medical Research and Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Treaty David Harris said:
"Heart disease continues to have a disproportionate impact on Aboriginal communities and I am proud to be part of a Government that is making this major investment in targeted research funding to support Aboriginal-led solutions to close this unacceptable gap.
"We know that Aboriginal communities understand their own health needs better than anyone and Aboriginal-led research is essential to ensure heart health intiatives to prevent disease, improve care and help save lives of Aboriginal peoples.
"Through this investment we are creating long-term foundations for healthier futures across Aboriginal communities in NSW.
"I know first-hand that Belinda Field and her team at the Eleanor Duncan Aboriginal Services do fantastic work on the Central Coast in partrnership with Darkinjung, and are an excellent example of what this funding can achieve to improve the health and day-to-day lives of mob."
Proud Wiradjuri woman and CEO at Eleanor Duncan Aboriginal Services Belinda Field said:
"This NSW Government investment puts Eleanor Duncan Aboriginal Services at the forefront of elevating community knowledge and self-determination.
"It will assist to drive Aboriginal cultural distinctiveness into research by embedding our ways of deep listening and two-way knowledge sharing to achieve greater outcomes for those affected by heart disease in our community here in Darkinjung country."
Strategy and Operations Manager at Eleanor Duncan Aboriginal Services Paul Hussein said:
"The prevention and management of foot disease is a key priority for people in our community here in Darkinjung country, and the research project will utilise Aboriginal-led design and community participatory action research to develop and evaluate a community-led exercise and education program for people living with Peripheral Artery Disease."
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