Cancer is one of the most common causes of illness and death in Australia, and it has been well documented that people living in rural and remote areas have poorer outcomes.1 A large proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (henceforth respectfully referred to as Indigenous) people live in regional, rural and remote locations. Cancer is the leading cause of death for Indigenous Australians, who are more likely to have poor outcomes compared to non-Indigenous Australians regardless of rurality.1 University Departments of Rural Health (UDRHs) were first established more than 25 years ago as part of a strategy to build [...]

Background/Objectives: Improving health outcomes for Indigenous people by strengthening the cultural safety of care is a vital challenge for the health sector. University Departments of Rural Health (UDRH), academic centres based in regional, rural, and remote (RRR) locations across Australia, are uniquely positioned to foster a culturally safe rural health workforce through training, education, and engagement with Indigenous communities. This narrative review examines the contributions of UDRHs to health workforce issues through analysis of their publications focused on Indigenous health. Methods: Research articles relating to workforce were identified from an established database of UDRH Indigenous health-related publications published 2010–2021. Results: [...]

Abstract Background Rural hospitals in Australia have not been afforded the same opportunities for research activity as their metropolitan counterparts. Equitable access to career and research opportunities has been identified as a potential strategy to enhance workforce satisfaction and retention in rural areas. Smaller rural hospitals show potential in being key settings for research; but minimal investment has translated into a lack of action and knowledge. Practical examples of how this can be done from an organisational structure point of view, are limited in the literature. Methods This cross-sectional study was undertaken in a rural hospital that services rural communities [...]

ABSTRACT Objective Explore perspectives of occupational therapists on the use of the Perceive, Recall, Plan and Perform Assessment (PRPP-A) to assess functional cognition when working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Setting Health services in the Northern Territory. Participants Thirteen occupational therapists trained in the use of the PRPP-A and experienced in working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Design A qualitative, exploratory research design was adopted. Data were collected via focus groups, which were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Each transcript was systematically reviewed using a reflexive thematic analysis approach and inductively coded. Shared meaning was identified and [...]

Abstract Objectives The COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately disrupted healthcare access for vulnerable populations, including older adults. This study examines sociodemographic predictors of missed or delayed care (MDC) among Australians aged ≥65 years across three pandemic time points (July–December 2020, June–August 2021, and March 2022). Methods A repeated cross-sectional design was employed. Data were sourced from The 45 and Up COVID Insights study. Logistic regression analysed predictors of MDC, with sociodemographic variables including chronic conditions, psychological distress, cultural and linguistic diversity (CALD), disability status, gender, socioeconomic disadvantage, and geographic remoteness, included for analysis. Results Three temporal patterns of MDC were identified: 1) [...]