Aboriginal health partnership
The health of Aboriginal Australians is well known to be much poorer than that of non-Aboriginal Australians. Chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, kidney disease, chronic respiratory disease and cancer are the major causes of morbidity and mortality among Aboriginal people. The social, economic and environmental disadvantage which many Aboriginal people experience (poverty, poor housing and inadequate food supply) place Aboriginal people at greater risk for chronic conditions.
What we are doing
We are working in partnership with Bangala Aboriginal Health Service, SSWAHS to set strategic directions and allocate resources for Aboriginal health promotion programs in SSWAHS. To formalise the partnership, a Memorandum of Understanding between Bangala Aboriginal Health Service and the Health Promotion Service was signed in September 2007.
An Aboriginal Health Promotion Action Plan (2008-2010) (PDF, 237KB) for SSWAHS was developed which focuses on three priority areas: tobacco control, physical activity and nutrition, along with social determinants of health.
We are running a number of projects that are identified within the plan including:
- Tharawal community kitchen and garden in Narellan
- Healthy Parenting educational flipchart for use with Aboriginal parents, carers and pregnant women
- Line dancing troupe in Redfern
- Ngalawa Barawal, Aboriginal physical activity and nutrition project with an out-of-school-hours service in Glebe
- Aboriginal men’s cycling project in Miller
- Promotion of tobacco cessation messages at events such as local celebrations of NAIDOC Week
- Support of the Smoke-Check training program within SSWAHS
- Transport Access Guide for Aboriginal services located in Camperdown, Leichhardt, Marrickville, Redfern and Newtown
Evaluation
The Aboriginal Health Promotion Action Plan (2008-2010) (PDF, 237KB) for SSWAHS will be evaluated in 2011.
Partners and funding
NSW Health and SSWAHS are jointly funding implementation of the Plan. Our project partners include a range of organisations e.g. local councils, Aboriginal Medical Services, out-of-school-hours service, Aboriginal community agencies and non-government agencies.
More information
Contact Myna Hua on 9515 9081 or email mhua@email.cs.nsw.gov.au