Indigenous Australians and Health

Indigenous Australians and Health assists the student reader, through simple and practical strategies, to appreciate and understand the importance of 'Getting it right', when working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians in urban and remote areas.

Key themes emerging from the text outline the fundamental and underlying components that continue to influence good health for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. It further seeks to provide an understanding of Indigenous Australian perspectives of their own health, and examines the historical connections between health and the impacts of colonisation, both past and present in Australia.

In covering the broad disparity between the wider Australian community and Indigenous Australians in health outcomes and life expectancy Indigenous Australians and Health promotes awareness of culturally-based issues which can impact on access and response to clinical health services.

Ronald Hampton, Clinical Educator in Indigenous health, University of Queensland,Maree Toombs, Director of Indigenous Health, University of Queensland


Ron Hampton is a long-time educator with a BA, Grad Dip Arts and an M Ed. He is Clinical Educator in Indigenous health at the University of Queensland. He is a past chair of Darling Downs Shared Care Inc. t/a Carbal Medical Centre. His ongoing commitments include: community member of Queensland's Mental Health Review Tribunal; cultural educator with CSQTC (a registrar training organization) and GP Connections; and works with the recently formed DDSWQ Medicare Local.

Maree Toombs is a Kamilaroi woman from north Western New South Wales. Dr Toombs is the Director of Indigenous Health, at the University of Queensland's School of Medicine. Her role includes curriculum development and research. Dr Toombs has just been appointed as an Adjunct Associate Professor at Dalhousie University; medical school; Canada and will work there in an advisory role to assist in curriculum development and research.

Part 1: Indigenous Australians: history, culture and identity
1. : Culture, Identity and Indigenous Australian peoples
2. : Racism, colonisation/colonialism and impacts on indigenous people
3. : Contemporary Indigenous Australians
Part 2: Promoting Health and Wellbeing among Indigenous communities
4. : Indigenous Australian concepts of health & wellbeing
5. : Indigenous access to health and health services
6. : Ethics and Healthcare: cultural competencies, protocols and integrity in clinical practice and research
7. : Communication for Working with Indigenous communities
Part 3: Primary Healthcare and Indigenous Australians
8. : Primary Healthcare: Metropolitan, Regional, Rural and Remote practices
9. : Physical Health among Indigenous Australians
10. : Nutrition and Diet in Indigenous Communities
11. : Mental Health among Indigenous Australians
12. : Impacts of substance abuse, violence and self-harm in Indigenous communities
13. : Disability in Indigenous Australian People
14. : Allied Health and Indigenous Australia