PROJECT
Bettering Aboriginal Heart Health in Western Australia
Investigating Aboriginal heart health to improve the medical system
The Bettering Aboriginal Heart Health WA (BAHHWA) project initially centred on coronary heart disease as we looked at statewide linked data.
Through this analysis, we worked at determining the occurrence, comorbidities and outcomes for Aboriginal people with coronary heart disease, looking at their age, sex and geographic locations.
This focus also included other heart diseases such as atrial fibrillation and heart failure.
Qualitative research was undertaken on the experiences of both the Aboriginal people affected by these illnesses and the health professionals involved in their care.
Through this research, we began to understand the barriers and enablers of quality care provision and ways to promote optimal models of care.
We have been collaborating with a network of cardiovascular disease stakeholders to identify research questions, disseminate results to inform policy and practice, and to produce useful resources for stakeholders to use.
Current research topics within the BAHHWA project include patterns of multi-morbidity in Aboriginal cardiovascular patients, an ecological evaluation of the impact of ‘Closing the Gap’ initiative on heart disease burden, and an analysis of acute coronary syndrome.
Our overall goal is to develop a shared understanding and collaboration with Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people (consumers, service providers, policymakers) to develop solutions to reduce the substantial disparities in cardiovascular outcomes experienced by Aboriginal people.
We have received various funding, including a Heart Foundation Future Leader Fellowship (2016-2019); National Health and Medical Council (NHMRC) Early Career Fellowship (2012-2015); NHMRC project grants (2008-2011, 2012-2015); State Health Research Advisory Council, WA Health (2007-2008); UWA Poche Centre for Indigenous Health and Healthy Minds, Healthy Lives.
The BAHHWA project is led by Dr Sandra Thompson and Dr Judith Katzenellenbogen from UWA’s School of Population and Global Health.
Collaborations
We are working with a number of academics, organisations and government bodies for this project. These include:
- Dr Frank Sanfilippo, School of Population and Global Health, UWA
- Emeritus Professor Michael Hobbs, School of Population and Global Health, UWA
- Professor Matthew Knuiman, School of Population and Global Health, UWA
- Professor Dawn Bessarab, Centre for Aboriginal Medical and Dental Health, UWA
- Professor Elizabeth Geelhoed, School of Allied Health, UWA
- Dr Angela Durey, Dental School, UWA
- Emeritus Professor Joe Hung, Medical School, UWA
- Professor Peter Thompson, Harry Perkins Institute, UWA
- Lyn Dimer, Heart Foundation
- Dr Marianne Wood, Royal Perth Hospital/Aboriginal Health Council of WA
- Associate Professor Andrew Maiorana, Curtin University
- Kim Goodman, Health Networks, WA Health
Readings
If you would like to read more about our research, see below:
- Thompson SC, Haynes E, Woods JA, Bessarab D, Dimer L, Wood M; Sanfilippo FM, Hamilton S, Katzenellenbogen JM. Improving cardiovascular outcomes among Aboriginal Australians: lessons from research for primary care. Sage Open Med 2016; 4.
- Haynes E, Hohnen H, Katzenellenbogen JM, Scalley B, Thompson SC. Knowledge Translation lessons from an audit of Aboriginal Australians with Acute Coronary Syndrome presenting to a regional hospital. SAGE Open Medicine 2016.
- Scalley B, Gee A, Katzenellenbogen JM, Gilles M, Thompson SC. Improving the management of acute coronary syndrome in a regional hospital. Aust NZ J Pub Hlth 2016;40:529-34.
- Bradshaw P, Katzenellenbogen J, Sanfilippo F, Hobbs M, Thompson P, Thompson S. Validation study of GRACE risk scores in indigenous and non-indigenous patients hospitalized with acute coronary syndrome. BMC Cardiovasc Disorders 2015 15:151.
- Teng T-H, Katzenellenbogen JM, Thompson SC, Sanfilippo FM, Knuiman MW, Geelhoed E, Hobbs MST, Bessarab D, Hung J. Incidence of first heart failure hospitalization and mortality in Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal patients in Western Australia, 2000-2009. International Journal of Cardiology 2014; 173 (1): 110-117.
- Katzenellenbogen JM, Woods JA, Teng THK, Thompson SC. Atrial fibrillation in the Indigenous populations of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States: a systematic scoping review. BMC Cardiovasc Disorders 2015, 15:87.
- Katzenellenbogen JM, Sanfilippo FM, Hobbs MST, Knuiman MW, Bessarab D, Durey A, Thompson SC. Voting with their feet - predictors of discharge against medical advice in Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal ischaemic heart disease inpatients in Western Australia: an analytic study using data linkage. BMC Health Services Research 2013; 13 (1): 330.
- Katzenellenbogen JM, Sanfilippo FM, Hobbs MST, Briffa TG, Ridout SC, Knuiman MW, Dimer L, Taylor KP, Thompson PL, Thompson SC. Aboriginal to non-Aboriginal differentials in 2-year outcomes following non-fatal first-ever acute MI persist after adjustment for comorbidity. European Journal of Preventive Cardiology 2012; 19 (5): 983-990.
- Woods JA, Katzenellenbogen JM, Davidson PM, Thompson SC. Heart failure among Indigenous Australians: a systematic review. BMC Cardiovascular Disorders 2012; 12 (1): 99.
- Katzenellenbogen JM, Sanfilippo FM, Hobbs MST, Briffa TG, Ridout SC, Knuiman MW, Dimer L, Taylor KP, Thompson PL, Thompson SC. Variable effects of prevalence correction of population denominators on differentials in myocardial infarction incidence: A record linkage study in Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Western Australians. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology 2011; 64 (6): 658-666.
