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Few tools and mechanisms exist to assist the reorientation of health services, especially in the Indigenous Australian health context; where improving health status and life expectancy is a priority. We developed a health promotion systems assessment tool (HPSAT) to provide health services with the information and support they need to drive health system change. Tool development occurred using a participatory, iterative approach that included a literature review, expert input by Indigenous and non-Indigenous stakeholders and annual group workshops in four Indigenous Australian primary health care (PHC) services. Four health system components: (i) organizational environment; (ii) service delivery systems; (iii) information systems and decision support; and (iv) adaptability and integration, form the framework of the tool. A scoring system monitors system change over time. The HPSAT provides a constructive framework to support health services to collectively assess and support reorientation in Indigenous Australian PHC services. Participation of key stakeholders with an intimate knowledge about the local context was pivotal in developing a user-friendly and fit-for-purpose tool. Maximum benefits of the tool are likely to be gained when used as part of a continuous quality improvement intervention.

BACKGROUND: People with intellectual disability experience inadequate access to general practice and poorer health outcomes than the general population. While some access barriers have been identified for this population, these studies have often used narrow definitions of access, which may not encompass the multiple dimensions that influence access to general practice. To address this gap, we conducted a scoping review to identify factors impacting access to general practice for people with intellectual disability in Australia, using a holistic framework of access conceptualised by Levesque and colleagues. METHODS: This scoping review followed Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and was guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews. Medline (Ovid), Scopus, CINAHL, Informit and PsycINFO databases were searched. Screening, full-text review and data extraction were completed by two independent reviewers, with consensus reached at each stage of the study. Data were extracted, coded and synthesised through deductive qualitative analysis - using the five corresponding conceptual dimensions within Levesque and colleagues' theoretical framework of access, which incorporate both supply-side features of health systems and services, and demand-side characteristics of consumers and populations. RESULTS: The search identified 1364 publications. After duplicate removal, title and abstract screening and full-text review, 44 publications were included. Supply-side factors were more commonly reported than demand-side factors, with the following issues frequently identified as impacting access to general practice: limited general practitioner education about, and/or experience of, people with intellectual disability; communication difficulties; and inadequate continuity of care. Less frequently included were factors such as the health literacy levels, promotion of general practice services and availability of complete

OBJECTIVE: To identify points for improvements within the health system where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cancer patients may experience a lack of continuity in their cancer care. The optimal care pathway for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with cancer (OCP) framework was utilised as a tool in this work. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with health professionals at the primary health care (PHC) and hospital setting. Data were categorised into six steps using the OCP framework. RESULTS: This study identified multiple time-points in the cancer pathways that could be strengthened to increase the continuity of cancer care for these patients. In addition, the provision of person-centred care and adequate education tailored to patients' and health professionals' needs can help minimise the likelihood of patients experiencing a lack of continuity in their cancer care. Participants were recruited from an urban hospital (n = 9) and from six Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (n = 17) across geographical locations in Queensland. The provision of culturally competent care, effective communication, coordination and collaboration between services along the cancer pathway from prevention and early diagnosis through to end-of-life care were highlighted as important to enhance care continuity for Indigenous Australians. CONCLUSION: The implementation of recommendations outlined in the OCP framework may help with improving cancer care continuity for Indigenous patients with cancer. SUMMARY: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people can sometimes find cancer care pathways complex and difficult to navigate. This study identified points in the cancer pathways that could be strengthened to increase the continuity of cancer care for these patients which could potentially lead to improved outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Cancer care involves many different healthcare providers. Delayed or inaccurate communication between specialists and general practitioners (GP) may negatively affect care. AIM: To describe the pattern and variation of communication between primary healthcare (PHC) services and hospitals and specialists in relation to the patient's cancer care. METHODS: A retrospective audit of clinical records of Indigenous Australians diagnosed with cancer during 2010-2016 identified through 10 PHC services in Queensland is described. Poisson regression was used to model the dichotomous outcome availability of hospital discharge summary versus not. RESULTS: A total of 138 patient records was audited; 115 of those patients visited the PHC service for cancer-related care after cancer diagnosis; 40.0% visited the service before a discharge summary was available, and 36.5% of the patients had no discharge summary in their medical notes. While most discharge summaries noted important information about the patient's cancer, 42.4% lacked details regarding the discharge medications regimen. CONCLUSIONS: Deficits in communication and information transfer between specialists and GP may adversely affect patient care. Indigenous Australians are a relatively disadvantaged group that experience poor health outcomes and relatively poor access to care. The low proportion of discharge summaries noting discharge medication regimen is of concern among Indigenous Australians with cancer who have high comorbidity burden and low health literacy. Our findings provide an insight into some of the factors associated with quality of cancer care, and may provide guidance for focus areas for further research and improvement efforts.

AIM: To explore health professionals' perspectives on communication, continuity and between-service coordination for improving cancer care for Indigenous people in Queensland. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted in a purposive sample of primary health care (PHC) services in Queensland with Indigenous and non-Indigenous health professionals who had experience caring for Indigenous cancer patients in the PHC and hospital setting. The World Health Organisation integrated people-centred health services framework was used to analyse the interview data. RESULTS: Seventeen health staff from six Aboriginal Community Controlled Services and nine health professionals from one tertiary hospital participated in this study. PHC sites were in urban, regional and rural settings and the hospital was in a major city. Analysis of the data suggests that timely communication and information exchange, collaborative approaches, streamlined processes, flexible care delivery, and patient-centred care and support were crucial in improving the continuity and coordination of care between the PHC service and the treating hospital. CONCLUSION: Communication, collaboration and care coordination are integral in the provision of quality cancer care for Indigenous Australians. It is recommended that health policy and funding be designed to incorporate these aspects across services and settings as a strategy to improve cancer outcomes for Indigenous people in Queensland.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.5334/ijic.5456.].

Aim:To explore health professionals' perspectives on communication, continuity and between-service coordination for improving cancer care for Indigenous people in Queensland. Methods:Semi-structured interviews were conducted in a purposive sample of primary health care (PHC) services in Queensland with Indigenous and non-Indigenous health professionals who had experience caring for Indigenous cancer patients in the PHC and hospital setting. The World Health Organisation integrated people-centred health services framework was used to analyse the interview data. Results:Seventeen health staff from six Aboriginal Community Controlled Services and nine health professionals from one tertiary hospital participated in this study. PHC sites were in urban, regional and rural settings and the hospital was in a major city. Analysis of the data suggests that timely communication and information exchange, collaborative approaches, streamlined processes, flexible care delivery, and patient-centred care and support were crucial in improving the continuity and coordination of care between the PHC service and the treating hospital. Conclusion:Communication, collaboration and care coordination are integral in the provision of quality cancer care for Indigenous Australians. It is recommended that health policy and funding be designed to incorporate these aspects across services and settings as a strategy to improve cancer outcomes for Indigenous people in Queensland.

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BACKGROUND:Disparity in outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people after cancer diagnosis is multifactorial, including lower cancer screening participation, later diagnosis, reduced access and uptake of cancer treatment, higher rate of comorbidities, and barriers accessing the health system. Little is known about cancer survivorship experiences. OBJECTIVE:The aim of this study was to explore Indigenous Australian cancer survivor's perspectives of cancer survivorship. METHODS:Indigenous people who completed cancer treatment 6 months to 5 years before fieldwork were recruited from a tertiary hospital and remote primary health service for this qualitative study. Data collection was guided by yarning methods, a culturally appropriate method emphasizing storytelling. Data were interpreted using a social constructionist framework. RESULTS:Thirteen women and 6 men were interviewed. Participants' past experiences contributed to their specific identity as survivors. Participants described factors affecting a positive transition from cancer patient to cancer survivor and the importance of ongoing family support in helping to manage survivorship. Finally, participants described a range of community support they received and provided to others and how this improved their cancer survivorship. CONCLUSION:Although a range of experiences are presented, this study provides evidence that the survivorship perspectives of Indigenous cancer survivors may be, in part, shared by non-Indigenous cancer survivors. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE:Acknowledging Indigenous cancer survivors' past experiences and how these influence their overall well-being is important for providing patient-centered and culturally appropriate care. Nurses and other healthcare professionals may use this knowledge to foster a range of coping strategies to assist Indigenous cancer survivors to live well.

The launch of the third edition of the National guide to preventive health assessment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in March 2018 heralds a renewed commitment to improving the delivery of preventive care, and should reinvigorate discussions on the effectiveness of Indigenous-specific health assessments and how best to implement them. A substantial body of evidence on adherence to guideline-recommended care has been generated through a research-based continuous quality improvement (CQI) initiative conducted between 2010 and 2014. The research, which involved clinical audits of more than 17 000 client records and 119 systems assessments relating to preventive care in 137 Indigenous primary healthcare centres across Australia, shows that a structured CQI program can improve the delivery of preventive health assessments and use of evidence-based guidelines. However, program implementation has also seen the emergence of new challenges. This paper reflects on four major lessons from this collaborative program of applied research that will lead to more effective delivery of preventive care.

Objectives To examine barriers and facilitators to sustaining a sexual health continuous quality improvement (CQI) programme in clinics serving remote Aboriginal communities in Australia. Design Qualitative study. Setting Primary health care services serving remote Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory, Australia. Participants Seven of the 11 regional sexual health coordinators responsible for supporting the Northern Territory Government Remote Sexual Health Program. Methods Semi-structured in-depth interviews conducted in person or by telephone; data were analysed using an inductive and deductive thematic approach. Results Despite uniform availability of CQI tools and activities, sexual health CQI implementation varied across the Northern Territory. Participant narratives identified five factors enhancing the uptake and sustainability of sexual health CQI. At clinic level, these included adaptation of existing CQI tools for use in specific clinic contexts and risk environments (eg, a syphilis outbreak), local ownership of CQI processes and management support for CQI. At a regional level, factors included the positive framing of CQI as a tool to identify and act on areas for improvement, and regional facilitation of clinic level CQI activities. Three barriers were identified, including the significant workload associated with acute and chronic care in Aboriginal primary care services, high staff turnover and lack of Aboriginal staff. Considerations affecting the future sustainability of sexual health CQI included the need to reduce the burden on clinics from multiple CQI programmes, the contribution of regional sexual health coordinators and support structures, and access to and use of high-quality information systems. Conclusions This study contributes to the growing evidence on how CQI approaches may improve sexual health in remote Australian Aboriginal communities. Enhancing sustainability of sexual health CQI in this context will require ongoing regio

UNLABELLED: Australian Indigenous smoking rates are highest in remote communities but likely vary between communities; few studies have assessed community features in relation to Indigenous smoking rates. DESIGN AND OBJECTIVE: This ecological study evaluated the associations between smoking rates, and community sociodemographic and climatic characteristics for a large sample of remote Indigenous communities. SETTING AND SAMPLE: Records (n=2689) from an audit of community health centres in the Northern Territory and Queensland were used to estimate smoking rates dichotomised at the median for 70 predominantly Indigenous remote communities. Community characteristics were similarly dichotomised. METHODS: Cross-tabulations were used to calculate the odds of a community classified as high for a sociodemographic or climatic factor also being high for smoking rate. Additional cross-tabulations, stratified by sociodemographic, region (coastal or central) and geographic connectivity levels, were performed to assess potential confounding. RESULTS: Community smoking rates ranged from 25% to 96% (median 60.2%). Moderately strong relationships were observed between community smoking rate and population size (OR 6.25,(95% CI 2.18 to 17.95)), education level (OR 3.67 (1.35-10.01)), income (2.86 (11.07-7.67)) and heat (2.86 (1.07-7.67)). CONCLUSIONS: Smoking rates in Australian remote Indigenous communities are universally high. Smoking rates are associated with greater community-level socioeconomic status and size, most likely reflecting greater means of accessing tobacco with mass of smokers sufficient to sustain a normative influence. Severe heat was also associated with high smoking rates suggesting such a stressor might support smoking as a coping mechanism. Community sociodemographic and climatic factors bear consideration as context-level correlates of community smoking rates.

© 2019 Laycock, Bailie, Percival, Matthews, Cunningham, Harvey, Copley, Patel and Bailie. Introduction: Increasing the use of evidence in healthcare policy and practice requires greater understanding of how stakeholders use evidence to inform policy, refine systems and change practice. Drawing on implementation theory, we have used system-focused participatory research to engage diverse stakeholders in using aggregated continuous quality improvement (CQI) data from Australian Indigenous primary health care settings to identify priority evidence-practice gaps, barriers/enablers and strategies for improvement. This article reports stakeholders' use or intended use of evidence at various levels of the system, and factors mediating use. Material and Methods: Interviews were undertaken with a purposeful sample of 30 healthcare stakeholders in different roles, organization types and settings in one Australian jurisdiction and with national participants, as part of the project's developmental evaluation. Qualitative data were analyzed to identify themes and categories relating to use of evidence. Results: Context-specific aggregated CQI data that were relatable to the diverse professional roles and practices provided an effective starting point for sharing perspectives, generating practice-based evidence and mobilizing evidence-use. Interviewees perceived the co-produced findings as applicable at different levels and useful for planning, policy development, supporting best practice and reflection, capacity strengthening and developing new research. Factors mediating use were commitment to best practice; the credibility of the evidence and its perceived relevance to work roles, contexts and decision needs; report format and language; facilitation and communication; competing work pressures and the organizational environment for change. Conclusions: This study found that primary health care stakeholders used evidence on quality of care for a variety of purposes. This could b

OBJECTIVE: To examine preventive health attendance and recording of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease risk factors and their management in young Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islanders (Indigenous Australians) at primary health care centres (PHCs). METHODS: This descriptive cross-sectional study audited medical records of 1,986 Indigenous people aged 15-34 years attending 93 Australian PHCs. Measurements included blood pressure (BP), blood glucose level (BGL), smoking status, body mass index (BMI) and lipid profile. RESULTS: Last attendance was most commonly for acute care (46%); 12% attended for preventive assessment. BP was recorded in 85% (1,686/1,986), BGL 63% (1,244/1,986), smoking status 52% (1,033/1,986), BMI 37% (743/1,986) and lipids 31% (625/1,986). Of those with a recorded assessment, elevated BGL (39%, 479/1,244), smoking (63%, 649/1,033), overweight/obesity (51%, 381/743) and dyslipidaemia (73%, 458/625) were common. Follow-up of abnormal results was documented for elevated BP 28% (34/120), elevated BGL 17% (79/479), smoking 65% (421/649), overweight/obesity 11% (40/381) and abnormal lipids 16% (75/458). CONCLUSIONS: These findings highlight the importance of raising awareness and assessment of chronic disease risk factors in young Indigenous people and implementing preventive health care strategies. IMPLICATIONS: Strengthening the capacity of PHCs to provide preventive health care may contribute to reducing the chronic disease burden experienced by young Indigenous people.Copyright © 2016 Public Health Association of Australia.

Background The quality of social and emotional wellbeing services for Indigenous families of young children is not known, in many settings especially services provided by primary care centers. Methods Our primary objective was to assess delivery of social and emotional wellbeing services to the families of young (3–11 months) and older (12–59 months) Indigenous children attending primary care centers. Our secondary objective was to assess if delivery differed by geographic location. Two thousand four hundred sixty-six client files from 109 primary care centers across Australia from 2012 to 2014 were analysed using logistic regression and generalised estimating equations. Results The proportion of families receiving social and emotional wellbeing services ranged from 10.6% (102) (food security) to 74.7% (1216) (assessment of parent child interaction). Seventy one percent (71%, 126) of families received follow up care. Families of children aged 3–11 months (39.5%, 225) were more likely to receive social and emotional wellbeing services (advice about domestic environment, social support, housing condition, child stimulation) than families of children aged 12–59 months (30.0%, 487) (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.68 95% CI 1.33 to 2.13). Remote area families (32.6%, 622) received similar services to rural (29.4%, 68) and urban families (44.0%, 22) (aOR 0.64 95% CI 0.29, 1.44). Conclusions The families of young Indigenous children appear to receive priority for social and emotional wellbeing care in Australian primary care centers, however many Indigenous families are not receiving services. Improvement in resourcing and support of social and emotional wellbeing services in primary care centers is needed.

Objectives: The aim of this research was to explore health professionals' perspectives on the provision of follow-up cancer care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients in Queensland. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with Indigenous and non-Indigenous health professionals who had experience providing care for Indigenous cancer patients in the primary health care and hospital setting. Results: Participants were recruited from six Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (n = 17) and from a tertiary hospital (n = 9) across urban, regional, and remote geographical settings. Culturally safe care, psychological support, determining patient needs, practical assistance, and advocating for Indigenous health were identified as enablers to support the needs of Indigenous patients when accessing cancer care, and Indigenous health professionals were identified as the key enabler. Conclusion: Indigenous health professionals significantly contribute to the provision of culturally competent follow-up cancer care by increasing the accessibility of follow-up cancer care services and by supporting the needs of Indigenous cancer patients. All health professionals need to work together and be sufficiently skilled in the delivery of culturally competent care to improve the Indigenous cancer journey and outcomes for Indigenous people. Effective organizational policies and practices are crucial to enable all health professionals to provide culturally competent and responsive cancer care to Indigenous Australians.