Alex Brown1,2, Ricky Mentha3, Michael Howard4, Kevin Rowley5, Rachel Reilly6,7,8, Catherine Paquet9,10, Kerin O'Dea11. 1. Wardliparingga Aboriginal Research Unit, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, North Tce., Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia. alex.brown@sahmri.com. 2. School of Population Health, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, University of South Australia, North Tce., Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia. alex.brown@sahmri.com. 3. Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute, Alice Springs Hospital Campus, Gap Road, Alice Springs, NT, 0870, Australia. ricky.mentha@bakeridi.edu.au. 4. Wardliparingga Aboriginal Research Unit, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, North Tce., Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia. michaelh@nunku.org.au. 5. Onemda VicHealth Koori Health Unit, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia. rowleyk@unimelb.edu.au. 6. Wardliparingga Aboriginal Research Unit, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, North Tce., Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia. rachel.reilly@sahmri.com. 7. School of Population Health, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, University of South Australia, North Tce., Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia. rachel.reilly@sahmri.com. 8. Onemda VicHealth Koori Health Unit, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia. rachel.reilly@sahmri.com. 9. Spatial Epidemiology and Evaluation Research Group, School of Health Sciences, Sansom Institute for Health Research, City East Campus, University of South Australia, Internal Post Code CEA-09, GPO Box 2471, Adelaide, SA, 5001, Australia. catherine.paquet@unisa.edu.au. 10. Research Centre of the Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Verdun, QC, H4H 1R2, Canada. catherine.paquet@unisa.edu.au. 11. School of Population Health, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, University of South Australia, North Tce., Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia. kerin.odea@unisa.edu.au.
Abstract
PURPOSE: The health inequalities experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians are well documented but there are few empirical data outlining the burden, consequences, experience and expression of depressive illness. This paper seeks to address the lack of accessible, culturally specific measures of psychosocial stress, depression or quality of life developed for, and validated within, this population. METHODS: Building on an extensive qualitative phase of research, a psychosocial questionnaire comprising novel and adapted scales was developed and piloted with 189 Aboriginal men across urban and remote settings in central Australia. With a view to refining this tool for future use, its underlying structure was assessed using exploratory factor analysis, and the predictive ability of the emergent psychosocial constructs assessed with respect to depressive symptomatology. RESULTS: The latent structure of the psychosocial questionnaire was conceptually aligned with the components of the a priori model on which the questionnaire was based. Regression modelling indicated that depressive symptoms were driven by a sense of injury and chronic stress and had a non-linear association with socioeconomic position. CONCLUSIONS: This represents the first community-based survey of psychosocial stress and depression in Aboriginal men. It provides both knowledge of, and an appropriate process for, the further development of psychometric tools, including quality of life, in this population. Further research with larger and more diverse samples of Aboriginal people is required to refine the measurement of key constructs such as chronic stress, socioeconomic position, social support and connectedness. The further refinement, validation against criterion-based methods and incorporation within primary care services is essential.
PURPOSE: The health inequalities experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians are well documented but there are few empirical data outlining the burden, consequences, experience and expression of depressive illness. This paper seeks to address the lack of accessible, culturally specific measures of psychosocial stress, depression or quality of life developed for, and validated within, this population. METHODS: Building on an extensive qualitative phase of research, a psychosocial questionnaire comprising novel and adapted scales was developed and piloted with 189 Aboriginal men across urban and remote settings in central Australia. With a view to refining this tool for future use, its underlying structure was assessed using exploratory factor analysis, and the predictive ability of the emergent psychosocial constructs assessed with respect to depressive symptomatology. RESULTS: The latent structure of the psychosocial questionnaire was conceptually aligned with the components of the a priori model on which the questionnaire was based. Regression modelling indicated that depressive symptoms were driven by a sense of injury and chronic stress and had a non-linear association with socioeconomic position. CONCLUSIONS: This represents the first community-based survey of psychosocial stress and depression in Aboriginal men. It provides both knowledge of, and an appropriate process for, the further development of psychometric tools, including quality of life, in this population. Further research with larger and more diverse samples of Aboriginal people is required to refine the measurement of key constructs such as chronic stress, socioeconomic position, social support and connectedness. The further refinement, validation against criterion-based methods and incorporation within primary care services is essential.
Authors: Melissa R Haswell; David Kavanagh; Komla Tsey; Lyndon Reilly; Yvonne Cadet-James; Arlene Laliberte; Andrew Wilson; Chris Doran Journal: Aust N Z J Psychiatry Date: 2010-09 Impact factor: 5.744
Authors: Alex D H Brown; Ricky Mentha; Kevin G Rowley; Timothy Skinner; Carol Davy; Kerin O'Dea Journal: BMC Psychiatry Date: 2013-10-20 Impact factor: 3.630
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Authors: Courtney Ryder; Jacqueline H Stephens; Shahid Ullah; Julieann Coombes; Nayia Cominos; Patrick Sharpe; Shane D'Angelo; Darryl Cameron; Colleen Hayes; Keziah Bennett-Brook; Tamara Mackean Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2022-08-19 Impact factor: 4.614