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PubMed1998

Corrosion behaviour of an indigenous Ag-Sn-Cu cast dental alloy in artificial saliva.

The corrosion behaviour of an indigenous cast alloy of Ag-Sn-Cu, developed for crown and bridge prostheses, was studied in artificial saliva, with and without the addition of 0.1 M lactic acid, using a potentiostatic technique, and compared with that of the standard cast alloy of Ag-Pd (Ney 76). The values of different parameters such as corrosion potential and corrosion current density were determined for the indigenous alloy of Ag-Sn-Cu and the Ag-Pd alloy. The rate of corrosion of the indigenous alloy was found to be relatively higher than that of the Ag-Pd alloy up to an applied potential of + 400 mV. However, while the indigenous alloy showed a distinct tendency for passivation below + 200 mV at the current level of 0.5 mA/cm2 in the artificial saliva (pH 5.7) at 37 degrees C, no such tendency for passivation was shown by the Ag-Pd alloy even up to + 400 mV. The tendency for passivation by the indigenous Ag-Sn-Cu alloy, however, was not shown in the artificial saliva in the presence of 0.1 M lactic acid (pH. 2.7) at 37 degrees C. Minor variation was observed in the corrosion behaviour of the indigenous Ag-Sn-Cu alloys of different grades prepared by alloying elements of varying purity.

Copper↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Post-neonatal mortality by rurality and Indigenous status in Queensland.

AIM: To compare post-neonatal mortality among urban and rural Indigenous babies in Queensland. METHODS: Registrations of deaths at ages 28 days to 12 months were linked to routine data from the Queensland Perinatal Data Collection. RESULTS: Indigenous babies were 2.52 times more likely to die during the post-neonatal period than non-Indigenous babies (95% confidence interval: 1.99, 3.20). The differential remained when urban and rural areas were examined separately: the differential was 2.53 (1.81, 3.54) in urban areas and 2.26 (1.58, 3.23) in rural areas. CONCLUSION: The key demographic variable that determines post-neonatal mortality in Queensland is Indigenous status, not rurality. This has important policy implications because it means that interventions to reduce the disparity in mortality between Indigenous and non-Indigenous babies should be delivered in urban as well as rural areas. Better routine data are needed and in particular clinical classification of deaths, so that interventions can be monitored and avoidable factors identified.

Cause of Death↗
PubMed1998

Indigenous health: a special moral imperative.

The provision of health services to Indigenous people is not perceived by many Australians to be a moral issue. Indigenous health, however, is not only a moral issue, it is a moral issue that deserves special consideration. In many sectors of society, the correct moral path is unclear, but the circumstances of Indigenous health warrant special consideration which policy makers and health care administrators are uniquely placed to render. The setting of Australia was at the expense of Indigenous flourishing. There is little doubt that many of the current poor health outcomes of Indigenous Australians result from their past impoverishment. We argue that each member of Australian society has inherited a collective moral responsibility, along with the social assets accrued at the expense of Indigenous Australians, irrespective of their personal complicity. Government, as representatives of the people, has a responsibility to repay some of this society's accrued moral debt through the allocation of resources independent of issues of equity.

Australia↗
PubMed2001

The initial coverage and impact of the pneumococcal and influenza vaccination program for at-risk indigenous adults in Far North Queensland.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the initial coverage and impact of a pneumococcal and influenza vaccination program for at-risk Indigenous adults in Far North Queensland that formally commenced in 1996. DESIGN: Ascertainment of vaccine coverages, and prospective laboratory surveillance of invasive pneumococcal disease occurring in Indigenous adults in the region. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Coverages of the first doses of both vaccines administered since 1995, and the incidence of invasive pneumococcal disease in Indigenous adults in the region between 1993-2000. RESULTS: Most (96% and 73%) of the Indigenous adults > or = 50 years of age received influenza and pneumococcal vaccines, respectively, for the first time between 1995-2000. Assuming that either 33% or 50% of Indigenous adults 15-49 years of age in Far North Queensland were eligible for vaccination, then either 109% or 72% of this population received influenza vaccine, and either 75% or 50% received pneumococcal vaccine, respectively, for the first time between 1995-2000. The incidence of vaccine-preventable invasive pneumococcal disease fell from 111 (95% confidence interval [CI] 77-154) cases per 100,000 per year in 1993/94 to 28 (95% CI 13-53) cases per 100,000 per year in 1999-2000 (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Although there was a significant decline in the incidence of invasive pneumococcal disease, the vaccine coverages after five years of the program were suboptimal. Because of the difficulties in targeting the 15-49 years age group and because of unrecognised risk factors, we suggest that a universal Indigenous adult pneumococcal and influenza vaccination program should be considered.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Healthy country: healthy people? Exploring the health benefits of indigenous natural resource management.

OBJECTIVE: Decades of health-related research have produced a large body of knowledge describing alarming rates of morbidity, mortality and social/cultural disruption among Indigenous Australians, but have failed to deliver sustainable interventions to arrest the deepening spiral of ill-health. This paper explores the potential of Indigenous natural resource management (NRM) activities to promote and preserve Indigenous health in remote areas of northern Australia. METHOD: A literature review of the health, social science and ecology peer-reviewed journals and secondary literature. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Effective interventions in Indigenous health will require trans-disciplinary, holistic approaches that explicitly incorporate Indigenous health beliefs and engage with the social and cultural drivers of health. Aboriginal peoples maintain a strong belief that continued association with and caring for ancestral lands is a key determinant of health. Individual engagement with 'country' provides opportunities for physical activity and improved diet as well as boosting individual autonomy and self-esteem. Internationally, such culturally congruent health promotion activities have been successful in programs targeting substance abuse and chronic diseases. NRM is fundamental to the maintenance of biodiversity of northern Australia. Increased support for Indigenous involvement in land and sea NRM programs would also deliver concrete social benefits for communities including opportunities for sustainable and culturally apt regional employment, applied education and economic development. NRM may also reinvigorate societal/cultural constructs, increasing collective esteem and social cohesion.

Anthropology, Cultural↗
PubMed2005

Moving beyond good intentions: indigenous participation in aboriginal and Torres Strait islander health research.

Indigenous participation in every aspect of health research is increasingly recognised as an important element of any research project that aims to improve Indigenous health. Despite the acceptance of its importance, when the concept of 'Indigenous participation' is mentioned, authors are often imprecise as to the nature and purpose of participation, and its relationship to improved health outcomes. This report attempts to bring some clarity to the variety of meanings we might give Indigenous participation in research. For the purposes of stimulating further debate, we identify four distinct, but overlapping, rationales: pragmatic, moral, interventionist, and epistemological. Each has different implications for how Indigenous participation should be implemented and evaluated. More debate on the meanings and purposes of Indigenous participation will contribute to a refined understanding of its potential benefits to health research.

Decision Making↗
PubMed1988

Growth of Indigenous Rhizobium leguminosarum and Rhizobium meliloti in Soils Amended with Organic Nutrients.

The ability of indigenous Rhizobium leguminosarum and Rhizobium meliloti to use organic nutrients as growth substrates in soil was assessed by indirect bacteriophage analysis. A total of 17 organic compounds, including 9 carbohydrates, 3 organic acids, and 5 amino acids, were tested (1,000 mug g) in three soils with different cropping histories. Four additional soils were screened with a glucose amendment. Nutrient amendments stimulated growth of indigenous rhizobia, allowing subsequent replication of indigenous bacteriophages. Phage populations were enumerated by plating soil extracts on 19 R. leguminosarum and 9 R. meliloti indicator strains, including root nodule isolates from the soils assayed. On the basis of indirect phage analysis, all soils contained native rhizobia similar to one or more of the indicator strains, although not all indicator strains were detected in soil. All organic compounds stimulated growth of indigenous rhizobia, but the growth response varied for each rhizobial strain depending on the nutrient, the nutrient concentration, and the soil. Indigenous rhizobia readily utilized most organic compounds except phenylalanine, glycine, and aspartic acid. The ability of indigenous rhizobia to utilize a wide range of organic compounds as growth substrates in situ indicates their ability to successfully compete with other soil bacteria for nutrients in these soils.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1991

Influence of the size of indigenous rhizobial populations on establishment and symbiotic performance of introduced rhizobia on field-grown legumes.

Indigenous rhizobia in soil present a competition barrier to the establishment of inoculant strains, possibly leading to inoculation failure. In this study, we used the natural diversity of rhizobial species and numbers in our fields to define, in quantitative terms, the relationship between indigenous rhizobial populations and inoculation response. Eight standardized inoculation trials were conducted at five well-characterized field sites on the island of Maui, Hawaii. Soil rhizobial populations ranged from 0 to over 3.5 x 10 g of soil for the different legumes used. At each site, no less than four but as many as seven legume species were planted from among the following: soybean (Glycine max), lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus), cowpea (Vigna unguiculata), bush bean (Phaseolus vulgaris), peanut (Arachis hypogaea), Leucaena leucocephala, tinga pea (Lathyrus tingeatus), alfalfa (Medicago sativa), and clover (Trifolium repens). Each legume was (i) inoculated with an equal mixture of three effective strains of homologous rhizobia, (ii) fertilized at high rates with urea, or (iii) left uninoculated. For soybeans, a nonnodulating isoline was used in all trials as the rhizobia-negative control. Inoculation increased economic yield for 22 of the 29 (76%) legume species-site combinations. While the yield increase was greater than 100 kg ha in all cases, in only 11 (38%) of the species-site combinations was the increase statistically significant (P </= 0.05). On average, inoculation increased yield by 62%. Soybean (G. max) responded to inoculation most frequently, while cowpea (V. unguiculata) failed to respond in all trials. Inoculation responses in the other legumes were site dependent. The response to inoculation and the competitive success of inoculant rhizobia were inversely related to numbers of indigenous rhizobia. As few as 50 rhizobia g of soil eliminated inoculation response. When fewer than 10 indigenous rhizobia g of soil were present, economic yield was significantly increased 85% of the time. Yield was significantly increased in only 6% of the observations when numbers of indigenous rhizobia were greater than 10 cells g of soil. A significant response to N application, significant increases in nodule parameters, and greater than 50% nodule occupancy by inoculant rhizobia did not necessarily coincide with significant inoculation responses. No less than a doubling of nodule mass and 66% nodule occupancy by inoculant rhizobia were required to significantly increase the yield of inoculated crops over that of uninoculated crops. However, lack of an inoculation response was common even when inoculum strains occupied the majority of nodules. In these trials, the symbiotic yield of crops was, on average, only 88% of the maximum yield potential, as defined by the fertilizer N treatment. The difference between the yield of N-fertilized crops and that of N(2)-fixing crops indicates a potential for improving inoculation technology, the N(2) fixation capacity of rhizobial strains, and the efficiency of symbiosis. In this study, we show that the probability of enhancing yield with existing inoculation technology decreases dramatically with increasing numbers of indigenous rhizobia.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1991

Modeling symbiotic performance of introduced rhizobia in the field by use of indices of indigenous population size and nitrogen status of the soil.

The ability to predict the symbiotic performance of rhizobia introduced into different environments would allow for a more judicious use of rhizobial inoculants. Data from eight standardized field inoculation trials were used to develop models that could be used to predict the success of rhizobial inoculation in diverse environments based on indices of the size of indigenous rhizobial populations and the availability of mineral N. Inoculation trials were conducted at five diverse sites on the island of Maui, Hawaii, with two to four legumes from among nine species, yielding 29 legume-site observations. The sizes of indigenous rhizobial populations were determined at planting. Soil N mineralization potential, total soil N, N accumulation and seed yield of nonnodulating soybean, and N derived from N(2) fixation in inoculated soybean served as indices of available soil N. Uninoculated, inoculated, and fertilizer N treatments evaluated the impact of indigenous rhizobial populations and soil N availability on inoculation response and crop yield potential. The ability of several mathematical models to describe the inverse relationship between numbers of indigenous rhizobia and legume inoculation responses was evaluated. Power, exponential, and hyperbolic functions yielded similar results; however, the hyperbolic equation provided the best fit of observed to estimated inoculation responses (r = 0.59). The fact that 59% of the observed variation in inoculation responses could be accounted for by the relationship of inoculation responses to numbers of indigenous rhizobia illustrates the profound influence that the size of soil rhizobial populations has on the successful use of rhizobial inoculants. In the absence of indigenous rhizobia, the inoculation response was directly proportional to the availability of mineral N. Therefore, the hyperbolic response function was subsequently combined with several indices of soil N availability to generate models for predicting legume inoculation response. Among the models developed, those using either soil N mineralization potential or N derived from N(2) fixation in soybean to express the availability of mineral N were most useful in predicting the success of legume inoculation. Correlation coefficients between observed and estimated inoculation responses were r = 0.83 for the model incorporating soil N mineralization potential and r = 0.96 for the model incorporating N derived from N(2) fixation. Several equations collectively termed "soil N deficit factors" were also found to be useful in estimating inoculation responses. In general, models using postharvest indices of soil N were better estimators of observed inoculation responses than were those using laboratory measures of soil N availability. However, the latter, while providing less precise estimates, are more versatile because all input variables can be obtained through soil analysis prior to planting. These models should provide researchers, as well as regional planners, with a more precise predictive capability to determine the inoculation requirements of legumes grown in diverse environments.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1975

Immune responses of specific pathogen-free and gnotobiotic mice to antigens of indigenous and nonindigenous microorganisms.

Strains of indigenous Escherichia coli, Bacteroides, and Lactobacillus were isolated from the gastrointestinal tracts of specific pathogen-free (SPF) mice. Nonvaccinated SPF mice exhibited in their spleens low numbers of plaque-forming cells (PFC) and rosette-forming cells reacting with antigens of these andigenous bacteria. PFC reacting with these bacterial antigens were not detected in infant SPF mice until 7 days after birth. Compared with nonvaccinated controls, SPF mice vaccinated parenterally with indigenous E. coli or Bacteroides produced a moderate increase in the numbers of specific PFC. Thus, the SPF mouse is capable of responding immunologically after vaccination with microbes indigenous to its intestinal tract. However, more PFC reacting with homologous vaccine antigens were detected after parenteral vaccination of SPF mice with nonindigenous E. coli O127:B8, E.coli O14, or B. fragilis than after parenteral vaccination with indigenous E. coli or Bacteroides. Gnotobiotic mice orally monoassociated with these nonindigenous bacteria exhibited greater immune responses to antigens of the bacteria used to monoassociation than did gnotobiotes monoassociated with the indigenous microbes. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that mice are more responsive immunologically to antigens of nonindigenous bacteria than they are to antigens of certain microbes indigenous to their gastrointestinal tracts.

Animals↗
PubMed1976

Selective adherence as a determinant of the host tropisms of certain indigenous and pathogenic bacteria.

The relationship between the selective abilities of bacteria to adhere and their predilections for colonizing different mammalian hosts was investigated by using bacteria indigenous to the tongue dorsum of humans and rats as models. Streptococcus salivarius and S. sanguis averaged 22.6 and 2.8%, respectively, of the cultivable bacteria recovered from swab samples of the tonges of five humans, but these organisms were not indigenous on the tongues of rats (Charles River strain). S. faecalis and serum-requiring diphtheroids were consistently prominant on the tongues of rats, but they were not detected on the tongues of the humans examined. The ability of these organisms to adhere to the tongue surface of the hosts was compared by introducing mixtures of streptomycin-resistant strains into the mouths of human volunteers and rats. S. salivarius adhered in higher proportions to the dorsal tongue surface of humans than did strains of S. faecalis and the serum-requiring diphtheroid. S. sanguis also adhered to human tongues better than the serum-requiring diphtheroid. However, S. faecalis and the serum-requiring diphtheroid sorbed in higher proportions to the tongues of rats. In an in vivo assay, human strains of S. pyogenes and S. salivarius attached in higher numbers to buccal epithelial cells derived from humans than to those obtained from rats, whereas the reverse was observed with a serum-requiring diphtheroid derived from rats. Collectively, these studies show that bacteria sorb with a high degree of specificity to the tissues of different mammalian hosts, and the relative adherence of the organisms studied correlated with their natural host tropisms. The selective adherence of S. salvarius and S. faecalis was similar to the tongues of conventional and germ-free rats, suggesting that the presence of an indigenous bacterial flora did not significantly influence their attachment selectivity. Moreover, the ability of these organisms to colonize the tongues of gnotobiotic rats lacking an indigenous flora paralleled their adherence selectivity. Direct scanning microscopic observations indicated that the tongue dorsum of conventional rats is highly papillated but contains relatively sparse bacterial populations. Indigenous organisms colonized the bases of papillae on the anterior tip and lateral edges of the tongue as discrete microcolonies, but bacteria were rarely observed on other papillae. This localized and restricted pattern of colonization and the spatial distribution of the microcolonies of indigenous bacteria present also suggest that antagonistic interactions are unlikely to account for the bacterial tropisms observed for colonization of the tongues of rats.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

Translocation of certain indigenous bacteria from the gastrointestinal tract to the mesenteric lymph nodes and other organs in a gnotobiotic mouse model.

Viable bacteria were not cultured from the mesenteric lymph nodes, spleens, or livers of specific-pathogen-free (SPF) mice. Viable enteric bacteria, primarily indigenous Escherichia coli and lactobacilli, were present in the mesenteric lymph nodes of gnotobiotic mice inoculated intragastrically with the whole cecal microflora from SPF mice but not in the nodes of control SPF mice similarly inoculated. These indigenous E. coli also were cultured from the mesenteric lymph nodes of 96% of gnotobiotic mice monoassociated with E. coli but from none of the mesenteric lymph nodes of SPF mice inoculated with the E. coli. Furthermore, viable E. coli were detected in the mesenteric lymph nodes of these monoassociated gnotobiotes for as long as 112 days after inoculation. Indigenous Lactobacillus acidophilus also translocated to the mesenteric lymph nodes of gnotobiotic mice monoassociated with L. acidophilus. Apparently, there are mechanisms active in SPF mice inhibiting translocation of indigenous bacteria from the gastrointestinal tract to the mesenteric lymph nodes, spleens, and livers, whereas these mechanisms are either absent or reduced in gnotobiotic mice. Indigenous E. coli maintained higher population levels in the gastrointestinal tracts of the gnotobiotes compared with their population levels in SPF mice, suggesting that high bacterial population levels might promote translocation of certain bacteria from the gastrointestinal lumen to the mesenteric lymph nodes. Gnotobiotic and SPF mice, therefore, provide experimental models for determining the nature of the mechanisms operating to confine indigenous bacteria to the gastrointestinal tract in normal, healthy animals.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Genetic variation and relationships of eighteen Chinese indigenous pig breeds.

Chinese indigenous pig breeds are recognized as an invaluable component of the world's pig genetic resources and are divided traditionally into six types. Twenty-six microsatellite markers recommended by the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) and ISAG (International Society of Animal Genetics) were employed to analyze the genetic diversity of 18 Chinese indigenous pig breeds with 1001 individuals representing five types, and three commercial breeds with 184 individuals. The observed heterozygosity, unbiased expected heterozygosity and the observed and effective number of alleles were used to estimate the genetic variation of each indigenous breed. The unbiased expected heterozygosity ranged between 0.700 (Mashen) and 0.876 (Guanling), which implies that there is an abundant genetic variation stored in Chinese indigenous pig breeds. Breed differentiation was shown by fixation indices (FIT, FIS, and FST). The FST per locus varied from 0.019 (S0090) to 0.170 (SW951), and the average FST of all loci was 0.077, which means that most of the genetic variation was kept within breeds and only a little of the genetic variation exists between populations. The Neighbor-Joining tree was constructed based on the Nei DA (1978) distances and one large cluster with all local breeds but the Mashen breed, was obtained. Four smaller sub-clusters were also found, which included two to four breeds each. These results, however, did not completely agree with the traditional type of classification. A Neighbor-Joining dendrogram of individuals was established from the distance of -ln(proportions of shared alleles); 92.14% of the individuals were clustered with their own breeds, which implies that this method is useful for breed demarcation. This extensive research on pig genetic diversity in China indicates that these 18 Chinese indigenous breeds may have one common ancestor, helps us to better understand the relative distinctiveness of pig genetic resources, and will assist in developing a national plan for the conservation and utilization of Chinese indigenous pig breeds.

Alleles↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Genetic variations of the porcine PRKAG3 gene in Chinese indigenous pig breeds.

Four missense substitutions (T30N, G52S, V199I and R200Q) in the porcine PRKAG3 gene were considered as the likely candidate loci affecting meat quality. In this study, the R200Q substitution was investigated in a sample of 62 individuals from Hampshire, Chinese Min and Erhualian pigs, and the genetic variations of T30N, G52S and V199I substitutions were detected in 1505 individuals from 21 Chinese indigenous breeds, 5 Western commercial pig breeds, and the wild pig. Allele 200R was fixed in Chinese Min and Erhualian pigs. Haplotypes II-QQ and IV-QQ were not observed in the Hampshire population, supporting the hypothesis that allele 200Q is tightly linked with allele 199V. Significant differences in allele frequencies of the three substitutions (T30N, G52S and V199I) between Chinese indigenous pigs and Western commercial pigs were observed. Obvious high frequencies of the "favorable" alleles 30T and 52G in terms of meat quality were detected in Chinese indigenous pigs, which are well known for high meat quality. However, the frequency of the "favorable" allele 199I, which was reported to have a greater effect on meat quality in comparison with 30T and 52G, was very low in all of the Chinese indigenous pigs except for the Min pig. The reasons accounting for this discrepancy remain to be addressed. The presence of the three substitutions in purebred Chinese Tibetan pigs indicates that the three substitutions were ancestral mutations. A novel A/G substitution at position 51 in exon 1 was identified. The results suggest that further studies are required to investigate the associations of these substitutions in the PRKAG3 gene with meat quality of Chinese indigenous pigs, and to uncover other polymorphisms in the PRKAG3 gene with potential effects on meat quality in Chinese indigenous pigs.

Adenine↗
PubMed1999

Apolipoprotein E polymorphism in indigenous Australians: allelic frequencies and relationship with dyslipidaemia.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the apolipoprotein E (apoE) allelic frequencies and the effect of apoE genotype on lipid concentrations in indigenous Australian subjects. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SUBJECTS AND SETTING: 155 indigenous Australians (92 women and 63 men) of mean (+/- standard deviation) age 45 +/- 17 years (SD +/- 50) were recruited without regard to history of atherosclerotic disease, in collaboration with community-based health centres in five indigenous communities in south-east Queensland. For comparison, 113 subjects of European descent and similar age distribution from the Brisbane and Gold Coast regions were also studied. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: ApoE allelic frequency; apoE genotype; sex; age; diabetes status; body mass index; history of atherosclerotic vascular disease; and concentrations of total cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL-cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol. RESULTS: The frequency of the apoE4 allele was found to be significantly higher in the indigenous subjects than in the subjects of European descent (P < 0.001). Among indigenous subjects, those with the apoE4 allele tended to have higher triglyceride concentrations and had significantly lower HDL-cholesterol concentrations than those with the apoE3/3 and 3/2 genotypes. CONCLUSIONS: ApoE allelic frequency is likely to be one of the cluster of factors contributing to the high cardiovascular mortality of indigenous Australians.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Long-term trends in Indigenous deaths from chronic diseases in the Northern Territory: a foot on the brake, a foot on the accelerator.

OBJECTIVE: To examine trends in Northern Territory Indigenous mortality from chronic diseases other than cancer. DESIGN: A comparison of trends in rates of mortality from six chronic diseases (ischaemic heart disease [IHD], chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD], cerebrovascular disease [CVD], diabetes mellitus [DM], renal failure [RF] and rheumatic heart disease [RHD]) in the NT Indigenous population with those of the total Australian population. PARTICIPANTS: NT Indigenous and total Australian populations, 1977-2001. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Estimated average annual change in chronic disease mortality rates and in mortality rate ratios. RESULTS: Death rates from IHD and DM among NT Indigenous peoples increased between 1977 and 2001, but this increase slowed after 1990. Death rates from COPD rose before 1990, but fell thereafter. There were non-significant declines in death rates from CVD and RHD. Mortality rates from RF rose in those aged > or = 50 years. The ratios of mortality rates for NT Indigenous to total Australian populations from these chronic diseases increased throughout the period. CONCLUSIONS: Mortality rates from IHD and DM in the NT Indigenous population have been increasing since 1977, but there is evidence of a slower rise (or even a fall) in death rates in the 1990s. These early small changes give reason to hope that some improvements (possibly in medical care) have been putting the brakes on chronic disease mortality among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Cardiovascular Diseases↗
PubMed2007

Nutrition-related disorders in Indigenous Australians: how things have changed.

Awareness of a serious Indigenous health problem in Australia did not emerge until the 1960s and 1970s. Much attention was focused at the time on poor pregnancy outcomes, high infant and young child mortality rates, and childhood malnutrition and impaired growth, often associated with high infectious disease burdens. Although that situation has improved somewhat, Indigenous infant and child health is still poor compared with that of other Australian children. Over recent decades, there has been a rapid rise among Indigenous people of nutrition-related "lifestyle" disorders such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus and chronic renal disease and their complications. This epidemic of disabling and often fatal chronic diseases in Indigenous Australians is also occurring in disadvantaged groups in many other countries. Control of this potentially disastrous epidemic must become a much higher priority in Indigenous health programs. Governments must commit to this task in cooperation and collaboration with Indigenous organisations and communities.

Australia↗
PubMed1996

Population mobility and indigenous peoples: the view from Australia.

"This paper describes an emerging field of demographic enquiry focused on the population mobility of indigenous minorities in Australasia and North America. Political, scientific and policy rationales for research on the spatial dynamics of such groups are advanced as a prelude to a review of the Australian literature. This review is structured around four complementary perspectives on mobility: the propensity to move; spatial redistribution; flows and networks; and migration careers. Comparison of the relative strengths of mobility research on the indigenous and non-indigenous populations against these four perspectives assists in identifying outstanding research needs and priorities. Commonalities in the patterns and processes of indigenous mobility in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the U.S. suggest the value of more detailed cross-national comparisons, and also provide a basis for contemplating an indigenous variant of Zelinsky's hypothesised mobility transition."

Americas↗