Today, diabetes is the world’s fastest growing chronic disease, contributing significantly to kidney disease, heart disease, dementia, and other health issues. According to Australian Indigenous Health Reviews, type 2 diabetes, in particular, has reached epidemic proportions globally and in Australia and poses a challenge for public health systems everywhere. The greatest burden tends to fall on socially disadvantaged groups and Indigenous peoples. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians experience disproportionately high levels of diabetes. They are three times more likely to have diabetes than non-Indigenous Australians, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women are almost twice as likely to develop gestational diabetes as non-Indigenous women. There is also evidence that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are eight times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes (traditionally considered an adult disorder) than their non-Indigenous peers. Mortality rates are correspondingly high, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are six times more likely to die from diabetes than non-Indigenous Australians.
To help close the First Nation’s health gap, more than 500 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers will receive diabetes prevention training as part of a new partnership between the Bupa Foundation and The National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO).
As a long-term NACCHO partner, we are proud to announce that HSSO will be working on this project to develop culturally-informed training materials and support training delivery to build a pathway to strengthen the healthcare workforce.
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