Decision will ensure continued rigorous Aboriginal
health research
August 7 2009
The announcement by Kim Carr, Minister for Innovation, Industry Science and
Research that the Cooperative Research Centre for Aboriginal Health (CRCAH)
will be funded for an additional five years has been welcomed by the Aboriginal
health research sector.
CRCAH Chair, Pat Anderson, said the decision would be welcomed by Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander people and all Australians concerned about the
continuing low life expectancies and other indicators of the current poor health
status of Aboriginal people.
CRCAH Executive Officer, Mick Gooda, said the decision reflects the quality and
application of CRCAH research work and the Australian Government’s continued
commitment to addressing the health inequity between Indigenous and other
Australians.
“The CRCAH has provided an essential contribution to efforts to close the health
gap and I am extremely pleased that this has been acknowledged by Government
through the decision to fund us for another 5 years,” said Mick Gooda. “The
CRCAH has pioneered processes which ensure that Aboriginal people and on-
ground providers of Aboriginal health determine our research priorities and which
ensure a timely and effective transfer of research knowledge to inform policy and
clinical practice.
“The CRCAH brings together the cream of Australian health research institutions
including the University of Melbourne and its Onemda VicHealth Koori Health Unit,
the Queensland Institute for Medical Research, the Menzies School of Health
Research and Flinders University to design, conduct and promote solutions to
Aboriginal health challenges and we do it in a way the increases Aboriginal
capacity and leadership in health.
Mick Gooda said the CRCAH model importantly also included health delivery
agencies including the Australian Government Department of Health & Ageing and
the Northern Territory Department of Health & Families as well as two of the oldest
and most experienced Aboriginal Medical Services in Darwin’s Danila Dilba and
the Central Australian Aboriginal Congress.
“The Minister’s announcement guarantees the continued success of the CRCAH’s
collaborative model in providing evidence of what works and what doesn’t in
improving Aboriginal health outcomes,” said Mick Gooda.
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CRCAH Research Director, Professor Ian Anderson said that the Minister’s
announcement would galvanise the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health
research sector in its efforts to establish a more permanent home for collaborative
research; the proposed National Institute for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander
Health Research (NIATSIHR).
“It is clear that policies aimed at closing the health gap need to be informed by the
sort of rigorous research undertaken by the CRCAH and that this challenge will
take more than the additional five years we’ve now been given,” said Professor
Anderson. “The proposed NIATSIHR will ensure the longer term survival of the
unique processes and networks established by the CRCAH over the next twenty
years. The University of Melbourne is very proud to join other founding members in
establishing the new Institute.”
Professor Anderson said the challenge for the CRCAH over the next five years will
be to build on what has been learned from our current research program and
continue to facilitate the education and training of a professional, skilled Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander Health workforce.
“Overseas experience in closing the health differential gap has demonstrated
again and again the absolutely critical need for developing a professional
Indigenous health workforce and this will continue to be a priority for the next era
of the CRCAH and the NIATSIHR,” said Professor Anderson.
Professor Anderson said the new research program developed as part of the
application includes three main programs:
Healthy Start, Healthy Life: Research focused on reducing the
chronic illness risk across the life-course, improving early intervention
and chronic illness management
Healthy Communities and Settings: Research focused on the
capacity of local communities and organisations to develop
interventions that address the determinants of health across a range of
local sectors and settings.
Healthy Policy and Systems: Research enabling reform of policy and
programs, workforce development, and whole-of-government
approaches to Indigenous health.
Pat Anderson, Mick Gooda and Professor Anderson thanked the CRCAH partners
and the CRC Association for their critical support in putting together the successful
extension application.
For more information:
Alastair Harris CRCAH Communications 0409 658 177
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