Research
Empowering Communities with Indigenous Health Research.
At the Poche Centre for Indigenous Health, we conduct rigorous scientific research that has a demonstrable impact on reducing health inequities and injustices and improving health outcomes in communities both nationally and internationally. Our research prioritises Indigenous ways of knowing, being, and doing, aiming to transform long-standing gaps in health disparity between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples.
We focus on key areas such as the life course, health systems, and determinants of health, aligning our efforts with the needs of the Centre’s partners. Our research expertise spans epidemiology and biostatistics, social and behavioural research, health services research, health system reform and policy transformation, as well as training, mentoring, and capacity building.
We address urban Indigenous health, public health, infectious diseases, bloodborne viruses, sexual and reproductive health, child and maternal health, health promotion, substance use, mental health, chronic health conditions, sexuality and gender, and the effects of climate change on the health and wellbeing of Indigenous peoples. Our commitment is to make a lasting impact, ensuring our research contributes meaningfully to the betterment of health outcomes for Indigenous communities.
We conduct rigorous scientific research that has a demonstrable impact on reducing health inequities and injustices and improving health outcomes in communities nationally and internationally: this research will be prioritised on the lifecourse, and on improving health systems and determinants of health and align with the needs of the Centre’s Partners.
ARC Centre of Program Excellence for children and families over the Life Course
Adverse Childhood Experiences and Problematic Health Outcomes Over the Life Course of First Nations people.
ATLAS Indigenous primary care surveillance and research network
A desire to better explain the longstanding disparity in sexually transmissible infections (STIs) and blood-borne viruses (BBVs) among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples led to the development of the ATLAS network in 2017.
Read more about the ATLAS Project
Blak and Proud: Safe and deadly healthcare
This study comprisespatient journey mapping with LGBTQISGBB people to understand health care needs; adaptation, implementation and evaluation of a model of care, for LGBTQI+ people; and development of a BLAK PRIDE certification program to guide Indigenous primary care services in delivering responsive, person centred care for LGBTQSGBB.
Read more about the Blak and Proud Project
Centre of Research Excellence in Urban Indigenous Health
The Centre of Research Excellence will harness existing partnerships and infrastructure to develop the next generation of health researchers to drive Australia's first urban Indigenous health research agenda.
Read more about the Centre of Research Excellence in Urban Indigenous Health
The Deadly Fit Mums program
With this study we are hoping to show that the Deadly Fit Mums program will help mothers to have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy Indigenous baby.
Read more about the Deadly Fit Mums program
ENDING STIs
This comprehensive program of research in STI control, aims to answer whether elimination of endemic STIs in remote Australia is possible.
Read more about the ENDING STIs program
GOANNA 3 Study
This project will develop and implement the third national GOANNA study to collect data from young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 16-29 years across Australia.
Read more about the GOANNA 3 Study
IMPACT STI study
mplementing a precision public health approach to eliminate sexually transmitted infections and control HIV in remote Australia.
Read more about the IMPACT STI study
Implementing a life course approach in antenatal and postnatal care settings for prevention and reduction of non-communicable disease risks in Nepal
Co-creating tailored implementation strategies to support the delivery of NCD risk prevention and reduction interventions in antenatal and postnatal primary health care settings in Nepal.
Implementation of anti-racism strategies to improve health outcomes for First Nations peoples in a large urban hospital
This study will develop an Australian first antiracism strategy focused on First Nations Peoples using participatory action research and developmental evaluation methods, for implementation and evaluation at Caboolture Hospital.
Improving surveillance infrastructure for Indigenous primary health care
This project will enable expansion of the reach and scope of the ATLAS sentinel surveillance network, currently comprising 31 Aboriginal and Community-Controlled Health Organisations nationally.
INDICARE
Type 2 diabetes prevalence and management in patients attending an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Service in Southeast Queensland over a twelve-year period.
Read more about the INDICARE study
A life course approach to early detection and prevention of noncommunicable diseases in priority populations
This research program will implement a new model of care in primary health care settings for the socially disadvantaged communities, targeting the detection and prevention of noncommunicable diseases in (pre)pregnancy, childhood, and young adulthood.
Read more about the research program
Multidisciplinary co-design of innovative, client-centred models for Indigenous mental health services in South East Queensland
This project aims to improve Indigenous clients’ timely access to culturally appropriate, safe health care services for the prevention, treatment and management of mental health issues.
Obstructive sleep apnoea diagnosis and management in First Nations communities
This project includes five work packages focused on co-designing OSA services, upskilling the local workforce and educating community members to bring a transformative shift in OSA care in First Nations communities.
Preventing non-communicable diseases among Indigenous children and youth in major cities of Australia
Improving health equity for urban Indigenous children and youth through culturally safe, evidence-based interventions developed in partnership with Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services.
Sleep for Strong Souls
Working together to co-design a sleep health program and resources, build local capacity, and embed culturally responsive and context responsive sleep health care in preventive programs and health system to meet the sleep health needs of First Nations adolescents.
Read more about the Sleep for Strong Souls project
Transforming access, relational care, and primary health care in an urban Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population through patient-centered medical homes.
This project will develop and implement the third national GOANNA study to collect data from young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 16-29 years across Australia.
Young Deadly and Free
This study aims to evaluate the implementation and effectiveness of the evidence-based ISoC2 model utilising PCMHs, to improve access, quality of care, costs and outcomes, in a rapidly growing urban Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population.
Research Alliance for Urban Community Controlled Health Services (RAUCCHS)
RAUCCHS is an opportunity to bring together researchers and urban Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled health service providers to deliver an innovative national Indigenous urban health research agenda.
Research Alliance for Urban Goori Health (RAUGH)
RAUGH aims to deliver an innovative, transdisciplinary co-design of feasible, whole-of-health-system approaches to eliminate inequities in service access and provision and outcomes for Indigenous peoples in Southeast Queensland.
Through collaborative efforts, we aim to drive impactful research that benefits Indigenous communities, ensuring comprehensive and diverse approaches to Indigenous health challenges.
Our programs of research include:
- Urban health
- Infectious diseases
- Sleep research
- Life course
- Chronic diseases
- Adolescents
- Maternal and children’s health
Our work aims to transform health inequities and improve health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia and other Indigenous communities worldwide. We focus on documenting health experiences, strengths, and concerns, understanding various determinants of health and wellbeing, and developing community-controlled health responses.
Additionally, we prioritise enhancing health service performance and reforming health systems to meet Indigenous needs better. Our efforts include social public health research and influencing policy to address longstanding health disparities.
Our research is centred on:
- Indigenous epidemiology
- Health service performance and transforming practices
- Health system reform
- Social research
- Transforming policy
- Supporting Indigenous expertise
Our multidisciplinary team employs a variety of research approaches and methods that prioritize Indigenous ways of being, knowing, and doing. We focus on supporting the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples through diverse and collaborative methodologies.
Our research methods and approaches include:
- Indigenous methodologies
- Precision public health
- Qualitative, ethnographic and participatory methodologies
- Implementation research and mixed methods evaluation
- Behavioural science
- Experimental and quasi-experimental methods
- Big data epidemiology
- Survey methods
- Community monitoring and evaluation
- Rapid assessment and response