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. 

The latest National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey shows that type 2 diabetes (T2D) is the second leading attributable cause of death. The proportion of people living with T2D is 7% in non-remote areas, by 55 years of age, 35% of people have T2D. 

The Southern Queensland Centre of Excellence in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander primary health care (hereafter, Inala COE) offers routine comprehensive health checks and T2D health checks for all people aged 15 years and older. Clinical data from these health checks have been routinely collected since 2010 within the centre’s electronic medical record system. We propose a retrospective longitudinal data-linkage of electronic medical records from IIHS regular clients from 2010, hospital admissions, emergency department presentations and medication items. 
With this collaborative research project between UQ Poche and Inala COE we aim to investigate: 

• Distribution of demographic, social and biological determinants of participants; 
• Incidence and prevalence of T2D; 
• T2D management and demographic, social and biological determinants associated with optimal T2D management;
• hospitalisations including emergency department presentation incidence and all the health determinants associated with low risk of hospitalisation. 

The study results will assist health practitioners, allied health professionals and Inala community to identify culturally appropriate, effective interventions and strategies to further improve the management of T2D. These interventions and strategies will benefit Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and community health by: 

• Improving T2DM prevention and management across all demographics and socio economic groups
• Reducing the risk of hospitalisation for T2D complications. 

These strategies would be likely to apply to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples across the nation, and especially those living in urban areas.