Health Sciences

Cooperative Research Centre for Aboriginal Health (CRCAH)

La Trobe University CRCAH Internal Network Brochure 2008

(The LTU CRCAH brochure has been developed in the spirit of strengthening La Trobe University's internal network of researchers and academics with an interest in Indigenous health. The brochure includes contact information, research background, research interests and photo for ease of recognition. The brochure is updated annually).

The Indigenous Health Database: North/Western Metropolitan-Melbourne

• Promote high quality research through the development of research partnerships involving key stakeholders, through increased Aboriginal participation and control and through better-defined ethical practices.
• Undertake strategic research to investigate health service delivery systems, the social determinants of health and health conditions.
• Transfer research findings into policy and practice to improve primary health care practice, to build sustainable prevention and early intervention programs and to reduce the burden of disease on Aboriginal communities and individuals.
• Increase formal research training opportunities for Aboriginal people.

Background Information:

The School of Public Health was part of a consortium of five universities (La Trobe, Flinders, Northern Territory, Melbourne, and Queensland) and a group of 14 other organisations that were successful in receiving funding for a CRC in Aboriginal Health, to facilitate sustainable improvement in Aboriginal health through strategic research and development.The funds were used to form the new Cooperative Research Centre for Aboriginal Health (CRCAH).

The CRCAH replaced the former Cooperative Research Centre for Aboriginal and Tropical Health, with a budget of $145 million over seven years. The Federal Government contributed nearly $23 million and La Trobe University has contributed $100,000 per annum plus the participation of its researchers. A range of researchers from La Trobe contributed towards furthering this trans-disciplinary research into Aboriginal health, focusing on areas which Aboriginal communities and industry partners identified as critical to improving health outcomes for Aboriginal people.

Associate Professor David Legge, Professor Vivian Lin, Lisa Gold, Professor Judith Lumley, Associate Professor Rae Walker, Dr Jon Willis and Mr Russel Renhard were initially involved in examining such issues as: resource allocation for Aboriginal health, quality of care in primary care services, governance of Aboriginal health services, and planning for Aboriginal health services.

Health Systems Development in Aboriginal Health: The CRC originally focussed its work around four major areas, dealing with: (i) health systems and processes; (ii) social determinants, individuals families and communities; (iii) social determinants: macro level change; and (iv) chronic and infectious diseases. La Trobe staff were involved in all four areas but with a particular focus on health systems and processes.

The first Victorian Showcase for the Cooperative Research Centre for Aboriginal Health (CRCAH) was held on Tuesday, 30th May 2006. The Victorian Showcasel showcased the work of the CRCAH and its Victorian partners, the La Trobe University, the University of Melbourne and the Onemda VicHealth Koori Health Unit.

The Victorian Showcase presented an opportunity for the CRCAH to highlight the research into Aboriginal health being conducted by the CRCAH and partners in Victoria as well as explaining how the CRCAH is seeking to reform the Aboriginal health research process to ensure greater Aboriginal control, Aboriginal capacity development and increased implementation of research outcomes. The research projects presented and the Showcase included work being undertaken by Aboriginal CRCAH sponsored students and researchers from across the Victorian Koori community. The Showcase also included a forum on the role of research in bridging the gap between black and white Australians which was moderated by Faculty of Health Sciences academic staff member Professor Vivian Lin.

Three Faculty of Health Sciences academic staff members, Associate Professor Rae Walker, Associate Professor Greg Murphy and Mr Russel Renhard, took part in the showcase. They formed part of a panel discussing new CRCAH funded programs. Also, two La Trobe University students who have recently completed their degrees, Scott Miller (Honours) and Jill Wilson (Masters of Public Health), presented their work during the day.

For more information please see the CRCAH website (www.crcah.org.au).

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