Heart Failure in Minority Populations - Impediments to Optimal Treatment in Australian Aborigines

Abstract

Chronic heart failure (CHF) among Aboriginal/Indigenous Australians is endemic. There are also grave concerns for outcomes once acquired. This point is compounded by a lack of prospective and objective studies to plan care. To capture the essence of the presented topic it is essential to broadly understand Indigenous health. Key words such as 'worsening', 'gaps', 'need to do more', 'poorly studied', or 'future studies should inform' occur frequently in contrast to CHF research for almost all other groups. This narrative styled opinion piece attempts to discuss future directions for CHF care for Indigenous Australians. We provide a synopsis of the problem, highlight the treatment gaps, and define the impediments that present hurdles in optimising CHF care for Indigenous Australians.

Box. (2)

Demography for first heart failure admission in Western Australia.

Box. (3)

Languages of Aboriginal Australia.

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GULFS APART – Two models of disease within the new and old cultures of Australia.

Box. (5)

Search differentials using common keywords.

Box. (6)

Theoretical constructs for clinician-scientist collaborative development of an indigenous-Australian chronic care model.