This lecture is a joint lecture by the APA Cardiorespiratory and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Committee provided as a part of Closing the Gap Week 2023. This lecture will review the impact of respiratory diseases on Indigenous Australians as well as explore practical considerations to implementing pulmonary rehabilitation programs and airway clearance programs in first nations communities. We are privileged to have Prof Julie Merchant, David Meharg, Pam Laird, Kathryn Potter and Dr Caroline Nicolson sharing their expertise on the evening.
Kathryn Potter (APAM) is a Kamilaroi woman, current chair of the APA Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Committee. She is an Advanced Physiotherapist who has practiced in QLD hospitals for 15 years and worked in the health system for 18 years with a special interest in both respiratory health and women's, men's and pelvic health.
Prof Julie Marchant is a Paediatric Respiratory Physician at the Queensland Children’s Hospital and a research fellow (Queensland Children's Hospital Foundation Early Career Fellowship) at the Centre for Children’s Health Research, Brisbane, Queensland. Her PhD studies were critical in the building of the clinical definition of protracted bacterial bronchitis (PBB) in children. Her current research interests are childhood chronic wet cough, with particular focus on protracted bacterial bronchitis and bronchiectasis in children.
David Meharg is a Bigambul man, who was raised on the Wiradjuri nation, NSW. He has an established career in Aboriginal health service delivery, leadership and policy in the NSW public health system. David manages the Breathe Easy, Walk Easy, Lungs for Life (BE WELL) Project and is completing a PhD at the University of Sydney. BE WELL is a National Health & Medical Research Council funded research project through the Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases. BE WELL aims to evaluate the implementation of pulmonary rehabilitation for the management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease within Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services.
Annemarie Lee (APAM, PhD) is a physiotherapist and researcher at Monash University. Her cardiorespiratory research program has focused on physiotherapy for bronchiectasis and examining the prevalence and clinical impact of comorbidities in chronic respiratory conditions. With Caroline Nicolson, Annemarie co-developed the Bronchiectasis Toolbox and Strong Lungs websites, resources for health professionals for the management of people with bronchiectasis, including First Nations Australians.
Dr Pam Laird is a paediatric respiratory physiotherapist (Bachelor of Science in Physiotherapy, with distinction, 1992) with over 25 years expertise and special interest in chronic lung disease, particularly cystic fibrosis (CF) and non-CF bronchiectasis at Perth Children's Hospital. Dr Laird's doctoral studies were in preventing chronic lung disease in Aboriginal children. She is currently undertaking several projects at Perth Children's Hosptial and in the Kimberley and Pilbara regions of Western Australia. Dr Laird is a Raine Fellow, who will use the fellowship to explore how research informed by Aboriginal perspectives and experiences in healthcare settings and communities can improve lung health outcomes for Aboriginal children through a knowledge translation approach. Dr Laird has worked in partnership with Aboriginal communities and other collaborators to develop a number of lung health literacy tools for Aboriginal families. She has co-written two Aboriginal paediatric respiratory online training modules for clinicians.
Cardiorespiratory and Paediatric National Groups and The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Committee (ATSIHC)
14/03/2023
2.0 Hours
Please note: The content of this Lecture on Demand (LOD) was captured via a recording of a live lecture at the APA premises. Due to the nature of the event and the recording method, this LOD may not have captured some of the questions/comments from live audience. Your purchase of this module indicates your acceptance of this.
