• Project status: Active
Indigenous child playing

The study aims to enable the voices of diverse Aboriginal women and families in South Australia to inform policy and practice in health, education and community care.

This study is in response to gaps in the evidence to inform health policy and services.

This study is in response to gaps in the evidence to inform health policy and services.

Overview

The Aboriginal Families Study is a prospective mother and child cohort study investigating the health and wellbeing of 344 Aboriginal children and their mothers living in urban, regional and remote areas of South Australia.

The study was developed in response to gaps in the available evidence to inform health policy and services and was preceded by extensive consultation with Aboriginal communities and services in South Australia.

Major areas of focus include:

  • maternal health and wellbeing
  • children's health, wellbeing and development
  • engagement with health services
  • connections to family, community, culture and language.

The Aboriginal Families Study team have worked with Aboriginal communities in urban, regional and remote areas of South Australia to engage diverse Aboriginal families in the study. We are currently analysing and reporting data from the second wave of follow-up conducted as the study children were starting primary school (age 5-8 years). This includes questionnaires completed by mothers and carers of the study children, and data from child activities designed to assess children's cognitive, speech and language development.

The study is being conducted in partnership with the Aboriginal Health Council of South Australia and the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute.

Child in hospital

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