Indigenous Wellbeing Survey, 9 November 2015
This event highlighted the work being done by Dr Raymond Lovett and Dr Jacki Schirmer and others on the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Wellbeing Survey.
Recent years have seen growing interest in better understanding and measuring the wellbeing of all people. Multiple qualitative studies, and a smaller number of quantitative studies, have examined how to understand the factors that influence the wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. However, there is no regular data collection examining how many dimensions of wellbeing are changing over time, or which gathers information that enables comparison of different people and communities. The research team discussed two linked projects that are working to address these gaps: a national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Wellbeing Survey being developed by Dr Ray Lovett of the Australian National University, which has recently received funding and will be further developed over the next two years; and a case study in the Murray NSW region, funded by Murray Local Land Services and carried out by a team of researchers from the University of Canberra, Australian National University, AIATSIS, and University of Sydney. The case study is acting as both an initial pilot for the national survey, and more specifically examine areas in which caring for country investment has potential to support and grow the wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders living in the region. The survey has been developed and initially tested, and will be delivered in the pilot region by early 2016, with results made available in 2016.
Dr Raymond Lovett, NHMRC Research Fellow - Chronic Disease Epidemiology, ANU College of Medicine, Biology and Environment.
Ray's areas of expertise include:
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health
- Primary health care
- Clinical nursing: Primary (preventative)
- Epidemiology
- Health and community services
- Public health
Ray's research interests include:
- Longitudinal cohort data
- Social epidemiology
- Cultural determinants of health and wellbeing
Download a presentation on the Murray LLS and Mayi Kuwayu project (1.0Mb PDF)
Dr Jacki Schirmer, Associate Professor, CeRAPH, University of Canberra Health Research Institute.
Jacki's research focuses on the linkages between human health and wellbeing, and how people interact with the natural environment. This interaction can happen in many ways: for work (for example, health and wellbeing impacts of changes to employment in the forest industry; wellbeing effects of engaging in different types of farming practices), for recreation (how does recreational fishing benefit wellbeing), or when trying to make a difference (environmental volunteering, environmental protest, natural resource management). Within this broad field of public health, she seeks to contribute to improving the fields of social impact assessment, community engagement and environmental conflict resolution. Jacki uses multiple research approaches, including qualitative and quantitative research methods, and draw on multiple disciplines as part of this work. She works closely with a range of research partners to make links between research and enacting change based on that research, including the Murray-Darling Basin Authority, National Farmers Federation and catchment management authorities. Jacki manages the Regional Wellbeing Survey, an annual survey of people who live outside Australia's major urban centres, and which focuses on understanding how rural change links to health and wellbeing.