Kaat Koort - Aboriginal Brain Health Study
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Indigenous Epidemiology and Health Unit Head
Professor Sandra Eades
Project Details
Prevention programs are urgently required to help prevent dementia in older Aboriginal populations. Given the links between cardiovascular risk factors and vascular dementia, The Kaat Koort study is testing how brain (‘Kaat’ in Noongar language) health can be improved by improving heart (Koort) health. This five-year NHRMC-funded study is being led by an expert team of national and international researchers, led foremost by Professor Sandra Eades (Noongar) from the University of Melbourne, with collaborators from Australian National University and the University of New South Wales and in partnership with the Derbarl Yerrigan Health Service and the South West Aboriginal Medical Service in south-west Western Australia. The study will be conducted in two phases. Phase 1 will involve consultations with the health service partners and the community to ensure the program for Phase 2 is acceptable to the community. In Phase 2, we will undertake a randomised-controlled trial to test the effectiveness of the Aboriginal-health worker led program composed targetting diet, exercise, mental health, smoking cessation and disease management on reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and cognitive decline.
Study Coordinator Contact Details:
Lina Gubhaju - lina.gubhaju@unimelb.edu.au
Kyle Turner - kyle.turner@unimelb.edu.au
Researchers
Professor Sandra Eades - Indigenous Epidemiology and Health Unit Head
Dr Lina Gubhaju - Research Fellow
Dr Bridgette McNamara - Senior Research Fellow
Dr Kyle Turner - Research Fellow, Lecturer/teaching Coordinator In Indigenous Health
Funding
NHMRC - Targeted Call for Research into Dementia in Indigenous Australians 1151848, 2018-2023.