Kaat Koort - Aboriginal Brain Health Study

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  Indigenous Epidemiology and Health Unit Head
  Professor Sandra Eades

  View researcher's webpage

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. The study is conducted in two phases. Phase 1 involved consultations with the health service partners and the community to ensure the program for Phase 2 is acceptable to the community. Phase 1 is now complete.  In Phase 2, we will undertake a randomised-controlled trial to test the effectiveness of the Aboriginal-health worker led program composed targeting diet, exercise, mental health, smoking cessation and disease management on reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and cognitive decline. Phase 2 is underway and expected to finish collection activities in July 2024'.

Study Coordinator Contact Details:

Trial Manager, Assoc Prof Carrington Shepherd - carrington.shepherd@curtin.edu.au

Trial Coordinator, Melissa Dunham - melissa.dunham@curtin.edu.au

Researchers

Professor Sandra Eades - Indigenous Epidemiology and Health Unit Head

Assoc Prof Carrington Shepherd

Ms Melissa Dunham

Prof Emily Banks

Scientia Professor Kaarin Anstey

Assoc Prof Melinda Carrington

Prof Daniel McAullay

Prof Ofra Kalter-Leibovici

Lesley Nelson

Dr Jason Agostino

Dr Ellie Page

Funding

NHMRC - Targeted Call for Research into Dementia in Indigenous Australians 1151848, 2018-2023.

Research Publications

Perspectives, understandings of dementia and lived experiences from Australian Aboriginal people in Western Australia