Starting a busy visit to Brisbane with a visit to my alma mater, the University of Queensland, and the Poche Centre for Indigenous Health.
The UQ Poche Centre is an Indigenous-led health research centre working collaboratively with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to transform their experiences of injustice and inequity in health and wellbeing. It also works in regional and remote settings across Australia, and with other Indigenous peoples internationally. The UQ Poche Centre is part of the national Poche Indigenous Health Network, together with Poche Centres at the University of Melbourne, the University of Sydney, the University of Western Australia and Flinders University in Adelaide and Alice Springs.
The Poche Centre undertakes multidisciplinary research to enhance understanding of diverse health issues affecting Indigenous peoples, reduce health inequity and improve health outcomes. The combined Indigenous and non-Indigenous team’s expertise and interest spans infectious disease, bloodborne viruses, sexual and reproductive health, child and maternal health, health promotion, policy and practice, substance use, mental health, chronic health conditions, sexuality and gender, and the effects of climate change on the health and wellbeing of Indigenous peoples.
Currently the Poche Centre is undertaking projects related to COVID-19, sexually transmssable infections, hepatitis C, access, relational care and primary health care in urban Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations across four program groups focussing on urban, rural and remote and global communities.
There is a wealth of information available on their website: https://poche.centre.uq.edu.au/, and if you’re interested in learning more about the types of research that is influencing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health policy I’d encourage you to look them up and get in touch.
Off to my next stop!
