Understanding what keeps Aboriginal women’s hearts strong

Dr Katharine McBride, The Australian National University

2023 Postdoctoral Fellowship

Years funded: 2024 - 2025

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women are carers, nurturers and leaders. Heart disease impacts women’s capacity to do this. Heart health promotion, disease prevention and management are based on a Western understanding of disease and do not consider cultural, spiritual, social and emotional wellbeing. Consequently, programs, services and policies do not respond to the expressed needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women. This study aims to document and better comprehend Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women’s understanding of cultural, spiritual, emotional, social, behavioural and physiological factors of heart health to inform more contextually and culturally aligned responses. The project will: build on current understanding by listening to Aboriginal women; explore how individual factors are linked to each other; demonstrate how Aboriginal women’s understanding of heart health can influence health outcomes; and develop a tool for assessing heart health knowledge. Sharing these stories will inform how we provide care.