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Clinical profile of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults with stroke and traumatic brain injury at a regional Australian hospital: a retrospective chart audit

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 January 2021

Frances Cochrane Open the ORCID record for Frances Cochrane [Opens in a new window] ,
Samantha Siyambalapitiya  and
Petrea Cornwell
Frances Cochrane*
Affiliation:
Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Australia College of Healthcare Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia
Samantha Siyambalapitiya
Affiliation:
Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Australia School of Allied Health Sciences, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia
Petrea Cornwell
Affiliation:
Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Australia School of Allied Health Sciences, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia
*
*Corresponding author. Email: frances.cochrane1@jcu.edu.au
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Abstract

Background:

The clinical profile of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults admitted to hospital with neurological injury is not well documented. Understanding these profiles may enable health professionals to provide more culturally responsive health care for this patient group. This study aimed to report the clinical profile of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults admitted to a regional Queensland hospital due to stroke or traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Method:

A 2-year retrospective medical record review of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults (≥18 years) admitted to a regional Queensland hospital with principal diagnoses of stroke or TBI.

Results:

There were 132 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adult stroke (51.5%) or TBI (48.5%) admissions. The mean ages were 56.7 years for stroke and 42.7 years for TBI. The majority of patients (83.3%) were of Aboriginal descent with others identifying as Torres Strait Islander only, or both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander. Patients were from 26 diverse home locations across northern Australia, primarily Outer Regional or Remote/Very Remote geographical locations. All patients’ language backgrounds were documented as English only. Over 90% of stroke and 50% of TBI patients presented with medical co-morbidities.

Conclusions:

Patients had diverse geographical locations and cultural backgrounds, with many likely impacted by dislocation from home and country, as well as potential delays in receiving treatment. Despite this diversity, English was documented in patients’ medical records as their only language. The majority of patients also presented with multiple medical co-morbidities. Health professionals should consider these factors to ensure patients receive optimum and culturally responsive health care.

Keywords

Indigenousstrokebrain injuryhealth careremoterehabilitation
Type
Articles
Information
Brain Impairment , Volume 22 , Issue 3 , December 2021 , pp. 281 - 293
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Australasian Society for the Study of Brain Impairment

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