The physical health of Indigenous people with a mental illness in the Kimberley: is ongoing monitoring effective?

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this paper is to evaluate the effectiveness of ongoing physical health monitoring for Indigenous Australians with mental health issues in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. Method: This longitudinal, within-groups investigation assessed physical health parameters such as blood pressure and blood glucose levels at baseline and at 18 months for the same cohort. No standardised intervention was in place, but action was taken if results were found to be abnormal. Results: Most measures of physical health remained stable, with mean lipid and fasting glucose levels remaining abnormal over the entire assessment period. Systolic blood pressure showed a significant improvement. Conclusions: More needs to be done to improve the physical health of Indigenous mental health patients – culturally appropriate and secure interventions incorporating holistic models of care are needed.