Health‐related behaviours in a remote Indigenous population with Type 2 diabetes: a Central Australian primary care survey in the Telehealth Eye and Associated Medical Services Network [TEAMSnet] project. Issue 12 (9th September 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Xu, D.; Jenkins, A.; Ryan, C.; Keech, A.; Brown, A.; Boffa, J.; O'Dea, K.; Bursell, S.E.; Brazionis, L.
• Is Part Of: Diabetic medicine. Volume 36:Issue 12(2019)
• Page Start: 1659
• Page End: 1670
• Publication Date: 2019-09-09
• Subjects: Diabetes -- Periodicals; 616.462
• DOI: 10.1111/dme.14099
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0742-3071

Abstract

Abstract: Aim: There is a wealth of data concerning the health behaviours of Indigenous Australians, but the health behaviours of Indigenous Australians with diabetes are not systematically documented. At the clinical level, understanding a person's health behaviours can help identify and address barriers to diabetes care and promote good clinical outcomes. Methods: We used a novel survey tool to systematically collect health behaviour data on Smoking, Nutrition, Alcohol consumption, Physical activity and Emotional well‐being (SNAPE) from Indigenous Australians with Type 2 diabetes in a remote primary care setting in Alice Springs. Results: At least one of the five surveys in the SNAPE tool was completed by 210 participants: 30% male, mean age 52.6 years (range 22.9 – 87.4). Fifty per cent of men and 23% of women were current smokers ( P < 0.001). None of the participants reported an adequate intake of vegetables. Only 9.6% reported an adequate fruit intake. Some 49% of men and 32% of women consumed alcohol in the past year ( P = 0.022), and 46% of drinkers were considered high‐risk or likely‐dependent drinkers. On average, participants walked 10 min or more at a time 6.0 days a week and spent 4.8 h sitting on a weekday. Mean adapted Patient Health Questionnaire 9 score was 4.61, with 34% of participants having mild depressive symptoms and 11% having moderate‐severe depressive symptoms. Conclusions: Our SNAPE survey tool results present a high‐risk, disadvantaged Indigenous population with Type 2 diabetes. More resources will be needed to sustainably implement interventions with the goal of improving health behaviours and subsequent long‐term health. What's new?: Health behaviours of Indigenous Australians with diabetes are not recorded methodically. We systematically documented the self‐reported health behaviours of Indigenous Australians with Type 2 diabetes using a novel survey tool [Smoking, Nutrition, Alcohol consumption, Physical Activity, Emotional well‐being (SNAPE)]. In a remote setting, we found low fruit and vegetable intake, and high rates of depressive symptoms, smoking among men and risky alcohol consumption among drinkers. We recommend systematic health behaviour monitoring of Indigenous Australians with diabetes using SNAPE or similar survey tools in appropriate clinical settings to support targeted interventions to improve health behaviours associated with diabetes and its complications.