A Delphi study and development of a social and emotional wellbeing screening tool for Australian First Nations Peoples living in the Torres Strait and Northern Peninsula Area of Australia.

Tools screening depression and anxiety developed using the Western biomedical paradigm are still used with First Nations Peoples globally, despite calls for cross-cultural adaption. Recent work by this research team found that tools used to screen for depression and anxiety were inappropriate for use with Australian First Nations Peoples living in the Torres Strait and Northern Peninsula Area of Australia. The objective of this Delphi study, the second phase of a broader four-phase project, was to gain consensus from an expert mental health and/or social and emotional wellbeing (SEWB) panel to inform the development of an appropriate screening tool. This Delphi study took place between March and May 2023. Three sequential rounds of anonymous online surveys delivered using QualtricsTM were planned, although only two were needed to reach 75% consensus. The first round sought consensus on whether a new screening tool needed to be developed or whether existing tools could be used. The second round achieved consensus. Twenty-eight experts (47% response rate) participated across the two Delphi rounds. In the second round, 83% of these experts agreed or strongly agreed that a new screening tool, using the holistic First Nations concept of social and emotional wellbeing, be developed. Ninety-four percent of them agreed that it should take a Yarning approach. These findings enabled the development of a new SEWB screening tool that adopted a Yarning (narrative) approach designed for use in primary care and geriatric settings in the region. The new tool has four different Yarning areas: Community engagement and behaviour; Stress worries; Risk; and Feeling strong. Guidelines for tool use are integrated as well as Summary and Recommendation sections. At a macro-level this project responds to the need for new screening tools that are underpinned by First Nations worldviews.

Strength together: examining risk and protective factors associated with dementia and cognitive impairment in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples through harmonisation of landmark studies.

BACKGROUND: Rates of dementia for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are three to five times greater compared to non-Indigenous Australians, with earlier age of onset. However, the risk and protective factors that drive these higher rates vary across existing cohort studies, with minimal findings on the role of vascular risk factors beyond stroke. Harmonisation of data across studies may offer greater insights through enhanced diversity and strengthened statistical capabilities. This study aims to combine three landmark cohort studies of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participants to better understand the determinants of cognitive health and dementia. METHODS/DESIGN: Three cohort studies - the Kimberley Healthy Adults Project (KHAP, N = 363), Koori Growing Old Well Study (KGOWS, N = 336) and Torres Strait Dementia Prevalence Study (TSDPS, N = 274) - share a similar research methodology with demographic, medical history, psychosocial factors, cognitive tests and consensus clinical diagnoses of cognitive impairment and dementia. Associations between risk and protective factors of interest and the presence of dementia and/or cognitive impairment diagnoses will be evaluated by univariable and multivariable logistic regression in a harmonised cross-sectional cohort of 898 participants. Factors associated with incident dementia and/or cognitive impairment will be assessed in a subset of KHAP (n = 189) and KGOWS participants (n = 165) who were available in longitudinal follow-up, after exclusion of those with baseline dementia or cognitive impairment. Analyses in relation to outcome measure of death or dementia will be conducted to account for the competing risk of death. Logistic regression will be used to evaluate the association between the individual components of the 16-component Kimberley Indigenous Cognitive Assessment (KICA) tool and the presence of dementia and cognitive impairment determined by independent consensus diagnoses. Multivariable binary logistic regression will be used to adjust for the effect of confounding variables. Results will be reported as odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). DISCUSSION: Greater understanding of risk and protective factors of dementia and cognitive impairment relevant to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples may improve approaches across the life course to delay cognitive decline and reduce dementia risk.

'Letting it be': a grounded theory about dementia care in Fiji.

OBJECTIVES: This research study aimed to discover how dementia affecting older people was perceived, experienced, and managed by stakeholders in the Pacific Island country of Fiji. METHOD: A transformational grounded theory approach was used. Semi-structured interviews and focus groups with key stakeholders in the major towns of Suva, Lautoka, and Nadi were carried out. Transcripts were analysed in line with transformational grounded theory methods. RESULTS: A total of 50 participants (40 service providers, eight family caregivers, one person with dementia, and one village elder) shared their views and experiences about dementia. A grounded theory about dementia care management was constructed. 'Letting it be' is the grounding socio-cultural construct that interweaves and binds together the processes of dementia care management. It expresses a compassionate approach to caring for older people with dementia that involves searching for knowledge and support, and application of traditional care practices within the strength of family and community networks. CONCLUSION: In Fiji, support for dementia centres on the integration of community understandings, and promotion of cultural values of wellbeing and care, with service provision. It also focuses on support for families and communities through social welfare, community networks, and education.

Validation of the Kimberley Cognitive Assessment (KICA-Cog) for Torres Strait Islander Peoples.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to validate the Kimberley Indigenous Cognitive Assessment-Cognitive Component (KICA-Cog) adapted for dementia screening in Torres Strait Islander Peoples. METHODS: Data were obtained from a broader dementia prevalence study completed in the Torres Strait and Northern Peninsula Area between 2015 and 2018. Modifications were made to items from the original KICA-Cog to ensure they were culturally appropriate for the Torres Strait. All participants completed a KICA-Cog and had a comprehensive dementia assessment with a geriatrician experienced in cross-cultural assessment. RESULTS: A total of 255 Torres Strait residents aged 45 years and over completed a KICA-Cog and underwent geriatric assessment. The adapted KICA-Cog showed good validity for dementia diagnosis with a cut point of 33/34 associated with a sensitivity of 81% and specificity of 92% with an area under the ROC curve of 0.91. CONCLUSIONS: The KICA-Cog, when modified for the Torres Strait, is a valid cognitive screening tool for dementia. Caution is required when interpreting test scores, as the adapted KICA-Cog had slightly lower sensitivity (ability to detect people with dementia) than the original KICA-Cog. As with all short cognitive tests, individuals with a low KICA-Cog scores should undergo further medical investigations before a dementia diagnosis is considered.

Developing an appropriate depression and anxiety screening tool for use with Australian First Nations peoples living in the Torres Strait and Northern Peninsula Area of Australia: Protocol for a Delphi study.

Tools that screen for depression and anxiety developed using the Western biomedical paradigm are still used with First Nations peoples globally, despite calls for cross-cultural adaption. Recent work by the research team found that tools used to screen for depression and anxiety were not appropriate for use with Australian First Nations peoples living in the Torres Strait and Northern Peninsula Area (NPA). of Australia. Consequently, the objective of this Delphi study is to gain consensus from an expert mental health panel to inform the development of an appropriate depression and anxiety screening tool(s). A Delphi study with Australian expert panellists will be used to reach consensus about whether an existing screening tool should be used or whether adaption or new tool development should take place. Three sequential rounds of anonymous online surveys will be used to reach consensus. The first round will seek consensus about the tool(s). Subsequent rounds will seek consensus on the development of the tool(s) identified in round one. Panellists will be identified using a combination of authorship of related publications, established national clinical or research profile in First Nations mental health, and/or by peer referral. Consensus will be reached when 75% of the panel agree. When agreement is not reached suggestions will be taken to the next round. If agreement is not achieved by the third round, the Steering Committee will make any outstanding decisions. Dissemination of the findings through continuing community engagement, conference presentations and publications will be led by Torres Strait Islander members of the research team.

Cultural, sociopolitical, environmental and built assets supporting health and well-being in Torres Strait Island communities: protocol for a scoping review.

INTRODUCTION: Risks to an individual's health should be considered alongside the environmental, sociocultural and sociopolitical context(s) in which they live. Environmental mapping is an approach to identifying enablers and barriers to health within a community. The Indigenous Indicator Classification System (IICS) framework has been used to map the environment in Australian Indigenous communities. The IICS is a four-level nested hierarchical framework with subject groups including culture, sociopolitical and built at the top of the hierarchy and indicators at the bottom. The objective of this scoping review is to map the cultural, sociopolitical, environmental and built assets that support health and well-being that exist in each Torres Strait Island community. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This review will be conducted according the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) method for scoping reviews. It will include sources that identify cultural, sociopolitical, environmental and built assets that support health and well-being that exist in each Torres Strait Island community. Databases to be searched include: Informit; Scopus; Web of Science; HealthInfoNet, BioOne Complete and Green File. Sources of unpublished and grey literature will be located using Google and Google Scholar. Searches will be limited to the English language and literature published since January 2018 to ensure that the assets mapped reflect current conditions on each island. Data that answers the research question will be extracted from sources and recorded in an adaptation of the IICS. Quantitative analysis of the data will include summing each asset for individual islands and their associated clusters. Data will be presented graphically, diagrammatically, or in tabular form depending on what approach best conveys its meaning. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The Far North Queensland Human Research Ethics Committee (reference HREC/2022/QCH/88 155-1624) has approved this study. Dissemination of the review's findings will be led by Torres Strait Islander members of the research team through conferences and peer-reviewed publications.

Safeguarding against Dementia in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities through the Optimisation of Primary Health Care: A Project Protocol.

This protocol describes the methodology and methods for a collaborative project with eight Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander primary health care (PHC) organisations, across three Australian states and one territory, to increase clinical service performance and access to preventive health and health promotion services for preventing, identifying, treating, and managing dementia risk in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Aboriginal participatory action research (APAR) methodology will be the framework for this project, incorporating continuous quality improvement (CQI), informed by research yarning with stakeholder groups, comprising community members and PHC staff and service providers and data collected from the auditing of client health records and the mapping of existing clinical processes and health services at each partnering PHC organisation. The qualitative and quantitative data will be summarised and discussed with stakeholder groups. Priorities will be identified and broken down into tangible PHC organisation deliverable strategies and programs, which will be co-developed with stakeholder groups and implemented cyclically over 24 months using the Plan, Do, Study, Act model of change. Key project outcome measures include increased clinical service performance and availability of preventive health and health promotion services for safeguarding against dementia. Project implementation will be evaluated for quality and transparency from an Indigenous perspective using an appropriate appraisal tool. The project processes, impact, and sustainability will be evaluated using the RE-AIM framework. A dementia safeguarding framework and accompanying tool kit will be developed from this work to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander PHC organisations to identify, implement, and evaluate dementia safeguarding practice and service improvements on a broader scale.

Approaches to the development of new screening tools that assess distress in Indigenous peoples: A systematic mixed studies review.

This mixed studies review assessed the extent of the literature related to approaches used to develop new tools that screen for distress in Indigenous adults globally. It answered the research question: What qualitative and quantitative approaches are used to develop new screening tools that assess distress in Indigenous peoples globally? CINAHL, Embase, Emcare, Medline, PsychInfo and Scopus databases were systematically searched to identify relevant articles published between January 2000 and February 2023. Articles describing the development of a new screening tool for Indigenous peoples, globally, published in English since 2000 and constituted a full publication of primary research, met the inclusion criteria. Studies underwent quality appraisal using the Mixed-Methods Appraisal Tool. A sequential exploratory design guided data analysis. Synthesis occurred using a two-phase sequential method. Nineteen articles constituted the data set. Articles described the use of qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods in approximately equal numbers. Overall, qualitative methods were used in early stages of tool development, with mixed and quantitative methods used to pilot and validate them. However, most studies did not follow the theoretical guidelines for tool development, and while validation studies took place in over half of the data set, none adequately assessed construct validity. Sixty percent of the articles were located using citation searches, which suggests database searches were ineffective. Valid tools that screen for distress in Indigenous populations support equitable access to health care. This review found that most screening tools were developed in Australia. However, additional evidence of their validity is needed in addition to a valid diagnostic tool that supports the determination of criterion validity. These needs present important future research opportunities.

Erratum: Potentially preventable dementia in a First Nations population in the Torres Strait and Northern Peninsula Area of North Queensland, Australia: a cross sectional analysis using population attributable fractions.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.lanwpc.2023.100855.][This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.lanwpc.2022.100532.].

Potentially modifiable dementia risk factors in all Australians and within population groups: an analysis using cross-sectional survey data.

BACKGROUND: Dementia is the second leading cause of disease burden in Australia. We aimed to calculate the population attributable fractions (PAFs) of dementia attributable to 11 of 12 previously identified potentially modifiable health and social risk factors (less education, hearing loss, hypertension, obesity, smoking, depression, social isolation, physical inactivity, diabetes, alcohol excess, air pollution, and traumatic brain injury), for Australians overall and three population groups (First Nations, and those of European and Asian ancestry). METHODS: We calculated the prevalence of dementia risk factors (excluding traumatic brain injury) and PAFs, adjusted for communality, from the cross-sectional National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey (2018-19), National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Survey (2014-15), National Health Survey (2017-18), and General Social Survey (2014) conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. We conducted sensitivity analyses using proxy estimates for traumatic brain injury (12th known risk factor) for which national data were not available. FINDINGS: A large proportion (38·2%, 95% CI 37·2-39·2) of dementia in Australia was theoretically attributable to the 11 risk factors; 44·9% (43·1-46·7) for First Nations Australians, 36·4% (34·8-38·1) for European ancestry, and 33·6% (30·1-37·2) for Asian ancestry. Including traumatic brain injury increased the PAF to 40·6% (39·6-41·6) for all Australians. Physical inactivity (8·3%, 7·5-9·2), hearing loss (7·0%, 6·4-7·6), and obesity (6·6%, 6·0-7·3) accounted for approximately half of the total PAF estimates across Australia, and for all three population groups. INTERPRETATION: Our PAF estimates indicate a substantial proportion of dementia in Australia is potentially preventable, which is broadly consistent with global trends and results from other countries. The highest potential for dementia prevention was among First Nations Australians, reflecting the enduring effect of upstream social, political, environmental, and economic disadvantage, leading to greater life-course exposure to dementia risk factors. Although there were common dementia risk factors across different population groups, prevention strategies should be informed by community consultation and be culturally and linguistically appropriate. FUNDING: Australian National Health and Medical Research Council and University College London Hospitals' National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre, and North Thames NIHR Applied Research Collaboration.

Person-Centred, Culturally Appropriate Music Intervention to Improve Psychological Wellbeing of Residents with Advanced Dementia Living in Australian Rural Residential Aged Care Homes.

This quasi-experimental, nonrandomized intervention study reports the effect of person-centred, culturally appropriate music on psychological wellbeing of residents with advanced dementia in five rural residential aged care homes in Australia. Seventy-four residents attended in person-centred music sessions and culturally appropriate group sessions. Interest, response, initiation, involvement, enjoyment, and general reactions of the residents were assessed using the Music in Dementia Assessment Scale (MiDAS), and interviews and focus groups were conducted with aged care staff and musicians. The overall effect of person-centred sessions at two-time points were: during the intervention-351.2 (SD 93.5); and two-hours post intervention-315.1 (SD 98.5). The residents presented a moderate to high level of interest, response, initiation, involvement, and enjoyment during the session and at post-intervention. However, the MiDAS sub-categories' mean scores differed between the time-points: interest (t59 = 2.8, p = 0.001); response (t59 = 2.9, p = 0.005); initiation (t59 = 2.4, p = 0.019); and involvement (t59 = 2.8, p = 0.007), indicating a significant decline in the effect of person-centred music over time. Interestingly, during the period of time, most of the residents were observed with no exhibitions of agitation (87.5%), low in mood (87.5%), and anxiousness (70.3%), and with a presentation of relaxation (75.5%), attentiveness (56.5%), and smiling (56.9%). Themes from qualitative data collected regarding culturally appropriate group music sessions were behavioural change, meaningful interaction, being initiative, increased participation, and contentment. The findings suggest that the integration of music into care plans may reduce the residents' agitation and improve their emotional wellbeing in rural aged care homes.

Screening depression and anxiety in Indigenous peoples: A global scoping review.

Indigenous peoples' worldviews are intricately interconnected and interrelated with their communities and the environments in which they live. Their worldviews also manifest in a holistic view of health and well-being, which contrasts with those of the dominant western biomedical model. However, screening depression and/or anxiety in Indigenous peoples often occurs using standard western tools. Understandably, the cultural appropriateness of these tools has been questioned. The purpose of this scoping review was to map the literature that used any type of tool to screen depression or anxiety in Indigenous adults globally. A systematic scoping review method was used to search databases including, but not limited to, CINAHL, PubMed, Scopus and Google. Database-specific search terms associated with Indigenous peoples, depression and anxiety, and screening tools were used to identify literature. In addition, citation searches of related systematic reviews and relevant websites were conducted. The data set was limited to English language publications since database inception. Fifty-four publications met the review's inclusion criteria. Most studies were completed in community settings using standard western depression and anxiety screening tools. Thirty-three different tools were identified, with the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 being the most frequently used. The review's findings are concerning given repeated calls for culturally appropriate screening tools to be used with Indigenous peoples. Although there has been some work to cross-culturally adapt depression screening tools for specific Indigenous populations, clearly more clinicians and researchers need to be aware of, and use, culturally appropriate approaches to screening.

Dementia Risk Models in an Australian First Nations Population: Cross-Sectional Associations and Preparation for Follow-Up.

Background: Reducing the burden of dementia in First Nations populations may be addressed through developing population specific methods to quantify future risk of dementia. Objective: To adapt existing dementia risk models to cross-sectional dementia prevalence data from a First Nations population in the Torres Strait region of Australia in preparation for follow-up of participants. To explore the diagnostic utility of these dementia risk models at detecting dementia. Methods: A literature review to identify existing externally validated dementia risk models. Adapting these models to cross-sectional data and assessing their diagnostic utility through area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) analyses and calibration using Hosmer-Lemeshow Chi2. Results: Seven risk models could be adapted to the study data. The Aging, Cognition and Dementia (AgeCoDe) study, the Framingham Heart Study (FHS), and the Brief Dementia Screening Indicator (BDSI) had moderate diagnostic utility in identifying dementia (i.e., AUROC >0.70) before and after points for older age were removed. Conclusion: Seven existing dementia risk models could be adapted to this First Nations population, and three had some cross-sectional diagnostic utility. These models were designed to predict dementia incidence, so their applicability to identify prevalent cases would be limited. The risk scores derived in this study may have prognostic utility as participants are followed up over time. In the interim, this study highlights considerations when transporting and developing dementia risk models for First Nations populations.

A good life for people living with disability: the story from Far North Queensland.

PURPOSE: People with disability in regional, rural and remote Australia have poorer service access compared to people from metropolitan areas. There is urgent need for reform. This study's aim was to explore the needs and aspirations of people with lived experience of disability in Far North Queensland (FNQ) to inform a new service framework. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-five individuals with diverse experience of disability were engaged in semi-structured interviews. Participants were recruited from four sites that differed geographically, culturally, and socioeconomically. Using an inductive then deductive thematic approach to data analysis, statements of needs and aspirations were compiled and aligned with three pre-determined vision statements. RESULTS: Needs and aspirations aligned well with the vision statements which were to: feel "included, connected, safe and supported"; have "opportunities to choose one's own life and follow one's hopes and dreams"; and have "access to culturally safe services close to home." To realise this vision in FNQ, support to navigate and coordinate services across sectors is essential. CONCLUSION: People of FNQ of all abilities, need and aspire to experience "a good life" like their fellow Australians. Any new service model must focus on providing service navigation and co-ordination amid the complexities of service delivery in FNQ.Implications for RehabilitationThe perspective of people with lived experience of disability needs to be heard and respected when designing services to support them.Service navigation and co-ordination are required to manage the complexity of service delivery for people living in regional, rural and remote Australia.Engaging with the whole the community is prudent when designing community disability, rehabilitation, and lifestyle services in regional, rural, and remote Australia.

Culturally Appropriate Assessment of Depression and Anxiety in Older Torres Strait Islanders: Limitations and Recommendations.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of anxiety and depression in older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults. METHODS: A modified version of the PHQ-9 (KICA-dep) and the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory (GAI) were administered as part of a wider dementia prevalence study conducted in the Torres Strait. Results were compared to diagnoses obtained on Geriatric review to evaluate their applicability in the region. RESULTS: A total of 236 participants completed the KICA-dep and 184 completed the GAI short form. Of these, 10.6% were identified with depression and 15.8% with anxiety. Some participants found questions about suicide ideation and self-harm offensive and others had difficulty understanding concepts on the GAI. The KICA-dep performed poorly in comparison to diagnosis on geriatric clinical review, so results are unlikely to reflect the true prevalence of depression in the region. CONCLUSIONS: Further research is required to explore the underlying dimensions of depression and anxiety and terminology used to express mood symptoms in the Torres Strait. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: • Current mental health screening tools are not applicable for the Torres Strait• More work is required to determine how symptoms of depression and anxiety are expressed within Torres Strait communities.

Primary care and the older person with complex needs: reflections on the implementation of a primary–secondary model of integrated care.

The demand and complexity of the health needs of older people is growing. Traditionally siloed, condition-centric care is no longer appropriate. It is costly to the Australian health system and life-threatening to the individual. In parallel to demographic change is increasing global awareness of the impact of social, behavioural, and environmental factors on health outcomes. Although significant when not addressed, the amenable nature of many personal contextual factors is an opportunity to improve health and quality of life. A move away from reactive, episodic models of health care delivery towards patient focussed integrated care is required to meet the changing demands of an aging population. This forum article provides a reflection on the current state of integration for older people with complex needs through the lens of a local community facing model: OPEN ARCH. Australia still has some way to go to establishing system level enablers for an integrated approach to care. However, the OPEN ARCH experience furthers the evidence for ground-up approaches of integrated care that can meet the increasing demand and complexity of older people's needs.

Approaches to the development of new mental well-being screening tools for Indigenous peoples: a systematic mixed studies review protocol.

INTRODUCTION: Indigenous peoples' world views are intricately interrelated and interconnected with those of their communities and the environments where they live. Consequently, Indigenous peoples have a holistic view of their health, which contrasts with the dominant Western biomedical paradigm. However, the mental well-being of Indigenous peoples is predominately screened using tools developed using the Western paradigm that may not be culturally appropriate. The objective of this systematic mixed studies review (SMSR) is to assess the extent of the literature related to approaches used to develop new tools to screen the mental well-being of Indigenous adults. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This SMSR will be conducted in accordance with the method proposed by Pluye et al. It will include studies that describe the development of any type of tool or approach to screen for mental well-being in Indigenous adults, globally. Searches will be limited to the English language and literature published since January 2000. Databases to be searched include: CINAHL, Medline, PsycINFO, PubMed and Scopus. Only published studies will be included in the SMSR. Data that answers the research questions will be extracted from the literature and recorded on the associated data charting form. A sequential synthesis method will be used to analyse data from qualitative, quantitative and mixed-method studies. Data will be presented graphically, diagrammatically or in tabular form depending on what approach best conveys its meaning. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The SMSR will describe the approach to developing new tools for screening the mental well-being of Indigenous peoples across the globe. It will support researchers, clinicians and practitioners to consider both their approach to new tool development or, if they are using a previously developed tool, how reliable and valid it is for the population that they intend to use it with. Peer-reviewed publications will be used to disseminate SMSR findings.

Potentially preventable dementia in a First Nations population in the Torres Strait and Northern Peninsula Area of North Queensland, Australia: A cross sectional analysis using population attributable fractions.

Background: Dementia is highly prevalent among Australia's First Nations peoples, including Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal peoples in Far North Queensland (FNQ). It is likely that historically recent exposure to modifiable risk factors underlies these rates, and a large proportion of dementia may be potentially preventable. Methods: Data from two adult community health checks (2015-2018) were analyzed to determine the prevalence of 11 modifiable dementia risk factors among the First Nations residents of the Torres Strait and Northern Peninsula Area of FNQ. Population attributable fractions (PAF%) for dementia were calculated using age-standardized prevalence estimates derived from these health checks and relative risks obtained from previous meta-analyses in other populations. PAF% estimates were weighted for communality to account for overlap of risk factors. Findings: Half (52·1%) of the dementia burden in this population may be attributed to 11 potentially modifiable risk factors. Hypertension (9·4%), diabetes mellitus (9·0%), obesity (8·0%), and smoking (5·3%) were the highest contributing risk factors. The contribution of depression (2·0%) and alcohol (0·3%) was lower than other global and national estimates. While the adjusted PAF% for social isolation was low based on the adult community health check data (1·6%), it was higher (4·2%) when official census data were analyzed. Interpretation: These results suggest that a substantial proportion of dementia in FNQ First Nations peoples could potentially be prevented. Government investment in preventative health now is essential to reduce the future burden of dementia. Funding: National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC, GNT1107140, GNT1191144, GNT1106175, GNT0631947).

Using Health Check Data to Understand Risks for Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Among Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal Peoples in Northern Queensland-A Data Linkage Study.

OBJECTIVE: High rates of dementia are evident in First Nations populations, and modifiable risk factors may be contributing to this increased risk. This study aimed to use a longitudinal dataset to gain insights into the long-term risk and protective factors for dementia and cognitive impairment not dementia (CIND) in a Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal population in Far North Queensland, Australia. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: Probabilistic data linkage was used to combine baseline health check data obtained in 1998/2000 and 2006/2007 for 64 residents in remote communities with their results on a single dementia assessment 10-20 years later (2015-2018). The relationship between earlier measures and later CIND/dementia status was examined using generalized linear modeling with risk ratios (RRs). Due to the small sample size, bootstrapping was used to inform variable selection during multivariable modeling. RESULTS: One third of participants (n = 21, 32.8%) were diagnosed with dementia (n = 6) or CIND (n = 15) at follow-up. Secondary school or further education (RR = 0.38, 95% CI 0.19-0.76, p = 0.006) and adequate levels of self-reported physical activity (RR = 0.26, 95% CI 0.13-0.52, p < 0.001) were repeatedly selected in bootstrapping and showed some evidence of protection against later CIND/dementia in final multivariate models, although these had moderate collinearity. Vascular risk measures showed inconclusive or unexpected associations with later CIND/dementia risk. CONCLUSIONS: The preliminary findings from this small study highlighted two potential protective factors for dementia that may be present in this population. A tentative risk profile for later CIND/dementia risk is suggested, although the small sample size limits the applicability of these findings.