This chapter provides a contextual overview of Torres Strait Islander’s health and wellbeing. It begins by discussing the location and pre-colonisation history of the Torres Strait Islands and their peoples and notes that there is a shift back towards calling the region by its local name, Zenadth Kes. It considers Torres Strait Islanders connections to Country, including the sea, and Kin, and their belonging within tribes and clans. It then discusses Torres Strait Islanders’ perspectives of health and wellbeing both before and after invasion and colonisation and makes suggestions for culturally safe practice that incorporates Torres Strait Islanders’ history. It outlines the current provision of primary health care in the Torres Strait and looks at how this can holistically incorporate traditional medicine practices. The final section of the chapter considers the threat of climate change and its impact on Torres Strait Islanders’ physical and spiritual connection to their Country and consequently their health and wellbeing.

This chapter introduces nursing and midwifery students to the history and current state of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders’ health. It considers the deficit discourse that is often used to describe Indigenous health, which negatively contrasts Indigenous health with the health of non-Indigenous Australians. The chapter emphasises the importance of understanding the history of Indigenous health, both from pre-colonisation and in the years following. It discusses the recent Uluru Statement from the Heart and the history of the Stolen Generations, and examines the effects on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health. The chapter discusses the current health gap that exists between First Nations people and non-Indigenous Australians, and how the Closing the Gap initiative aims to improve Indigenous health outcomes to the level of non-Indigenous Australians. The chapter portrays health as a social justice issue and encourages a human rights approach to health. It concludes by detailing the personal stories of two First Nations nurses to demonstrate the positive effect Indigenous nurses and midwives can have on the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

This chapter introduces readers to Indigenous-led research, with a particular focus on qualitative methods. It begins by discussing the history of Indigenous research, which has not always been ethical or culturally appropriate, before discussing the relatively recent push for change as Indigenous people advocated for research by, for and about Indigenous people. This has seen an increase in culturally safe research, where the needs of Indigenous communities are considered throughout the research process. It provides guidance for nurses and midwives to begin research projects, and considers how they can apply ethical research in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. The chapter then considers common qualitative methods that can be used, before discussing how to undertake a culturally safe qualitative research project by understanding community protocols and engaging the community. The chapter guides readers through the process of ethics approvals, identifying and recruiting participants, conducting focus groups and displaying findings.

This chapter looks at the professional roles Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workers and health practitioners play in the industry. It begins by looking at how the Indigenous health worker role evolved as a way to bridge the gap between Indigenous patients and healthcare professionals, and their role in contemporary medical settings. It considers the nursing and midwifery guidelines and frameworks that regulate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workers and health practitioners and provide guidance for collaboration with other healthcare workers. It concludes by discussing the challenges and opportunities of interprofessional practice when providing culturally safe care to Indigenous patients.

This chapter considers the concept of social and emotional wellbeing in mainstream mental health services by deliberately approaching mental health from within an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander context, rather than the standard biomedical perspective. It discusses the political, social and cultural determinants of First Nations social and emotional wellbeing and how, throughout history, these have contributed to a stigma surrounding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. The chapter emphasises the importance of cultural connection in improving social and emotional wellbeing, and suggests prioritising cultural connection to people and place, culture and the natural environment when treating First Nations patients. Social and emotional wellbeing is discussed within the context of mainstream mental healthcare, calling for trauma-informed care and a strengths-based approach. The chapter explores various threats to social and emotional wellbeing, including Sorry Business and Sad News, and imprisonment, before suggesting ways for healthcare professionals to promote social and emotional wellbeing in their care of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

This chapter focuses on quantitative research that is Indigenous-led and Indigenous-focused. It begins by discussing quantitative research in the context of Indigenous people to reject the commonly held assumption that quantitative research methods are less appropriate than quantitative methods in Indigenous contexts. It considers the importance of using an Indigenous methodology rather than a Western research methodology. The chapter differentiates between various research methodologies before focusing on the Indigenous research methodology in Australia. It highlights the importance of working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, considering Indigenous worldviews during research, and conducting research with political integrity. The chapter uses two case studies of Indigenous quantitative research to guide readers through the process and explain how to display and interpret results, and provides detailed guidance on using chi-squared tests to interpret results.