Play sport, live better! A game changer towards closing the gap for First Nation Australian men living in the Sunshine Coast region of South-East Queensland

Elizabeth Pressick

doi:10.25907/00679

Programs designed to promote physical activity are used globally in an attempt to reduce the impacts of physical inactivity on health, quality of life and longevity in an ageing world population. The current evidence provides some insights into the impacts of such programs on First Nation populations and their subsequent contribution to health inequality. Insights are also provided into the link between sport participation, a form of physical activity, and the health of First Nation Australian men who are most impacted through lower health status and life expectancy. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are the first peoples of Australia and as individuals and communities, personally choose how they wish to be identified. For this thesis, First Nation Australians is the term used when referring to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples except when other terms are used in published material, scientific articles submitted for publication or other formal material. First Nation is used to respect the naming convention preference of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community in which the research was conducted. Promoting health through physical activity participation, in the form of sports, could play a role in minimising the impact of physical inactivity on First Nation Australian men. Potential longer-term benefits may assist in closing the gap in health disparity for First Nation Australians and reaching closing the gap targets for the Australian government. First Nation Australian men identify with team sports, in particular, and the need for sports programs, is a community priority in response to the specific health needs of First Nation Australian men. When elements of sports such as rules, equipment and playing spaces are modified, they could provide suitable physical activity options that accommodate changes in physical capacity as First Nation Australian men age. However, there is paucity of evidence to inform First Nation communities, practitioners, service providers and organisations in the development and implementation of sustainable culturally appropriate health promoting sport programs for First Nation men. The Play sport, live better! project provides the framework for which this research is housed to address this knowledge gap. The overarching aim of this research is to investigate the effectiveness of a group-based modified sport program on improving the quality of life of First Nation Australian men. This research embraces an underlying philosophy promoting capacity building, self-determination and empowerment that honours the research ethics values for undertaking research in First Nation communities. This thesis reports on the research housed within the Play sport, live better! project. The thesis includes four research studies and a book chapter that highlights key aspects of ethical research, culturally appropriate community engagement and key cultural principles applied throughout this research. Each study is linked to one of the four stages of the Play sport, live better! project that progress in the order in which they were undertaken. This was a logical progression to inform the research then design, implement and evaluate an evidence-based culturally appropriate group-based modified sport program. Specifically, study one is a systematic literature review that was conducted in stage one to identify quality research in the field of sport and exercise science to inform further research stages. Study two describes the multi-level community consultation process that was conducted in stage two to understand community needs and preferences to design the group-based modified sport program. Study three reports outcomes from a traditional Indigenous games program that was implemented in stage three to identify health-related quality of life and physical activity benefits to participants. Study four evaluates the planning and implementation of the group-based modified sport program that was conducted in stage four to inform service providers regarding group-based modified sport program sustainability. The book chapter presents research methodologies, and ethical principles, values, protocols and research considerations recommended for researchers working in First Nation communities. These recommendations resonate throughout all four studies. The four research studies have been prepared for the purpose of publication in peer-reviewed journals. At the time this thesis was submitted, study one and the book chapter had been published. Research articles for studies 2 – 4 had been submitted to journals for publication consideration. Abstracts of each of the four studies and the book chapter are presented hereafter in the Abstract under Chapters 2 – 5 and Appendix 1 sub-headings.

Play sport, live better! A game changer towards closing the gap for First Nation Australian men living in the Sunshine Coast region of South-East Queensland

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