Dataset Information

Development of a Humane Slaughter Device for Green Turtles for Use by Traditional Owners in the Torres Strait Islands, Australia.

ABSTRACT: Marine turtles are caught and slaughtered for consumption as part of traditional indigenous community harvest in Australia as well as in many countries in which marine turtles can be found. However, changes to the Animal Care and Protection Act 2001 in 2012 resulted in Australian indigenous hunters becoming potentially liable to prosecution for using traditional practices to slaughter marine turtles. To provide indigenous hunters with an alternative scientifically tested method to hunt, we developed and tested a humane method as an option to use in indigenous communities. Between 2012 and 2015, a device was developed, tested on 11 carcasses to determine effectiveness and repeatability, used on 5 anaesthetised animals independently diagnosed as candidates for euthanasia, and ultimately used on 2 healthy, conscious animals as part of normal indigenous community subsistence harvesting under observation before being left with the communities for use. Feedback was sought from the communities on the suitability and potential adoption of the device. The device effectively ablated the hind brain and severed the spinal cord when deployed in 81% (9/11) of the tested carcasses, with death in 100% (5/5) of turtles, on average, within 78 seconds of deployment on anaesthetised turtles and death in 100% (2/2) of turtles, on average, within 144 seconds when deployed on healthy turtles within community. Failure to ablate the hindbrain and sever the spinal cord in the cadaver cases was due to incorrect deployment of the device. This device showed promise as an alternative euthanasia method available to indigenous communities of the Torres Straits. Further work is required to encourage acceptance by hunters.

SUBMITTER: Flint M

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5226787 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Development of a Humane Slaughter Device for Green Turtles for Use by Traditional Owners in the Torres Strait Islands, Australia.

Flint Mark M Mills Paul C PC Loban Frank F Simpson Tristan T Lui Stan S Fujii Ronald R Whap Don D Flint Jaylene B JB Owen Helen H

PloS one 20170111 1

Marine turtles are caught and slaughtered for consumption as part of traditional indigenous community harvest in Australia as well as in many countries in which marine turtles can be found. However, changes to the Animal Care and Protection Act 2001 in 2012 resulted in Australian indigenous hunters becoming potentially liable to prosecution for using traditional practices to slaughter marine turtles. To provide indigenous hunters with an alternative scientifically tested method to hunt, we devel ...[more]

PMID: 28076432

Similar Datasets

Project description:BackgroundLiver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are important contributors to the mortality gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. However, there is a lack of population based high quality data assessing the differences in HCC epidemiology and outcomes according to Indigenous status. The aim of this study was therefore to perform a large epidemiological study of HCC investigating differences between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians with HCC.MethodsStudy design was a retrospective cohort study. Data linkage methodology was used to link data from cancer registries with hospital separation summaries across three Australian jurisdictions during 2000-2017. Cumulative survival (Kaplan-Meier) and the differences in survival (Multivariable Cox-regression) by Indigenous status were assessed.FindingsA total of 229 Indigenous and 3587 non-Indigenous HCC cases were included in the analyses. Significant epidemiological differences identified for Indigenous HCC cases included younger age at onset, higher proportion of females, higher rurality, lower socioeconomic status, and higher comorbidity burden (all p < 0.001). The distribution of cofactors was also significantly different for Indigenous Australians including higher prevalence of alcohol misuse, hepatitis B, and diabetes and more frequent presence of multiple HCC cofactors (all p < 0.001). Indigenous Australians received curative HCC therapies less frequently (6.6% vs. 14.5%, p < 0.001) and had poorer 5-year survival (10.0% vs. 17.3%, p < 0.001; unadjusted hazard ratio (HR) =1.42 96%CI 1.21-1.65) compared to non-Indigenous Australians. The strength of the association between indigenous status and survival was weaker and statistically non-significant after adjusting for rurality, comorbidity burden and lack of curative therapy (adjusted-HR=1.20 95%CI 0.97-1.47).InterpretationSuch data provide a call to action to help design and implement health literacy, liver management and HCC surveillance programs for Indigenous people to help close the liver cancer mortality gap.

Project description:BackgroundDespite generally high smoking prevalences, stemming from colonization, the relationship of smoking to mortality has not been quantified reliably in an Indigenous population. We investigate smoking and mortality among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults in Australia, where current adult daily smoking prevalence is 40.2%.MethodsA prospective study of 1388 cardiovascular disease- and cancer-free Aboriginal adults aged ≥45 years, of the 267 153 45 and Up Study participants randomly sampled from the New South Wales general population over 2006-09. Questionnaire and mortality data were linked (through the Centre for Health Record Linkage) to mid-2019. Adjusted hazard ratios (called relative risks, RRs) for all-cause mortality-among current- and past- versus never-smokers-were estimated overall, by smoking intensity and by age at cessation. Smoking-attributable fractions and associated deaths were estimated.ResultsOver 14 586 person-years' follow-up (median 10.6 years), 162 deaths accrued. Mortality RRs [95% confidence interval (CI)] were 3.90 (2.52-6.04) for current- and 1.95 (1.32-2.90) for past- versus never-smokers, with age heterogeneity. RRs increased with smoking intensity, to 4.29 (2.15-8.57) in current-smokers of ≥25 cigarettes/day. Compared with never-smokers, RRs were 1.48 (0.85-2.57) for those quitting at <45 years of age and 2.21 (1.29-3.80) at 45-54 years. Never-smokers lived an average >10 years longer than current-smokers. Around half of deaths among adults aged ≥45 years were attributable to smoking, exceeding 10 000 deaths in the past decade.ConclusionsIn this population, >80% of never-smokers would survive to 75 years, versus ∼40% of current-smokers. Quitting at all ages examined had substantial benefits versus continuing smoking; those quitting before age 45 years had mortality risks similar to never-smokers. Smoking causes half of deaths in older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults; Indigenous tobacco control must receive increased priority.

Project description:BACKGROUND:Foot health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians' has not been established. Additionally, studies have shown that there is a lack of engagement of this population with general preventive foot care services. The aim of this study was to establish foot health in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people attending two recently developed, culturally safe podiatry services in rural and regional New South Wales (NSW), Australia. Secondarily the relationship between self-perceived foot health and some medical and demographic characteristics was investigated. METHODS:This descriptive cross-sectional study included participants attending the culturally safe foot health care services managed by the University of Newcastle on the Central Coast or in Wellington, both located in NSW, Australia. At the consultation, participants completed the Foot Health Status Questionnaire (FHSQ) with the assistance of an Aboriginal health care worker, underwent basic vascular and neurological screening, and podiatric treatment. RESULTS:A total of 111 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians (48 from the Central Coast, and 63 from Wellington) were included. FHSQ scores for pain (75.7?±?26.8), function (80.2?±?25.2), footwear (53.9?±?33.4), and general foot health (62.0?±?30.9) were generally good, but below the optimal score of 100. The presence of diabetes (n =?39 of 111 participants or 35.1%) was associated with lower levels of self-perceived foot function (r?=?-?0.20, n =?107, p =?0.04). CONCLUSION:We found that community-based foot health care services that are culturally safe are utilised by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples not currently at high risk of foot complications. This supports the use of culturally safe foot care services to improve engagement with preventative foot care. Future research should continue to be driven by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and investigate ways to implement additional screening measures and undertake prospective evaluation of the impact of such services on health related outcomes in these communities.

Project description:Discrimination is a fundamental determinant of health and health inequities. However, despite the high prevalence of discrimination exposure, there is limited evidence specific to Indigenous populations on the link between discrimination and health. This study employs a validated measure to quantify experiences of everyday discrimination in a national sample of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (Australia's Indigenous peoples) adults surveyed from 2018 to 2020 (≥16 years, n = 8108). It quantifies Prevalence Ratios (PRs) and 95% Confidence Intervals (CIs) for wellbeing outcomes by level of discrimination exposure, and tests if associations vary by attribution of discrimination to Indigeneity. Of the participants, 41.5% reported no discrimination, 47.5% low, and 11.0% moderate-high. Discrimination was more commonly reported by younger versus older participants, females versus males, and those living in remote versus urban or regional areas. Discrimination was significantly associated in a dose-response manner, with measures of social and emotional wellbeing, culture and identity, health behaviour, and health outcomes. The strength of the association varied across outcomes, from a 10-20% increased prevalence for some outcomes (e.g., disconnection from culture (PR = 1.08; 95% CI: 1.03, 1.14), and high blood pressure (1.20; 1.09, 1.32)), to a five-fold prevalence of alcohol dependence (4.96; 3.64, 6.76), for those with moderate-high versus no discrimination exposure. The association was of consistent strength and direction whether attributed to Indigeneity or not-with three exceptions. Discrimination is associated with a broad range of poor wellbeing outcomes in this large-scale, national, diverse cohort of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults. These findings support the vast potential to improve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' wellbeing, and to reduce Indigenous-non-Indigenous inequities, by reducing exposure to discrimination.

Project description:BACKGROUND:Indigenous Australians suffer from higher rates of oral disease and have more untreated dental problems and tooth extractions than the general population. Indigenous Australians also have lower rates of accessing oral health services and are more likely to visit for a problem rather than a check-up. Multiple issues effect health service and prevention programs including: characteristics of health services such as distances to health services; existence of social and cultural barriers; available wealth and social support; and, characteristics of the individual and community including the importance given to the disease. This paper seeks to explore the perceived importance of oral health within a rural Indigenous community in Australia and the factors influencing this perception. METHODS:The study used a phenomenology research design incorporating focus group discussions and in-depth interviews. It was undertaken in partnership with communities' Health Action Group who guided the focus, implementation and reporting of the research. A convenience sample was recruited from established community groups. Thematic analysis on the transcripts was completed. RESULTS:Twenty-seven community members participated in three focus groups and twelve in-depth interviews. The study found that the community gives high priority to oral health. Factors influencing the importance include: the perceived severity of symptoms of oral disease such as pain experienced due to tooth ache; lack of enabling resources such as access to finance and transport; the social impact of oral disease on individuals including impact on their personal appearance and self-esteem; and health beliefs including oral health awareness. Participants also noted that the importance given to oral health within the community competed with the occurrence of multiple health concerns and family responsibilities. CONCLUSION:This paper highlights the high importance this rural Indigenous community gives to oral health. Its findings suggest that under-utilisation of oral health services is influenced by both major barriers faced in accessing oral health services; and the number and severity of competing health and social concerns within the community. The study results confirm the importance of establishing affordable, culturally appropriate, community-based oral health care services to improve the oral health of rural Indigenous communities.

Dataset Information

Development of a Humane Slaughter Device for Green Turtles for Use by Traditional Owners in the Torres Strait Islands, Australia.

Publications

Development of a Humane Slaughter Device for Green Turtles for Use by Traditional Owners in the Torres Strait Islands, Australia.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets