Physical activity among indigenous Australian children and youth in remote and non-remote areas

Evans, JR; Wilson, R; Coleman, C; Man, WYN; Olds, T

Physical activity among indigenous Australian children and youth in remote and non-remote areas

Evans, JR

Wilson, R Coleman, C Man, WYN Olds, T

Permalink

Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Social Science and Medicine, 2018, 206 pp. 93 - 99
Issue Date:: 2018-06-01

Closed Access

	Filename	Description	Size
	1-s2.0-S0277953618301850-main.pdf	Published Version	369.5 kB	Adobe PDF	View/Open

Copyright Clearance Process

Recently Added
In Progress
Closed Access

This item is closed access and not available.

Full metadata record

Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Evans, JR https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1566-4507	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Wilson, R	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Coleman, C	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Man, WYN	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Olds, T	en_US
dc.date.available	2018-04-13	en_US
dc.date.issued	2018-06-01	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	Social Science and Medicine, 2018, 206 pp. 93 - 99	en_US
dc.identifier.issn	0277-9536	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/129409
dc.description.abstract	© 2018 Sport and physical activity (PA) hold particular significance in Australian Indigenous communities, and have the potential to address many of the health and education challenges faced by Indigenous communities. Optimal levels of PA are an important foundation in efforts to build healthy communities and reduce social disadvantage experienced to date. Yet little evidence relating to the current levels of PA within these communities, or the relationship between PA and outcomes, has been available. Drawing on national survey data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, we examine levels of PA in the Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey 2012-13. These data describe PA levels among Indigenous Australians, aged 5–17 years, in remote and non-remote communities. We also examine the relationship between PA and participation in education and self-reported health among 15–17 year olds. Overall, participation rates appear to be high, with 64–84% of youth reporting at least 60 min of PA on the previous day. A gender gap was also evident, with lower levels of activity among girls. PA decreased with age, particularly at or around the age of puberty. There were no significant associations between PA and either self-reported health or engagement in study. There was a relationship between high PA and low area-level socio-economic status in remote areas, but no association in non-remote areas. The differences between remote and non-remote areas highlight the importance of disaggregated analysis of Indigenous populations and are consistent with qualitative studies identifying locally contextualised factors influential in promoting PA.	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	Social Science and Medicine	en_US
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1016/j.socscimed.2018.04.018	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Public Health	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Humans	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Exercise	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Health Surveys	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Age Factors	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Sex Factors	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Social Class	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Sports	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Adolescent	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Child	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Child, Preschool	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Oceanic Ancestry Group	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Rural Population	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Urban Population	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Australia	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Female	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Male	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Self Report	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Diagnostic Self Evaluation	en_US
dc.title	Physical activity among indigenous Australian children and youth in remote and non-remote areas	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	206	en_US
utslib.for	1117 Public Health and Health Services	en_US
utslib.for	11 Medical and Health Sciences	en_US
utslib.for	14 Economics	en_US
utslib.for	16 Studies in Human Society	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - CHSP - Health Services and Practice
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - SIC - Strengthening Indigenous Communities
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	206	en_US

Abstract:

© 2018 Sport and physical activity (PA) hold particular significance in Australian Indigenous communities, and have the potential to address many of the health and education challenges faced by Indigenous communities. Optimal levels of PA are an important foundation in efforts to build healthy communities and reduce social disadvantage experienced to date. Yet little evidence relating to the current levels of PA within these communities, or the relationship between PA and outcomes, has been available. Drawing on national survey data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, we examine levels of PA in the Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey 2012-13. These data describe PA levels among Indigenous Australians, aged 5–17 years, in remote and non-remote communities. We also examine the relationship between PA and participation in education and self-reported health among 15–17 year olds. Overall, participation rates appear to be high, with 64–84% of youth reporting at least 60 min of PA on the previous day. A gender gap was also evident, with lower levels of activity among girls. PA decreased with age, particularly at or around the age of puberty. There were no significant associations between PA and either self-reported health or engagement in study. There was a relationship between high PA and low area-level socio-economic status in remote areas, but no association in non-remote areas. The differences between remote and non-remote areas highlight the importance of disaggregated analysis of Indigenous populations and are consistent with qualitative studies identifying locally contextualised factors influential in promoting PA.

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:

http://hdl.handle.net/10453/129409