Brady, Brooke, Zwi, Anthony B., Kingsley, Jonathan, O’Leary, Michelle, Serova, Nina, Topp, Stephanie M., Biles, Brett J., Fields, Ted, Foster, Warren, and Yashadhana, Aryati (2024) Measuring the health and wellbeing impacts of cultural camps among Aboriginal adults: preliminary evidence from the Gaawaadhi Gadudha Research Collaborative. The Lancet Regional Health - Western Pacific, 52. 101200.

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Abstract

Background Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ have sustained their cultural practices for over 60,000 years which fundamentally impacts their health and wellbeing. Recent literature emphasizes cultural connection as a contributor to good public health, yet the mechanisms through which cultural engagement promotes health and wellbeing remain underexplored. This study investigates the health and wellbeing outcomes associated with Aboriginal peoples’ participation in cultural camps in New South Wales (Australia), focusing on the role of cultural determinants of health.

Methods This cohort study, part of the larger Gaawaadhi Gadudha Research Collaborative, examines the impact of camp attendance on health indicators among Aboriginal adults. Participants (N = 43) completed surveys assessing individual cultural health, access to cultural resources, resilience, and health-related quality of life pre and post camp. Paired-samples t-tests and Wilcoxon related samples signed-rank tests were employed to analyze changes.

Findings Participants reported high engagement in cultural activities and positive experiences at camps. Post-camp responses indicated significant improvements in cultural health, including increased pride in cultural identity, knowledge of traditions, and connections to Country and community. However, measures of resilience and health-related quality of life showed no reliable changes.

Interpretation The findings suggest that camps play a crucial role in enhancing cultural health among Aboriginal peoples, reinforcing the importance of knowledge of cultural determinants of health. This study underscores the need for further research to explore the long-term impacts of cultural engagement on health and wellbeing and highlights the potential of cultural camps as a model for health promotion initiatives within Aboriginal communities.

Item ID:	85379
Item Type:	Article (Research - C1)
ISSN:	2666-6065
Copyright Information:	Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Funders:	Australian Research Council (ARC)
Projects and Grants:	ARC Laureate Fellowship FL190100011
Date Deposited:	07 May 2025 01:13
FoR Codes:	45 INDIGENOUS STUDIES > 4504 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and wellbeing > 450409 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health services @ 100%
SEO Codes:	28 EXPANDING KNOWLEDGE > 2801 Expanding knowledge > 280114 Expanding knowledge in Indigenous studies @ 100%
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