What Makes for Healthy Ageing in the Torres Strait?
Wapau, Chenoa, McDonald, Malcolm, Thompson, Fintan, Quigley, Rachel, Russell, Sarah G., Sagigi, Betty, Miller, Gavin, Korinihona, Tania, and Strivens, Edward (2025) What Makes for Healthy Ageing in the Torres Strait? Australian Journal of Rural Health, 33 (2). e70020.
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Abstract
Objective: Many studies focus on impediments to healthy ageing, but few examine factors leading to healthy ageing. Whilst many older First Nations people are ageing well, few studies have examined this issue in First Nations people. This study examined indicators associated with healthy ageing in the Torres Strait region of Queensland, Australia. Methods: Data from a Torres Strait Dementia Prevalence Study (2015–2018) were used to explore indicators of healthy ageing in 249 participants. A specific Torres Strait Healthy Ageing Index was created, based on 10 indicators from the dataset. One point was assigned for each indicator, with higher scores representing healthier ageing. This Index was then used to assess healthy ageing in a subset of participants aged 70 years and older. Results: Healthy ageing scores were higher in younger people. However, among 80 people aged ≥ 70 years, many were ageing well according to the healthy ageing index, with 44% scoring 7–8 and 28% scoring 9–10. Age-adjusted analyses identified that more education, lack of vascular risk factors, good medication prescribing patterns, absence of stroke and geographic location were all associated with a higher healthy ageing index. Conclusions: Our study suggested that many older First Nations residents of the Torres Strait region were ageing in a healthy way, based on the indicators available. The results showed both predictable and unexpected associations with healthy ageing. Stroke prevention stood out as a key priority. These results highlight the need for prospective population studies to better understand, promote and celebrate healthy ageing in this population.
| Item ID: | 88169 |
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| Item Type: | Article (Research - C1) |
| ISSN: | 1440-1584 |
| Keywords: | dementia, First Nations People, healthy ageing, healthy ageing index, strengths based, stroke, Torres Strait |
| Copyright Information: | © 2025 The Author(s). Australian Journal of Rural Health published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of National Rural Health Alliance Ltd. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. |
| Date Deposited: | 01 Apr 2026 00:28 |
| FoR Codes: | 42 HEALTH SCIENCES > 4206 Public health > 420606 Social determinants of health @ 50% 45 INDIGENOUS STUDIES > 4504 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and wellbeing > 450410 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander lifecourse @ 50% |
| SEO Codes: | 21 INDIGENOUS > 2103 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health > 210302 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health status and outcomes @ 100% |
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