Indigenous people will breathe easier through a new program

Indigenous asthma sufferers will breathe easier through an innovative new program being launched at the USQ this week (Wednesday 13 December 2006).

As part of the program, USQ's Centre for Rural and Remote Area Health (CRRAH) and Kumbari/Ngurpai Lag Higher Education Centre (Kumbari) are partnering with Toowoomba's Carbal Medical Centre to help asthmatics control their illness through music therapy.

CRRAH Senior Research Fellow, Dr Robert Eley, said the $100K program has been funded by the Asthma Foundation of Australia and will incorporate Indigenous culture.

'Through the program the participants will engage in group lessons once a week for six months, playing the didgeridoo for the men and singing for the women. (In Aboriginal culture it is inappropriate for a woman to play the didgeridoo).

'We're hoping that because these will be group music lessons it will be more motivating for participants to continue through the program.

'What we're trying to demonstrate is not that this particular intervention is advantageous for asthmatics as it has been proven that music therapy is effective.

'We're trying to demonstrate that this particular method, in a group environment, which is culturally appropriate, is accepted and will have benefits to participants.'

Dr Eley hopes participants in the program will be able to reduce their medication, improve their quality of life and save money through reduced medical bills.

Participants will be required to undergo a health assessment, commit to the lessons for the full six months and practice their breathing exercises between music lessons.

'As part of the evaluation of the program we are using validated questionnaires which, despite having been around for a long time and used internationally, have never been used in an Indigenous environment.

'We have made minor modifications to the questionnaires to make them culturally appropriate and most of the people involved in the program are either themselves Indigenous or have extensive experience in working with Indigenous groups.

'We will also be running the program in a primary school and secondary school from Semester 1 next year, however we are only looking for participants in the adult program at this stage,' Dr Eley said.

'If successful it is likely the program will be rolled out to a larger group of people and set up in other locations.'

Photo opportunity: CRRAH Director Professor Don Gorman, Dr Eley, Kumbari Director John William Mozley, Carbal Practice Manager Karen Browsnan, Carbal Nurse Anne-Marie Neilson, the didgeridoo teachers, the singing teachers and five program participants will be available for interview on Wednesday 13 December at 2pm in TA220 at USQ Toowoomba.

Media Contact: Fiona Taylor, USQ Media, +61 7 3470 4117 or +61 423 808 462
Alternative contact: Amy Cass, USQ Media, +61 7 4631 2092