A step ahead in Aboriginal health
UniSA’s
podiatry students are helping tackle the side-effects of diabetes, a
major health problem in Aboriginal communities across Australia.
Three times a year for the past six years, a team of UniSA academics and students has visited the Anangu Pitjitjantjara (AP) lands in the north-west of South Australia to provide ongoing podiatry services to the area.
It’s a volunteer program that Dr Sara Jones, UniSA podiatry program director and clinical coordinator of the AP podiatry service, says gives Aboriginal people critical health care and gives students life-changing lessons.
“Diabetes is the number one problem we treat in the AP lands – the rates are running roughly double what you would see in communities near Adelaide,” Dr Jones said.
“Diabetics can lose feeling in their feet and may not notice when they injure themselves. They can tread on something sharp, get something in their feet or develop rubbing sores from shoes.
“Because they don’t have the feedback warning signs of pain, they can re-injure themselves and make matters worse.
“A rub can become an ulcer, the ulcer can become infected and the infection can spread, and possibly lead to amputation. So going to the lands and providing a regular level of treatment has helped immeasureably.”
The UniSA service, run with the support of the Nganampa Health Services, involves a tutor and two or three final-year students spending a week to 10 days conducting travelling clinics.
“The population is so small and so remote that there are no mainstream services in podiatry being provided,” Dr Jones said.
“We generally go to five or six communities on most visits and treat upwards of 120 or 130 people.
“The work can be quite complex and diverse.
“It’s an excellent opportunity for students to experience problems they may not encounter in the city and work in a setting where they are challenged to deliver the best treatments that meet with a person’s lifestyle requirements.
“We always have more student volunteers than we have places.
“Another drawcard is the opportunity to collaborate with health staff at Nganampa.
“They are incredibly supportive and the students learn an enormous amount – not just about podiatry but also about health care and Aboriginal health in particular.”