Indigenous Maternal and Perinatal Health Research Division

Major research theme for ARCH for 2008-2012 is:

Promoting and supporting indigenous maternal and perinatal health

We are currently conducting a research synthesis on 'Preventing infant mortality among Aboriginal and teenage women' for the Strategic Health Research Program of the SA Department of Health. The synthesis, which is due for completion in early 2009, will address six key research questions:

Question 1: RISK FACTORS - What are the attributable risks for infant mortality, particularly in relation to prematurity and small for gestational age births?

Question 2: MODELS AND STRATEGIES - What models and strategies, including prevention and early intervention service strategies (and non health-system based social strategies) have proved successful in improving the antecedents of infant mortality, and thus reducing the IMR in Australia and overseas (particularly developed countries with indigenous populations)?

Question 3: CONTEXT AND TRANSFERABILITY - Taking into account cultural differences and other contextual factors, which successful approaches could be transferred to our local context to reduce infant mortality in high risk groups? This research will examine universal, population and targeted approaches.

Question 4: MATERNAL EDUCATION - What role does the education level of mothers play in infant mortality rates?

Question 5: COMMUNITY RESILIENCE - Does community resilience have a significant bearing on infant mortality rates?

Question 6: UNPLANNED TEENAGE PREGNANCY - What are the factors that impact on unplanned pregnancies among non-Aboriginal teenage women? What strategies have been successful in reducing the number of unplanned pregnancies among the teenagers?

Investigators on the project are:

• Philippa Middleton (Chief Investigator), Caroline Crowther, Jeffrey Robinson, Rebecca Tooher from The University of Adelaide
• Peter Baghurst, Karen Glover, Anne Nixon, Rima Staugas from the Children, Youth and Women's Health Services, Adelaide
• Annabelle Chan, Kim Morey from the South Australian Department of Health
• Inge Kowanko from Flinders University of South Australia
• Donna Weetra from Southern Primary Health, Adelaide
• Ruth Martis from the Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology , New Zealand

Key Contacts

Ms Philippa Middleton - Co-Director Indigenous Maternal and Perinatal Health Research Division
Dr Alice Rumbold - Co-Director Indigenous Maternal and Perinatal Health Research Division
Professor Caroline Crowther
Professor Jeffrey Robinson

Contact details