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Objectives: The aim of this study was to validate the Kimberley Indigenous Cognitive Assessment—Cognitive Component (KICA‐Cog) adapted for dementia screening in Torres Strait Islander Peoples. Methods: Data were obtained from a broader dementia prevalence study completed in the Torres Strait and Northern Peninsula Area between 2015 and 2018. Modifications were made to items from the original KICA‐Cog to ensure they were culturally appropriate for the Torres Strait. All participants completed a KICA‐Cog and had a comprehensive dementia assessment with a geriatrician experienced in cross‐cultural assessment. Results: A total of 255 Torres Strait residents aged 45 years and over completed a KICA‐Cog and underwent geriatric assessment. The adapted KICA‐Cog showed good validity for dementia diagnosis with a cut point of 33/34 associated with a sensitivity of 81% and specificity of 92% with an area under the ROC curve of 0.91. Conclusions: The KICA‐Cog, when modified for the Torres Strait, is a valid cognitive screening tool for dementia. Caution is required when interpreting test scores, as the adapted KICA‐Cog had slightly lower sensitivity (ability to detect people with dementia) than the original KICA‐Cog. As with all short cognitive tests, individuals with a low KICA‐Cog scores should undergo further medical investigations before a dementia diagnosis is considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of anxiety and depression in older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults. A modified version of the PHQ-9 (KICA-dep) and the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory (GAI) were administered as part of a wider dementia prevalence study conducted in the Torres Strait. Results were compared to diagnoses obtained on Geriatric review to evaluate their applicability in the region. A total of 236 participants completed the KICA-dep and 184 completed the GAI short form. Of these, 10.6% were identified with depression and 15.8% with anxiety. Some participants found questions about suicide ideation and self-harm offensive and others had difficulty understanding concepts on the GAI. The KICA-dep performed poorly in comparison to diagnosis on geriatric clinical review, so results are unlikely to reflect the true prevalence of depression in the region. Further research is required to explore the underlying dimensions of depression and anxiety and terminology used to express mood symptoms in the Torres Strait. • Current mental health screening tools are not applicable for the Torres Strait • More work is required to determine how symptoms of depression and anxiety are expressed within Torres Strait communities [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To identify the specific risk factors for dementia in the Torres Strait. Methods: This research was conducted as part of a cross‐sectional dementia prevalence study conducted in the Torres Strait. Participants underwent a comprehensive health assessment, where data on risk factors were collected, and a Geriatrician assessment, which was used to establish dementia diagnoses. Results: A total of 276 Torres Strait residents aged between 45 and 93 participated in the study. Cerebrovascular disease, chronic kidney disease and older age were the most significant risk factors in this population. Once adjusted for age, cerebrovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, diabetes, low education and problems with mobility and incontinence were significantly associated with dementia. Conclusions: Reducing dementia risk in the Torres Strait requires multifactorial interventions to address potentially modifiable risk factors with a particular focus on addressing the development of chronic midlife diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To examine the prevalence of dementia and problems associated with ageing in the Torres Strait. Methods: The study was conducted across all 18 island and 5 mainland communities in the Torres Strait and Northern Peninsula Area of Far North Queensland. Participants underwent a comprehensive health assessment and a Geriatrician assessment, which were used to establish consensus diagnoses. Results: A total of 276 Torres Strait residents aged between 45 and 93 participated in the study. The prevalence of dementia in the sample was 14.2%, which was 2.87 times higher than the wider Australian population. Conclusion: Torres Strait Islander peoples share the increased risk of dementia seen in Aboriginal Australians compared to the wider community. This highlights the need for interventions to address this increased dementia risk for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Setting Participants Design Results Conclusions This study was the first phase of a broader project designed to develop a new tool to screen social and emotional well‐being (SEWB). Its objective was to identify words used by First Nations people living in the Torres Strait (Zenadth Kes) and Northern Peninsula Area (NPA) to describe and discuss SEWB. We pay our respects to Elders past and present. We acknowledge the First Nations peoples who took part in this project as holders of their cultural knowledge now and forevermore.This study took place in community and primary health care settings located on islands of the Torres Strait and NPA of Australia.Twelve yarns with 35 community members and health professionals were led by Torres Strait Islander members of the project team between August and December 2022.This study employed a descriptive qualitative design. Yarning, an Australian First Nations relational method, was used to share stories about SEWB. All but one yarn was audio recorded and subsequently professionally transcribed. Inductive thematic analysis was used to analyse the yarns.Worry, sad and stress were the words most often used by participants to describe feelings of low SEWB. Signs of low SEWB included behaviour change, particularly significantly reduced community engagement.Worry is not a word that is used in Australian mainstream tools that screen for psychological distress. Findings of this study indicate that a question that asks about worries should be included when screening for low SEWB in Australian First Nations peoples living in the Torres Strait and NPA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study assessed the prevalence of suboptimal prescribing of medicines in First Nations older adults in the Torres Strait. Types of suboptimal prescribing included polypharmacy, over-prescribing, under-prescribing and anticholinergic burden. It also assessed any significant associations between suboptimal prescribing and common age-related problems such as falls, reduced function and cognition., Method: Cross-sectional study (2015-2018) on 18 island and five mainland communities in the Torres Strait and Northern Peninsula Area of Far North Queensland, Australia. Community-dwelling residents aged 45 years and older who identified as Torres Strait Islander and/or Aboriginal with complete medication histories were recruited in this study. Validated prescribing tools were used to identify suboptimal prescribing practises., Results: There were 254 participants with complete medication histories. The mean age was 65.7 (SD ± 10.9, range 45-93), with 65% female. Suboptimal prescribing in this study was 74%. Of these, 49% of participants had polypharmacy, 44% were over-prescribed, and 36% were under-prescribed. Anticholinergic burden was identified in 26% of participants. Polypharmacy was more prevalent in participants who were dependent on instrumental activities of daily living (iADLs)., Conclusions: The results demonstrate the importance of general practitioners, health-care workers or pharmacists, to monitor medication prescribing in this population. Frequent review of medications to reduce suboptimal prescribing practices within these communities may help to reduce adverse outcomes because of prescribing practices., (© 2024 AJA Inc’.)

Objective: To assess the prevalence of falls and examine associations between falls and potential risk factors in older adults of the Torres Strait Region of Australia., Methods: Two hundred and fifty people aged ≥45 years residing in the Torres Strait, who identified as Torres Strait Islander, Aboriginal or both, were asked whether they had sustained any falls in the past year. Associations between self-reported falls and predictor variables were examined using logistic regression., Results: 21% of participants reported at least one fall; 9% reported ≥2 falls. Participants who reported any falls in the past year were more than twice as likely to have urinary incontinence and poor mobility (p < .01) compared to participants who did not report any falls., Conclusions: Around one in five respondents reported one or more falls in the past year, demonstrating that falls are a significant issue for older adults of the Torres Strait. Fall prevention strategies that are effective in other populations are likely to be beneficial to the region but need to be informed by local consultation and implemented in partnership with the people of the Torres Strait., (© 2024 The Author(s). Australasian Journal on Ageing published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of AJA Inc’.)