Assisting Aboriginal patients with medication management

Abstract

he burden of acute and chronic disease in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population is well documented. Medicines are important for treatment and prophylaxis, but there are many factors which continue to impede medication management in Aboriginal populations. These include access and financial barriers, the nature of the therapeutic regimen and cultural, socioeconomic and geographic factors. The patient-clinician interaction and the organisational aspects of healthcare practices also have an impact. Solutions may include the selection of appropriate formulations, simple dose regimens, tailored use of medication aids, local formularies and a greater role for Aboriginal health workers.