The ARCHER study: baseline characteristics of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participants from a rural adolescent cohort.

University of Sydney , School of Rural Health

Steinbeck K, Hawke C, Paxton K, Hazell P, Skinner R, Ivers R, Booy R, Cumming R, Fulcher G, Bauman A, Handelsman D, Martin A, Rawsthorne M, Morgan G, Brown N, Starling J, Chow C, Bennett D, Kelly P, Lam M, Luscombe G.

Adolescent Rural Cohort Study of Hormones, Health, Education, Environments and Relationships

Background and methods – what is ARCHER?

• Multidisciplinary, prospective, longitudinal rural cohort study. • Baseline: adolescents were 10 to 12 years old. • Recruited from 13 postcodes; 4 local government areas: Cabonne, Dubbo,

Orange and Wellington• Data include adolescent and parent questionnaires, anthropometry, blood and

urine samples

The ARCHER study provides evidence:• on the relationship between pubertal

hormones and adolescent behaviour, health and wellbeing

• the interaction of individual, family, community and environmental factors on adolescent health outcomes

These will improve our understanding of protective and risk factors for physical, mental health and wellbeing in rural adolescents.

What does the cohort look like?

All ARCHER

N = 342

Aboriginal

n = 38

Non-aboriginal

n = 299Age at baseline 10 years 25% 21% 26% 11 years 35% 32% 36% 12 years 25% 24% 25% 13 years 15% 24% 13%Gender Female 45% 50% 44%School type Government 43% 71% 40% Catholic 32% 18% 34% Other 25% 11% 26%Remoteness Inner regional 91% 95% 91% Outer regional 8% 5% 9%

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Preliminary results

› Young people of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent reported fewer days of sustained moderate to vigorous physical activity for at least 60 mins (3 vs 4 days)

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All small screen TV/video Internet/gaming0%

20%

40%

60% 53%47%

24%33%

26%

16%

More than 2 hours/ school day on small screen

Aboriginal Non-aboriginal

p < 0.05

Adolescent health‡ Aboriginal (n=38) Non-aboriginal (n=299)

Excellent 34% 51%

Very good 58% 45%

Good - fair 8% 4%

‡ rated by parent or guardian

Preliminary results

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ASEBA Youth Self Report (p < 0.05)

Aboriginal (n=38) Non-Aboriginal (n=296)

Clinical Borderline Clinical BorderlineAnxious/depressed 8% 18% 5% 7%

Attention problems 11% 13% 5% 5%

Internalising 37% 5% 17% 10%Total Behaviour Problems 19% 13% 15% 11%

Health service (p>0.05) Aboriginal Non-AboriginalRegular medication for any condition 24% 13%

Parent/guardian consulted GP or local doctor about adolescent’s health in previous 12 months

66% 69%

Have difficulties getting health care when you need it?

21% 11%

Acknowledgements

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Participants

National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC)

The Sydney Medical School Foundation

Donors

For more information:www.archerstudy.org.au

or contactcatherine.hawke@sydney.edu.au

karen.paxton@sydney.edu.au