Engagement and partnership with consumers and communities in the co-design and conduct of Research: Lessons from the INtravenous iron polymaltose for First Nations Australian patients with high FERRitin levels on haemodialysis (INFERR) clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Engagement and partnership with consumers and communities throughout research processes produces high quality research meeting community needs and promoting translation of research into improved policy and practice. Partnership is critical in research involving Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people (First Nations Peoples) to ensure cultural safety. We present lessons from the design, implementation and progress of the National Health and Medical Research Council funded INtravenous iron polymaltose for First Nations Australian patients with high FERRitin levels on hemodialysis (INFERR) clinical trial. MAIN BODY: The trial was designed to understand the benefits and harms of iron therapy in First Nations Australians on haemodialysis with anaemia and hyperferritinaemia. The lack of evidence for treatment was discussed with patients who were potential participants. A key element ensuring safe conduct of the INFERR trial was the establishment of the Indigenous Reference Groups (IRGs) comprising of dialysis patients based in the Top End of Australia and Central Australia. Two IRGs were needed based on advice from First Nations communities and researchers/academics on the project regarding local cultural differences and approaches to trial conduct. The IRGs underpin culturally safe trial conduct by providing input into study materials and translating study findings into effective messages and policies for First Nations dialysis patients. Throughout the trial conduct, the IRGs' role has developed to provide key mechanisms for advice and guidance regarding research conduct both in this study and more broadly. Support provided to the IRGs by trial First Nations Research Officers and independent First Nations researchers/academics who simplify research concepts is critical. The IRGs have developed feedback documents and processes to participants, stakeholders, and the renal units. They guarantee culturally safe advice for embedding findings from the trial into clinical practice guidelines ensuring evidence-based approaches in managing anaemia in haemodialysis patients with hyperferritinaemia. CONCLUSION: Active consumer and community partnership is critical in research conduct to ensure research impact. Strong partnership with consumers in the INFERR clinical trial has demonstrated that First Nations Consumers will engage in research they understand, that addresses health priorities for them and where they feel respected, listened to, and empowered to achieve change.

In this paper, we present the importance of actively involving consumers in the planning, implementation and conduct of research using the example of a clinical trial among Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Australians (First Nations Australians) who have kidney disease and are currently receiving haemodialysis. The study assesses how safe and effective it is for people on dialysis to receive iron given through the vein during dialysis when they have anaemia and high levels of a blood test called ferritin, a test used routinely to measure iron levels. Two consumer reference groups of First Nations patients on dialysis, one based in the Top End of Australia and the other based in Central Australia, are supported by First Nations Research Officers and Research Academics to make sure that the research is performed in a way that involves, respects and values First Nations participation, culture, and knowledge. Active consumer and community partnership in this study has supported robust research governance processes which we believe are crucial for knowledge translation to have a positive impact for patients.

The survival benefit of deceased donor kidney transplantation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, 2006-20: a retrospective national cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: To quantify the survival benefit of kidney transplantation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people waitlisted for deceased donor kidney transplantation in Australia. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study; analysis of linked data from the Australia and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant (ANZDATA) registry, the Australia and New Zealand Organ Donation (ANZOD) registry, and OrganMatch (Australian Red Cross). SETTING, PARTICIPANTS: All adult Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (18 years or older) who commenced dialysis in Australia during 1 July 2006 - 31 December 2020 and were included in the kidney-only deceased donor transplant waiting list. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Survival benefit of deceased donor kidney transplantation relative to remaining on dialysis. RESULTS: Of the 4082 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who commenced dialysis, 450 were waitlisted for kidney transplants (11%), of whom 323 received deceased donor transplants. Transplantation was associated with a significant survival benefit compared with remaining on dialysis after the first 12 months (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 0.38; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.20-0.73). This benefit was similar to that for waitlisted non-Indigenous people who received deceased donor kidney transplants (adjusted HR, 0.47; 95% CI, 0.40-0.57; Indigenous status interaction: P = 0.22). CONCLUSIONS: From twelve months post-transplantation, deceased donor transplantation provides a survival benefit for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Our findings provide evidence that supports efforts to promote the waitlisting of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who are otherwise eligible for transplantation.

Why surveys are 'very hard': exploring challenges and insights for collection of authentic patient experience information with speakers of Australian First Nations languages.

INTRODUCTION: Health services collect patient experience data to monitor, evaluate and improve services and subsequently health outcomes. Obtaining authentic patient experience information to inform improvements relies on the quality of data collection processes and the responsiveness of these processes to the cultural and linguistic needs of diverse populations. This study explores the challenges and considerations in collecting authentic patient experience information through survey methods with Australians who primarily speak First Nations languages. METHODS: First Nations language experts, interpreters, health staff and researchers with expertise in intercultural communication engaged in an iterative process of critical review of two survey tools using qualitative methods. These included a collaborative process of repeated translation and back translation of survey items and collaborative analysis of video-recorded trial administration of surveys with languages experts (who were also receiving dialysis treatment) and survey administrators. All research activities were audio- or video-recorded, and data from all sources were translated, transcribed and inductively analysed to identify key elements influencing acceptability and relevance of both survey process and items as well as translatability. RESULTS: Serious challenges in achieving equivalence of meaning between English and translated versions of survey items were pervasive. Translatability of original survey items was extensively compromised by the use of metaphors specific to the cultural context within which surveys were developed, English words that are familiar but used with different meaning, English terms with no equivalent in First Nations languages and grammatical discordance between languages. Discordance between survey methods and First Nations cultural protocols and preferences for seeking and sharing information was also important: the lack of opportunity to share the 'full story', discomfort with direct questions and communication protocols that preclude negative or critical responses constrained the authenticity of the information obtained through survey methods. These limitations have serious implications for the quality of information collected and result in frustration and distress for those engaging with the survey. CONCLUSION: Profound implications for the acceptability of a survey tool as well as data quality arise from differences between First Nations cultural and communication contexts and the cultural context within which survey methods have evolved. When data collection processes are not linguistically and culturally congruent there is a risk that patient experience data are inaccurate, miss what is important to First Nations patients and have limited utility for informing relevant healthcare improvement. Engagement of First Nations cultural and language experts is essential in all stages of development, implementation and evaluation of culturally safe and effective approaches to support speakers of First Nations languages to share their experiences of health care and influence change.

Simplified gestational diabetes screening with a triaging fasting plasma glucose reduces the burden of oral glucose tolerance tests during pregnancy - A large tertiary comparative cohort study.

AIMS: The study aimed to evaluate the impact of a simplified screeningapproach for gestational diabetes (GDM) compared to conventional screening on OGTT rates, GDM prevalence, and perinatal outcomes. METHOD: A retrospective comparative cohort study included singleton births from 20 weeks' gestation. Pregnancies without diagnostic glucose results from 13 weeks' gestation or incomplete screenings were excluded. Simplified screening consisted of a triaging fasting plasma glucose (FPG), where only those with FPG levels between 4.7 and 5.0 mmol/L proceeded to the 2hr 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT).The study period was divided into conventional screening (1st January 2019-30th June 2020) and simplified screening (1st January 2021-31st December 2021). RESULTS: Out of 15,138 pregnancies, 12,035 met the inclusion criteria: 7385 underwent conventional and 4650 underwent simplified screening. In the simplified group, 82.9 % avoided an OGTT. The simplified screening group also had a lower GDM prevalence compared to the conventional group ((18.7 % vs. 21.7 %, p < 0.001). Perinatal outcomes, including the rate of large-for-gestational-age infants, were similar between the groups. CONCLUSION: The simplified GDM screening strategy for significantly reduced OGTTs by over 80% without impacting perinatal outcomes. It suggests that prospective studies are necessary to further evaluate this approach.

Comparison of two ferritin assay platforms to assess their level of agreement in measuring serum and plasma ferritin levels in patients with chronic kidney disease.

BACKGROUND: Ferritin levels are used to make decisions on therapy of iron deficiency in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Hyperferritinaemia, common among patients with CKD from the Northern Territory (NT) of Australia, makes use of ferritin levels as per clinical guidelines challenging. No gold standard assay exists for measuring ferritin levels. Significant variability between results from different assays creates challenges for clinical decision-making regarding iron therapy. In the NT, different laboratories use different methods. In 2018, Territory Pathology changed the assay from Abbott ARCHITECT i1000 (AA) to Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics Vitros 7600 (OCD). This was during the planning of the INtravenous iron polymaltose for First Nations Australian patients with high FERRitin levels on haemodialysis (INFERR) clinical trial. The trial design was based on AA assay ferritin levels. We compared the two assays' level of agreement in measuring ferritin levels in CKD patients. METHODS: Samples from INFERR clinical trial participants were analysed. Other samples from patients whose testing were completed the same day on OCD analyzers and run within 24 h on AA analyzers were added to ensure wide range of ferritin levels, adding statistical strength to the comparison. Ferritin levels from both assays were compared using Pearson's correlation, Bland-Altman, Deming and Passing-Bablok regression analyses. Differences between sample types, plasma and serum were assessed. RESULTS: Sixty-eight and 111 (179) samples from different patients from Central Australia and Top End of Australia, respectively, were analyzed separately and in combination. The ferritin levels ranged from 3.1 µg/L to 3354 µg/L and 3 µg/L to 2170 µg/L for AA and OCD assays respectively. Using Bland-Altman, Deming and Passing-Bablok regression methods for comparison, ferritin results were consistently 36% to 44% higher with AA than OCD assays. The bias was up to 49%. AA ferritin results were the same in serum and plasma. However, OCD ferritin results were 5% higher in serum than plasma. CONCLUSIONS: When making clinical decisions, using ferritin results from the same assay in patients with CKD is critical. If the assay is changed, it is essential to assess agreement between results from the new and old assays. Further studies to harmonize ferritin assays are required.

Risk of kidney disease following a pregnancy complicated by diabetes: a longitudinal, population-based data-linkage study among Aboriginal women in the Northern Territory, Australia.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: The aim of this work was to investigate the risk of developing chronic kidney disease (CKD) or end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) following a pregnancy complicated by gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) or pre-existing diabetes among Aboriginal women in the Northern Territory (NT), Australia. METHODS: We undertook a longitudinal study of linked healthcare datasets. All Aboriginal women who gave birth between 2000 and 2016 were eligible for inclusion. Diabetes status in the index pregnancy was as recorded in the NT Perinatal Data Collection. Outcomes included any stage of CKD and ESKD as defined by ICD-10 coding in the NT Hospital Inpatient Activity dataset between 2000 and 2018. Risk was compared using Cox proportional hazards regression. RESULTS: Among 10,508 Aboriginal women, the mean age was 23.1 (SD 6.1) years; 731 (7.0%) had GDM and 239 (2.3%) had pre-existing diabetes in pregnancy. Median follow-up was 12.1 years. Compared with women with no diabetes during pregnancy, women with GDM had increased risk of CKD (9.2% vs 2.2%, adjusted HR 5.2 [95% CI 3.9, 7.1]) and ESKD (2.4% vs 0.4%, adjusted HR 10.8 [95% CI 5.6, 20.8]). Among women with pre-existing diabetes in pregnancy, 29.1% developed CKD (adjusted HR 10.9 [95% CI 7.7, 15.4]) and 9.9% developed ESKD (adjusted HR 28.0 [95% CI 13.4, 58.6]). CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: Aboriginal women in the NT with GDM or pre-existing diabetes during pregnancy are at high risk of developing CKD and ESKD. Pregnancy presents an important opportunity to identify kidney disease risk. Strategies to prevent kidney disease and address the social determinants of health are needed.

Retrospective case-control study exploring pretransplant predictors for loss of kidney transplant function or death among indigenous kidney transplant recipients.

BACKGROUND: The factors affecting the outcomes among Indigenous kidney transplant recipients is not fully understood. We conducted a retrospective case control study to identify risk factors beyond those explained by the ANZDATA registry. AIM: To identify the risk factors for loss of kidney transplant function or death among Indigenous kidney transplant recipients. METHODS: Cases were defined as all Indigenous Australian kidney transplant recipients from 1 January 2005 to 31 December 2015 from the major hospitals in the Northern Territory (NT) and South Australia (SA) who experienced graft loss (including patient death) up to 2-years post-transplant. Controls (matched 4:1) were defined as all indigenous kidney transplant recipients during the same period with functioning transplants at 2-years post-transplant operation. Matching was done on gender and diabetes status. Regression analysis adjusted for age was used for comparing cases and controls. RESULTS: There were 17 cases and 68 matched controls. Among cases, the odds ratio for more than one hospital admission episode (compared with ≤1 episode) in the 2-year pretransplant period was 6.2 (95% confidence interval, 1.2-32.5). However, there were no significant differences in the frequency of comorbidities at renal replacement therapy start, cardiovascular intervention pretransplant, pretransplant infection screening, age and gender of the donors, frequency of admission episodes where an infection was documented, the total length of inpatient stay or admission to intensive care unit during pretransplant hospital admission between cases and controls. CONCLUSION: Early graft loss was associated with a higher frequency of hospital admissions in the 2-years pretransplant period. In contrast, other measured factors in the pretransplant period did not predict these adverse outcomes.

Electronic alerts and a care bundle for acute kidney injury-an Australian cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Early recognition of hospital-acquired acute kidney injury (AKI) may improve patient management and outcomes. METHODS: This multicentre study was conducted at three hospitals (H1-intervention; H2 and H3-controls) served by a single laboratory. The intervention bundle [an interruptive automated alerts (aAlerts) showing AKI stage and baseline creatinine in the eMR, a management guide and junior medical staff education] was implemented only at H1. Outcome variables included length-of-stay (LOS), all-cause in-hospital mortality and management quality. RESULTS: Over 6 months, 639 patients developed AKI (265 at H1 and 374 at controls), with 94.7% in general wards; 537 (84%) patients developed Stage 1, 58 (9%) Stage 2 and 43 (7%) Stage 3 AKI. Median LOS was 9 days (IQR 4-17) and was not different between intervention and controls. However, patients with AKI stage 1 had shorter LOS at H1 [median 8 versus 10 days (P = 0.021)]. Serum creatinine had risen prior to admission in most patients. Documentation of AKI was better in H1 (94.8% versus 83.4%; P = 0.001), with higher rates of nephrology consultation (25% versus 19%; P = 0.04) and cessation of nephrotoxins (25.3 versus 18.8%; P = 0.045). There was no difference in mortality between H1 versus controls (11.7% versus 13.0%; P = 0.71). CONCLUSIONS: Most hospitalized patients developed Stage 1 AKI and developed AKI in the community and remained outside the intensive care unit (ICU). The AKI eAlert bundle reduced LOS in most patients with AKI and increased AKI documentation, nephrology consultation rate and cessation of nephrotoxic medications.

Dialysis attendance patterns and health care utilisation of Aboriginal patients attending dialysis services in urban, rural and remote locations.

BACKGROUND: Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory (NT) suffer the heaviest burden of kidney failure in Australia with most living in remote areas at time of dialysis commencement. As there are few dialysis services in remote areas, many Aboriginal people are required to relocate often permanently, to access treatment. Missing dialysis treatments is not uncommon amongst Aboriginal patients but the relationship between location of dialysis service and dialysis attendance (and subsequent hospital use) has not been explored to date. AIM: To examine the relationships between location of dialysis service, dialysis attendance patterns and downstream health service use (overnight hospital admissions, emergency department presentations) among Aboriginal patients in the NT. METHODS: Using linked hospital and dialysis registry datasets we analysed health service activity for 896 Aboriginal maintenance dialysis patients in the NT between 2008 and 2014. Multivariate linear regression and negative binomial regression analyses explored the associations between dialysis location, dialysis attendance and health service use. RESULTS: We found missing two or more dialysis treatments per month was more likely for Aboriginal people attending urban services and this was associated with a two-fold increase in the rate of hospital admissions and more than three-fold increase in ED presentations. However, we found higher dialysis attendance and lower health service utilisation for those receiving care in rural and remote settings. When adjusted for age, time on dialysis, region, comorbidities and residence pre-treatment, among Aboriginal people from remote areas, those dialysing in remote areas had lower rates of hospitalisations (IRR 0.56; P < 0.001) when compared to those who relocated and dialysed in urban areas. CONCLUSION: There is a clear relationship between the provision and uptake of dialysis services in urban, rural and remote areas in the NT and subsequent broader health service utilisation. Our study suggests that the low dialysis attendance associated with relocation and care in urban models for Aboriginal people can potentially be ameliorated by access to rural and remote models and this warrants a rethinking of service delivery policy. If providers are to deliver effective and equitable services, the full range of intended and unintended consequences of a dialysis location should be incorporated into planning decisions.

INFERR-Iron infusion in haemodialysis study: INtravenous iron polymaltose for First Nations Australian patients with high FERRitin levels on haemodialysis-a protocol for a prospective open-label blinded endpoint randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The effectiveness of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents, which are the main stay of managing anaemia of chronic kidney disease (CKD), is largely dependent on adequate body iron stores. The iron stores are determined by the levels of serum ferritin concentration and transferrin saturation. These two surrogate markers of iron stores are used to guide iron replacement therapy. Most Aboriginal and/or Torres Islander Australians of the Northern Territory (herein respectfully referred to as First Nations Australians) with end-stage kidney disease have ferritin levels higher than current guideline recommendations for iron therapy. There is no clear evidence to guide safe and effective treatment with iron in these patients. We aim to assess the impact of intravenous iron treatment on all-cause death and hospitalisation with a principal diagnosis of all-cause infection in First Nations patients on haemodialysis with anaemia, high ferritin levels and low transferrin saturation METHODS: In a prospective open-label blinded endpoint randomised controlled trial, a total of 576 participants on maintenance haemodialysis with high ferritin (> 700 µg/L and ≤ 2000 µg/L) and low transferrin saturation (< 40%) from all the 7 renal units across the Northern Territory of Australia will be randomised 1:1 to receive intravenous iron polymaltose 400 mg once monthly (200 mg during 2 consecutive haemodialysis sessions) (Arm A) or no IV iron treatment (standard treatment) (Arm B). Rescue therapy will be administered when the ferritin levels fall below 700 µg/L or when clinically indicated. The primary outcome will be the differences between the two study arms in the risk of hospitalisation with all-cause infection or death. An economic analysis and several secondary and tertiary outcomes analyses will also be performed. DISCUSSION: The INFERR clinical trial will address significant uncertainty on the safety and efficacy of iron therapy in First Nations Australians with CKD with hyperferritinaemia and evidence of iron deficiency. This will hopefully lead to the development of evidence-based guidelines. It will also provide the opportunity to explore the causes of hyperferritinaemia in First Nations Australians from the Northern Territory. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial is registered with The Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR): ACTRN12620000705987 . Registered 29 June 2020.

Do remote dialysis services really cost more? An economic analysis of hospital and dialysis modality costs associated with dialysis services in urban, rural and remote settings.

BACKGROUND: Rates of end-stage kidney disease in Australia are highest in the Northern Territory (NT), with the burden of disease heaviest in remote areas. However, the high cost of delivering dialysis services in remote areas has resulted in centralisation, requiring many people to relocate for treatment. Patients argue that treatment closer to home improves health outcomes and reduces downstream healthcare use. Existing dialysis cost studies have not compared total health care costs associated with treatment in different locations. OBJECTIVE: To estimate and compare, from a payer perspective, the observed health service costs (all cause hospital admissions, emergency department presentations and maintenance dialysis) associated with different dialysis models in urban, rural and remote locations. METHODS: Using cost weights attributed to diagnostic codes in the NT Department of Health's hospital admission data set (2008-2014), we calculated the mean (SD) total annual health service costs by dialysis model for 995 dialysis patients. Generalized linear modeling with bootstrapping tested the marginal cost differences between different explanatory variables to estimate 'best casemix'/'worst casemix' cost scenarios. RESULTS: The mean annual patient hospital expenditure was highest for urban models at $97 928 (SD $21 261) and $43 440 (SD $5 048) and lowest for remote at $19 584 (SD $4 394). When combined with the observed maintenance dialysis costs, expenditure was the highest for urban models at $148 510 (SD $19 774). The incremental cost increase of dialysing in an urban area, compared with a rural area, for a relocated person from a remote area, was $5 648 more and increased further for those from remote and very remote areas to $10 785 and $15 118 respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that dialysis treatment in urban areas for relocated people has health and cost implications that maybe greater than the cost of remote service delivery. The study emphasises the importance of considering all health service costs and cost consequences of service delivery models. KEY POINTS FOR DECISION MAKERS: Relocation for dialysis treatment has serious health and economic consequences. Relocated people have low dialysis attendance and high hospital costs in urban areas. While remote dialysis service models are more expensive than urban models, the comparative cost differences are significantly reduced when all health service costs are included. The delivery of equitable and accessible dialysis service models requires a holistic approach that incorporates the needs of the patient; hence dialysis cost studies must consider the full range of cost impacts beyond the dialysis treatments alone.

Most people requiring ongoing treatment for end-stage kidney disease in the Northern Territory (NT) identify as Aboriginal with the majority residing in areas classified as remote or very remote. Unlike other jurisdictions in Australia, haemodialysis in a satellite unit is the most common form of treatment. However, there is a geographic mismatch between demand and service provision, with services centralised in urban areas. Patients and communities have long advocated for services at or closer to home, maintaining that the consequences of relocation and dislocation have far reaching health, psychosocial and economic ramifications. We analysed retrospective hospital data for 995 maintenance dialysis patients, stratified by the model of care they received in urban, rural and remote locations. Using cost weights attributed to diagnosis codes, we costed hospital admissions, emergency department presentations and maintenance dialysis attendances, to provide a mean total health service cost/patient/year for each model of care. We found that urban services were associated with low observed maintenance dialysis and high hospital costs, but the inverse was true for remote and very remote models. Remote models had high maintenance dialysis costs (due to expense of remote service delivery and good dialysis attendance) but low hospital usage and costs. When adjusted for other variables such as age, dialysis vintage and comorbidities, lower total hospital costs were associated with rural and remote service provision. In an environment of escalating demand and constrained budgets, this study underlines the need for policy decisions to consider the full cost consequences of different dialysis service models.

Narrative Review of Hyperferritinemia, Iron Deficiency, and the Challenges of Managing Anemia in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians With CKD.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians (Indigenous Australians) suffer some of the highest rates of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in the world. Among Indigenous Australians in remote areas of the Northern Territory, prevalence rates for renal replacement therapy (RRT) are up to 30 times higher than national prevalence. Anemia among patients with CKD is a common complication. Iron deficiency is one of the major causes. Iron deficiency is also one of the key causes of poor response to the mainstay of anemia therapy with erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs). Therefore, the effective management of anemia in people with CKD is largely dependent on effective identification and correction of iron deficiency. The current identification of iron deficiency in routine clinical practice is dependent on 2 surrogate markers of iron status: serum ferritin concentration and transferrin saturation (TSAT). However, questions exist regarding the use of serum ferritin concentration in people with CKD because it is an acute-phase reactant that can be raised in the context of acute and chronic inflammation. Serum ferritin concentration among Indigenous Australians receiving RRT is often markedly elevated and falls outside reference ranges within most national and international guidelines for iron therapy for people with CKD. This review explores published data on the challenges of managing anemia in Indigenous people with CKD and the need for future research on the efficacy and safety of treatment of anemia of CKD in patients with high ferritin and evidence iron deficiency.

Gender Parity Remains To Be Achieved for the Range of Editorial Roles Associated with Current Australasian Medical Journals.

With gender parity of medical school graduates having been achieved for well over two decades, it is timely to assess whether this has translated into gender parity for all of the editorial type roles of Australasian medical journals, reflecting a move toward gender equity. Data analysis was undertaken of the gender ratios of the current editorial roles of Australasian medical journals as compared to available Australian Health Workforce data. This reveals some variation in the gender ratios for all of the current range of editorial type positions and, hence, an absence of parity. There are no women holding formal editorial positions at all for 27.7% of these journals, whilst 77.7% of the chief editors' roles are occupied by men. For five out of 18 (27.7%) of the journals, gender parity has been or is close to having been achieved for these particular roles. These gender ratios do not mirror the gender ratios of the wider community of practice for at least 50% of the journals. Hence, it can be seen that gender parity is yet to be achieved for the range of editorial roles of Australasian medical journals, which carries implications for gender equity initiatives.

Socioeconomic status and dialysis quality of care.

AIM: Lower socioeconomic status (SES) has been associated with increased dialysis mortality. This study aimed to determine if the quality of care (QOC) delivered to dialysis patients varied by SES. METHODS: All non-Indigenous adults commencing haemodialysis (HD) or peritoneal dialysis (PD) registered with the Australia and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant Registry between 2002 and 2012 were included. Each patient's location at dialysis start was classified into SES quartiles of advantaged to disadvantaged. Guidelines were used to determine attainment of adequate QOC at 6-<18 months and 18-<30 months after dialysis start, using logistic regression models. QOC measures included pre-dialysis phosphate, calcium, haemoglobin, transferrin saturation and ferritin. HD-related parameters included single pool Kt/V and percentage with functioning arteriovenous fistula/graft. PD-related parameters included weekly Kt/V and percentage transferring to HD. RESULTS: Of 19 486 commencing dialysis, the median age was 65 years (interquartile range 53-74), 62.2% were male and 85.1% were Caucasian. At 6-<18 months after dialysis start, there were no significant differences by SES in attainment of biochemical targets, PD or HD adequacy. The disadvantaged quartile was less likely to achieve haemoglobin targets (odds ratio 0.88, 0.80-0.96, P = 0.01) or have a functioning arteriovenous fistula or graft (odds ratio 0.79, 0.68-0.92, P = 0.003) compared with the most advantaged group. Vascular access differences persisted at 18-<30 months. CONCLUSION: Other than vascular access, area-level SES has minimal impact on QOC attainment among non-Indigenous dialysis patients in Australia. Increased mortality in lower SES groups may be due to pre-dialysis factors and other variables such as health-related behaviours, lifestyle and literacy.

Chronic kidney disease and socio-economic status: a cross sectional study.

Objective: This cross-sectional study investigated the relationship between individual-level markers of disadvantage, renal function and cardio-metabolic risk within an Indigenous population characterised by a heavy burden of chronic kidney disease and disadvantage.Design: Using data from 20 Indigenous communities across Australia, an aggregate socio-economic status (SES) score was created from individual-level socio-economic variables reported by participants. Logistic regression was used to assess the association of individual-level socio-economic variables and the SES score with kidney function (an estimated glomerular function rate (eGFR) cut-point of <60 ml/min/1.73 m2) as well as clinical indicators of cardio-metabolic risk.Results: The combination of lower education and unemployment was associated with poorer kidney function and higher cardio-metabolic risk factors. Regression models adjusted for age and gender showed that an eGFR < 60 ml/min/1.73 m2 was associated with a low socio-economic score (lowest vs. highest 3.24 [95% CI 1.43-6.97]), remote living (remote vs. highly to moderately accessible 3.24 [95% CI 1.28-8.23]), renting (renting vs. owning/being purchased 5.76[95% CI 1.91-17.33]), unemployment (unemployed vs employed 2.85 [95% CI 1.31-6.19]) and receiving welfare (welfare vs. salary 2.49 [95% CI 1.42-4.37]). A higher aggregate socio-economic score was inversely associated with an eGFR < 60 ml/min/1.73 m2 (0.75 [95% CI 063-0.89]).Conclusion: This study extends upon our understanding of associations between area-level markers of disadvantage and burden of end stage kidney disease amongst Indigenous populations to a detailed analysis of a range of well-characterised individual-level factors such as overall low socio-economic status, remote living, renting, unemployment and welfare. With the increasing burden of end-stage kidney disease amongst Indigenous people, the underlying socio-economic conditions and social and cultural determinants of health need to be understood at an individual as well as community-level, to develop, implement, target and sustain interventions.

Addressing Profound Disadvantages to Improve Indigenous Health and Reduce Hospitalisation: A Collaborative Community Program in Remote Northern Territory.

BACKGROUND: Aboriginal people in rural and remote areas of the Northern Territory of Australia have suffered longstanding issues of homelessness and profound health and social inequities. The town and region of Katherine are particularly impacted by such inequities and have the highest rates of homelessness in Australia, composed almost entirely of Aboriginal people who represent 51% of the total population of 24,000 people. The region is serviced by a 60-bed hospital, and a small cohort of frequent attenders (FAs) represent 11% of the Emergency Department (ED) case load. The vast majority of FAs are Aboriginal and have very high burdens of social inequity and homelessness. FAs are a challenge to efficient and effective use of resources for most hospitals around the world, and investment in programs to address underlying social and chronic health issues contributing to frequent attendance have been demonstrated to be effective. METHODS: These are the interim findings of a prospective cohort study using five sources of linked health and related data to evaluate a community-based case management pilot in a culturally competent framework to support frequent attenders to the Katherine Hospital ED. FAs were defined as people with six or more presentations in 12 preceding months. The intervention composed of a community-based case management program with a multi-agency service delivery addressing underlying vulnerabilities contributing to ED presentations. RESULTS: Among this predominantly Aboriginal cohort (91%), there were high rates of homelessness (64%), food insecurity (60%) and alcohol misuse (64%), limited access to transport, and complex comorbidities (average of 2.8 chronic conditions per client). Following intervention, there was a statistically significant reduction in ED presentations (IRR 0.77, 95% CI 0.69-0.85), increased engagement with primary health care (IRR 1.90, 95% CI 1.78-2.03), and ambulance utilisation (IRR 1.21, 95% CI 1.07-1.38). Reductions in hospital admissions (IRR 0.93, 95% CI 0.77-1.10) and aeromedical retrievals (IRR 0.67, 95% CI 0.35-1.20) were not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates the short-term impacts of community-led case management extending beyond the hospital setting, to address causes of recurrent ED presentations among people with complex social and medical backgrounds. Improving engagement with primary care is a particularly important outcome given the national impetus to reduce preventable hospital admissions.

Does delay in planned diabetes care influence outcomes for aboriginal Australians? A study of quality in health care.

BACKGROUND: To examine the association between delay in planned diabetes care and quality of outcomes. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of primary care and inpatient records for 2567 Aboriginal patients, with diabetes, living in 49 remote communities in the Northern Territory of Australia. Poisson regression was used to estimate the association between delay from diagnosis to documented diabetes care plan and three outcome measures: mean HbA1c level, most recent blood pressure and number of diabetes-related hospital admissions. RESULTS: Compared with no delay (< 60 days), patients with delay had increased risk of elevated mean HbA1c: 60 days to < 2 years, incidence rate ratio (IRR), 1.2 (95% CI:1.07-1.39); 2 years to < 4 years, incidence rate ratio (IRR), 1.2 (95% CI:1.04-1.45); 4 years and over, incidence rate ratio (IRR), 1.3 (95% CI:1.12-1.52). There was no evidence of association between delay and optimal blood pressure control. Risk of diabetes-related admission increased with increased delay. Compared with no delay the IRRs for delay were: 60 days to < 2 years, 1.2 (95% CI:1.07-1.42); 2 to < 4 years, 1.3 (95% CI: 1.15-1.58): and 4 years and over, 2.6 (95% CI,2.28-3.08). CONCLUSION: The study found that a timely diabetes care plan was associated with better short-term blood glucose control and fewer diabetes-related admissions but not with improved blood pressure control. Delays may be a result of both patient and service-related factors.

Is hyperfiltration associated with higher urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio at follow up among Indigenous Australians? The eGFR follow-up study.

BACKGROUND: Glomerular hyperfiltration is not able to be detected in clinical practice. We assessed whether hyperfiltration is associated with albuminuria progression among Indigenous Australians at high risk of diabetes and kidney disease to determine its role in kidney disease progression. METHODS: Longitudinal observational study of Indigenous Australians aged ≥18 years recruited from >20 sites, across diabetes and/or kidney function strata. At baseline, iohexol clearance was used to measure glomerular filtration rate (mGFR) and hyperfiltration was defined as (i) a mGFR of ≥125 mL/min/1.73 m2, and (ii) an age-adjusted definition, with the top 10% of the mGFR for each 10 year age group at baseline. Baseline and follow-up urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (uACR) was collected, and linear regression was used to assess the associations of hyperfiltration and uACR at follow up. RESULTS: 407 individuals (33% men, mean age 47 years) were followed-up for a median of 3 years. At baseline, 234 had normoalbuminuria and 173 had albuminuria. Among participants with normoalbuminuria, those with mGFR ≥125 mL/min/1.73 m2 had 32% higher uACR at follow-up (p = 0.08), and those with age-adjusted hyperfiltration had 60% higher uACR (p = 0.037) compared to those who had normofiltration. These associations were independent of uACR at baseline, but attenuated by HbA1c. Associations were stronger among those without than those with albuminuria at baseline. CONCLUSIONS: Although not available for assessment in current clinical practice, hyperfiltration may represent a marker of subsequent albuminuria progression among individuals who have not yet developed albuminuria.