Perioperative medicine research has highlighted the association of patient, surgical, and health care system factors with postoperative outcomes. Yet, there has been no exploration of postoperative outcomes in the geographically and culturally diverse population such as in the Northern Territory, where the more challenging access to surgical care results in later presentations and more advanced illness. In the Northern Territory 40 per cent of the population lives remote and 30 per cent identify as First Nations peoples with an estimated five-year shorter life span and 80 per cent higher burden of disease, especially in those living remote and/or identifying as First Nations peoples.
The primary aim of this project, Outback REASON NT, is to establish whether research examining postoperative outcomes in a geographically isolated and culturally diverse population, such as that of the Northern Territory, is feasible. Further, the project will determine the appropriate tools and processes to measure postoperative outcomes for the geographically and culturally diverse population of the Northern Territory. The findings of this study will guide informed decision making for a future definitive study on postoperative outcomes in this population. The new knowledge will contribute to designing equitable perioperative models of care suitable to greater diversity of people in Australia and globally.
This project forms part of Dr Waugh's PhD program with the research to be undertaken at the Royal Darwin Hospital.
Dr Edith Waugh, Royal Darwin Hospital, Northern Territory.
The project was awarded $A90,000 funding through the ANZCA research grants program for 2023.