Communities In Queensland Research Articles

The infant mortality rate at Cherbourg aboriginal community: an update.

The infant mortality rate (IMR) at Cherbourg Aboriginal Community in south-eastern Queensland remained high from 1906 to about 1955-60, but since then has dropped from over 200/1000 live births in 1956-60 to 16/1000 live births in 1986-90, compared with the 1987 rate for Queensland (9.2/1000) and Australia (8.6/1000). The rapid improvement in the IMR was associated with the installation of a piped and chlorinated water supply, sewerage and an intensive campaign to eradicate intestinal worms. There has also been a change in community attitudes towards routine health practices and it is likely that this has been a major factor in the changes.

Seed Production and Litter Fall in Some Eucalypt Communities in Central Queensland

Seed production and litter fall were studied for seven woodland communities, dominated by Eucalyptus spp., in central Queensland. Seed and capsule fall are usually completed between annual flowering periods, for each of the Eucalyptus spp. studied. A pattern of light and heavy seed production is common over different years. Annual seed yields up to 20 kg ha-1 (or c. 49 million seed ha-1) were estimated over the varying 1-3-year study periods. Litter fall followed expected trends, ranging from 900 to 2700 kg ha-1 year-1, with peak production in the warmer months. These litter yields, coupled with understorey grass production, could provide adequate fuel for a ground fire to occur in most years. The implications of these findings for woodland management under pastoral use are discussed.

Isosporiasis in the Aboriginal population of Queensland

To report on the endemicity of Isospora belli in Queensland. A 10-year retrospective survey of data from routine parasitological surveillance of Queensland Aboriginal communities, by microscopic examination of preserved faecal specimens. The Aboriginal Health Programme of the Queensland Department of Health and Medical Services. Children under 15 years of age from all the Aboriginal communities of Queensland. Oocysts of I. belli were detected in 33 (0.2%) of a total of 17,642 faecal samples examined. Isosporiasis is endemic in the Queensland Aboriginal population. It is likely to be more common than indicated, because the infection is difficult to diagnose, and the techniques used to identify the organism were not particularly sensitive. It is predicted that isosporiasis will be recognised with increasing frequency as a cause of diarrhoea in Aboriginal and white Australians who develop AIDS.

Diarrhea and growth retardation

We have used a 38‐year data set from an Aboriginal community in Queensland, Australia to test whether diarrheal disease (D&V) leads to growth retardation. During this period the community has passed from the high‐birth‐rate/high‐death‐rate situation of developing countries to the “western” pattern. In children aged from birth to five years episodes of D&V were not associated with significant decrease in weight growth either in the “developing” or the “developed” period. D&V explained less than 1% of the variability in weight gain. The 1982–83 cohort showed that D&V accounted for only 4% of the variation in height and 1% of the variation in weight at 5 years. Frequent D&V and delayed growth are more likely to be due to common preceding factors rather than D&V causing delayed growth.

Incidence and determinants of skin cancer in a high‐risk australian population

In a Queensland community, we surveyed the incidence of basal-cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous-cell carcinoma (SCC), and associated risk factors. In December, 1986, 2,095 residents were examined by dermatologists for skin cancer. Of these, 1,770 further participated in a follow-up postal survey in December, 1987, regarding all skin cancers in the preceding 2 years, and 87 reported being treated for skin cancer in the 2-year period between December 1985 and November 1987. The estimated annual incidence rates of non-melanoma skin cancer in men and women aged 20-69 years were 2,389/100,000 and 1,908/100,000 respectively, with an overall ratio of BCC cases to SCC cases of 4.5 to one. While both tumour types occurred more commonly in fair-complexioned people, the risk associated with high sun exposure was greater for SCC than for BCC. Clinical signs of solar skin damage, especially the number of solar keratoses on the face, were the strongest predictors of both types of skin cancer.

Woody overstorey impact on herbaceous understorey in Eucalyptus spp. communities in central Queensland

AbstractNative pasture yield and species composition within naturally occurring Eucalyptus communities of central Queensland were studied. Within a site, herbaceous yield decreased as tree basal area increased with the greatest relative decrease at sites with low pasture production potential. Mitscherlich regressions between herbaceous yield and tree basal area Y = A + B*e−kx) accounted for >80% of the observed variation at all sites. The absolute value of ‘k’ was greatest for those sites that had the lowest yield in the absence of trees.Pasture composition in treeless plots varied widely among sites. However, the direction of species compositional change was similar for all sites except one subject to short‐term inundation on a heavy clay soil. Grass tribes differed in their occurrence in areas of high tree basal area. Andropogoneae had lower actual yield and percentage composition (by dry weight) at high tree basal area, while Paniceae showed the reverse trend. Non‐grass herbaceous plants made a greater contribution to pasture composition at higher tree basal area although actual dry matter yield remained relatively constant over a wide range of basal areas.

Nitrate reductase activity and chlorophyll content in sun leaves of subtropical Australian closed-forest (rainforest) and open-forest communities.

A study of the sun leaves of two closed-forest (rainforest) and eight open-forest communities in subtropical southeast Queensland, Australia, showed that a large number of pioneer woody species in closed-forests had high levels of nitrate reductase (EC 1.6.6.1), whereas only a few herbaceous species in the open-forests showed high levels. There was a continuously declining gradient in nitrate reductase activity from pioneer to mature-forest species in all communities, associated with a decrease in Leaf Specific Area. The level of nitrate reductase activity was lower in certain plant families (including sclerophyllous monocotyledons, small-leaved composites and legumes), but still showed the same general relationship with Leaf Specific Area. The decrease in Leaf Specific Area is associated with an increase in both the dry weight: fresh weight ratio and the chlorophyll a: chlorophyll b ratio of the leaves. Three groups of plants can be recognised by nitrate reductase activity plotted against water content (% fresh weight) of their leaves-(1) pioneer, (2) mature-forest and (3) semi-sclerophyllous species. As the proportion of cytoplasm to structural tissue (indicated by water content) in leaves increases, there is a continuous increase in (a) nitrate reductase activity (b) total chlorophyll (per unit dry weight) (c) the proportion of chlorophyll b to chlorophyll a and (b) chloroplastic isoform of glutamine synthetase. These attributes are associated with high nitrogen content in the leaves and high photosynthetic potentials, resulting in rapid growth rates of pioneer species.

FLORAL BIOLOGY OF MYRISTICA INSIPIDA (MYRISTICACEAE), A DISTINCTIVE BEETLE POLLINATION SYNDROME

The floral biology and pollination of Myristica insipida were studied in two different rain forest communities in Queensland. Floral morphology of M. insipida resembles that of M. fragrans in virtually all respects. The majority of female flowers were receptive 48–72 hr. Male flowers were shorter‐lived, functional for 12–48 hr. Both male and female flowers opened daily between 1800 and 2200 hr, but the activity of floral visitors did not begin until the next morning. The inconspicuous, creamy‐white to light‐green flowers had a strong, pleasant “floral” fragrance. The male flowers only offered pollen as a reward, and female flowers, offering no reward, were judged to function by automimicry. A taxonomically diverse array of small, pollen‐foraging beetles were the effective pollinators, although thrips and ants were common floral visitors. In almost all respects, the beetle pollination syndrome of Myristica differs from the cantharophily of most other primitive angiosperms.

Diagnosis of skin cancer in the general population: clinical accuracy in the Nambour survey.

The accuracy and validity of diagnoses of skin cancer that were made by experienced dermatologists in a Queensland community survey have been investigated. Histological examination confirmed 54% of 100 clinical diagnoses of basal-cell carcinoma, squamous-cell carcinoma or intraepidermal carcinoma. Clinical accuracy was higher for basal-cell carcinoma (59%) than for squamous-cell carcinoma (39%) or intraepidermal carcinoma (38%). Such levels of diagnostic accuracy are to be expected when an unselected population is surveyed because of the relatively low prevalence of skin cancer compared with that in the patient population of a specialist practice. This reduction in diagnostic accuracy is unrelated to clinical skills, and should be borne in mind when conducting any skin-cancer screening programme in the general community.

FAMILY PLANNING IN ABORIGINAL COMMUNITIES

AbstractSurveys were taken of five Aboriginal communities in New South Wales, South Australia, Western Australia and Queensland, in co‐operation with community organizations and using locally‐engaged Aboriginal women as interviewers. The surveys reveal a patchwork of family planning methods in use. A comparison of the attitudes of Aboriginal women towards the provision of family planning services and the activities of health services in the communities was used to examine the mechanism of decline in Aboriginal birth rates.The comparison reveals that the views of Aboriginal women largely coincide with the aims of health services but what has been achieved is somewhat different. Extreme reticence on the part of Aboriginal people about the reproductive aspects of women's lives poses serious problems for the delivery of adequate health services. While health service personnel in Aboriginal communities are attuned to the sensibilities of their Aboriginal clients, they are not always aware of the reasons for these sensibilities or of their precise nature.

Mainstreaming in Rural Communities: An Analysis of Case Studies in Queensland Schools

Comparatively little research has focussed on the experiences of disabled children in rural communities where mainstreaming may be a matter of necessity, thus providing examples of “natural experiments” in mainstreaming. A pilot study is described in which case studies are presented of five children with disabilities who attended regular schools in isolated rural communities in Queensland; a number of factors are suggested which may be associated with the outcomes of mainstreaming for these children. Several key issues in rural mainstreaming are offered as bases for hypotheses to be examined in future research programs.

Aboriginal Drinking: A Case Study in Inequality and Disadvantage

This paper examines an aspect of social inequality experienced by Aboriginal people living in a remote Queensland mining town. We contend that non‐Aboriginal perceptions and attitudes of Aboriginal drinking behaviour contribute directly to structural inequalities within the Mount Isa community.Social drinking in the township is, for reserve‐dwelling Aborigines, restricted mainly to one bar in one hotel and adjoining park and river bank area. The restrictions are preserved through both overt and covert discrimination. Aboriginal inebriation and excessive drinking are therefore more visible to the wider community and more accessible to police prosecution than that of any other ethnic group in the town.Although White folk tales concerning Aboriginal drinking often contain fear about acts of violence and crime directed towards the White community, soundly documented incidents are rare. This paper argues that the persistence of such attitudes is at the heart of a symbolic differential between the White and Black community in Queensland. Moreover, problems within the Aboriginal community that can be directly related to the excessive consumption of alcohol must also be seen as a product of these White reactions and perceptions.

Rosy Goals, Reactive Practice: Interpreting Programme Failure

Much evaluation research has focussed on the impact of innovative health programmes, yet there have been few attempts to identify the reasons underlying reported programme successes or failures. This shortcoming has reduced the generalisability of research findings, and hence their policy relevance. This paper explores the reported failure of two Queensland community health centres to improve the health status of the communities served. The data indicate a lack of fit between pro gramme goals and practice. Strong support for the specified goals at all levels of implementation, however, negates the hypothesis that the evaluation was based on "unreal" goals. Four alternative explanations are developed — "grandiose goals", "bureaucratic red tape", "staff fallibility" and the "exigencies of the job". The paper concludes with an assessment of the relevance of this analysis to other innovative health programmes.

Mortality rates in 14 Queensland Aboriginal reserve communities

We report the results of an age standardized comparison of the mortality rates of Queenslanders and persons living in 14 Aboriginal reserves (or communities) in Queensland. The analysis distinguishes four categories of cause of death. For all causes of death, mortality rates for people living on reserves exceeded the rates for the comparable Queensland population. On some Aboriginal reserves mortality rates were substantially higher than on others. Mortality rates from infectious diseases on some reserves were 200 (Doomadgee, Woorabinda) to 300 (Lockhart River) times those which prevailed in Queensland as a whole.

Mortality rates in 14 Queensland Aboriginal reserve communities

Age-standardized comparisons of mortality rates from four causes in 14 Aboriginal reserves and communities in Queensland were examined. The 14 reserves were allocated to two groups within 10 socioenvironmental variables. The findings point to an association between Queensland government Aboriginal policy, the administration of reserves, and the consequent mortality rates of the residents of these reserves.

Mortality rates in 14 Queensland Aboriginal reserve communities

We report the results of an age standardized comparison of the mortality rates of Queenslanders and persons living in 14 Aboriginal reserves (or communities) in Queensland. The analysis distinguishes four categories of cause of death. For all causes of death, mortality rates for people living on reserves exceeded the rates for the comparable Queensland population. On some Aboriginal reserves mortality rates were substantially higher than on others. Mortality rates from infectious diseases on some reserves were 200 (Doomadgee, Woorabinda) to 300 (Lockhart River) times those which prevailed in Queensland as a whole.

Runoff and the ameliorating effect of plant cover in the Mulga communities of South Western Queensland.

Surface runoff was recorded from mall plots situated in the mulga rangelands of Queensland. Even small falls of rain (< 15 mm) produced runoff equivalent to over 50% of the rain but plant tussocks were instrumental in decreasing the number of rainfall events which generated runoff. Runoff was greater from the hard mulga and residud land zones than from the soft mulga zone. Regression and correlation analysis was used to identify topography, soil and vegetation factors influencing runoff. The maintenance of a perennial grass basal area > 2% is considered essential to reduce the loss of surface soil and nutrients.

Changes in the Quantitative Floristics in Some Astrebla Spp. (Mitchell Grass) Communities in South-Western Queensland in Relation to Trends in Seasonal Rainfall

Seasonal changes in the quantitative floristics at a wide range of Astrebla grassland sites in south-western Queensland were monitored between 1972 and 1980 with a wheel point apparatus. Changes in the floristics were measured in terms of both relative abundance and basal cover. A large increase in the relative abundance of perennial grasses, particularly Aristida latifolia, Astrebla spp. and Dichanthium sericeum, occurred between 1972 and 1976. This increase was at the expense of annual grasses and forbs which declined in both relative abundance and number of genera present. The relative abundance of perennial grasses declined between 1978 and 1980 and this was associated with a large increase in the forbs such as Daucus glochidiatus and Plantago spp., particularly at southern sites. The contribution of annual grasses to botanical composition remained low throughout the period. Total basal cover differed between years although these differences were not significant. As perennial grass, particularly Astrebla spp., was the major vegetation component of total basal cover, changes in the latter were associated mainly with changes in the basal cover of Astrebla spp. Changes in the contribution of individual species to total basal cover were related to changes in the relative abundance of those species. Changes in botanical composition in Astrebla grassland may be influenced more by trends in seasonal rainfall than by grazing pressure.

Quantitative Floristic Studies of the Ground Layer in Some Mulga (Acacia aneura F. Muell.) And Mitchell Grass (Astrebla Spp.) Communities in South-Western Queensland

A survey of 36 sites of known history in S.W. Queensland was made with a wheel-point apparatus to establish quantitative standards of botanical composition and basal cover for the ground layer vegetation of 4 main soil types in the mulga and Mitchell grass regions. It was shown that dominant species were similar on sites within a soil group, over a wide range of rainfall conditions. Basal cover over all sites averaged 3.0%, while an average of 23 species made up the ground layer of the vegetation. A total of 65 grasses and 95 non-grasses was recorded in the wheel-point surveys. The implications of the survey results are discussed.

Productivity of an arid zone shrub (Eremophila gilesii) community in south-western Queensland

The above-ground biomass of a monospecific Eremophila gilesii shrub community (69,200 bushes/ha including seedlings) had a mean value of 2106 kg/ha (range 1502-2402 kg/ha) over a year of measurement. Above-ground primary production (biomass increment and litter fall) averaged 0.23 g/m2/day. Rainfall utilization represented 3700 g water/g above-ground dry matter produced. The proportion of the total nitrogen and phosphorus pool incorporated in the organic matter is high when compared with other Australian arid zone shrub vegetation of similar biomass. Litter production varied markedly throughout the period of measurement, and was greatest following falls of rain. Average litter breakdown time was estimated to be 20 months. Litter production and decomposition account for the release of up to 0.33 kg organic phosphorus per hectare each year. About 53% of the phosphorus content in green leaves is extracted before abscission for redistribution within the plant. The intrinsic and extrinsic sources of organic phosphorus provide well over half the phosphorus required for the above-ground production each year. The results are discussed in relation to the possible centre of origin of Eremophila and the adaptation of E. gilesii to its harsh abiotic environment.