Mind the gap on indigenous health

That's 149 grieving families, 149 devastated communities, 149 classrooms with an empty desk, 149 sports teams missing a player, and 149 bright futures with endless possibilities extinguished forever.

A combination of individual, community, and societal factors contribute to the risk of suicide. Risk factors are characteristics associated with suicide. They may or may not be direct causes.

These include personal, family or community history of suicide, history of poor mental health including depression, anxiety, and schizophrenia. They can also include a history of alcohol and substance abuse, isolation, loss, grief, and discrimination.

In Indigenous populations, mental health is referred to as 'social and emotional wellbeing' (SEWB). This incorporates the idea of mental health, but also acknowledges the importance of factors outside the individual, such as cultural identification, spirituality, and the community.

Indigenous youth in Australia are at a high risk for developing poor SEWB. This is due to their increased exposure to risk factors, experiences of life stressors, and social and economic disadvantage, when compared to non-Indigenous youths.

Poor SEWB in youth populations is linked to a number of negative outcomes like increased likelihood of smoking, drug and alcohol use, and suicide, poorer social skills and physical health, and lower education attainment. Moreover, poor SEWB in Indigenous youth is severe across continents and cultures and reveals a true gap in health. Governmental and non-governmental agencies worldwide are attempting to address this issue through various research initiatives and by funding an increasing number of programs.

But if present rates of Indigenous youth suicide are anything to go on; it's not enough. More must be tried and achieved.

Early interventions in childhood and adolescence can improve outcomes for youths suffering poor SEWB. Such programs have been proven to be a powerful prevention strategy, with the World Health Organisation (WHO) publishing data that shows the greatest success is achieved when programs address risk and protective factors early in life.

The Australian Government needs to increase investment and research into school-based youth-orientated prevention and intervention programs. These should aim at decreasing elevated rates of SEWB problems, with a focus on reducing suicide amongst Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youths.

To achieve this, funding to mental health services in schools will need to be increased, along with the establishment of successful SEWB programs in physical education and health studies. This will ensure that all children are provided with the opportunity to learn and develop skills, which will help them deal with possible mental health problems in the future.

Importantly, school-based programs must include culturally relevant material and be presented in a way that is culturally sensitive and appropriate. These should be available and easily accessible in schools with a high Indigenous youth population. This will increase Indigenous children's knowledge and understanding of mental health issues.

In-school programs such as the Aussie Optimism program, created to strengthen social and emotional skills and reduce the effects of risk factors, have been found to be effective in youth populations. Developing these prevention and intervention programs and increasing their availability can increase the number of Indigenous and non-Indigenous youths with positive SEWB and help build strong and healthy generations of young people for years to come.