Investigating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander male health and wellbeing programs and their key elements: A scoping review

Issue Addressed

This scoping review aims to explore the size and scope of the body of literature relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander male health and wellbeing programs and describe key program elements.

Methods

This review considered unpublished and published literature from electronic peer-reviewed databases and grey literature sources. Included articles must refer to an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander male health and wellbeing program. Descriptive data synthesised, and seven key program elements were analysed: (1) Origin of Design, (2) Governance, (3) Leads/Facilitators, (4) Funding, (5) Length and Frequency, (6) Outcomes and Measures, and (7) Monitoring and Evaluation.

Results

The review identified 54 programs described in 49 publications that were published between 1998 and 2022. Only 20 publications were peer-reviewed articles. Most programs (n = 44) were instigated, co-designed or adapted by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to suit cultural and community needs. Reporting on key program elements varied, with only n = 25 of the included publications reporting governance systems.

Conclusions

This work is the first to synthesise the literature and describe the key elements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander male health and wellbeing programs. Relatively few publications were found describing programs designed specifically for this population group.

So What?

While the descriptive findings of the programs and their key elements in this review can assist health promotion and primary care practitioners, further investment and research are required to strengthen the evidence base and achieve the best health and wellbeing outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander males.