What was the research about?
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with chronic kidney disease (CKD) may suffer distress and poor mental health from living with a chronic illness, travelling away from family and country to receive treatment, poor access to housing and accommodation and big changes to their lifestyle.
- The WICKD study is a randomised controlled trial to address the mental health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with CKD.
- It builds on an existing program of mental health research – the Aboriginal and Islander Mental Health Initiative (AIMhi) – which has developed innovative culturally adapted mental health treatment strategies.
- WICKD will test the effectiveness of a culturally adapted e-mental health intervention in improving mental health and wellbeing, quality of life and attendance at treatment for people with CKD. The study will also measure the cost effectiveness of this approach in CKD services.
- We hope to work together with service providers to transfer research into practice and improve the mental health and wellbeing of clients.
Chief investigators:
- Dr Kylie Dingwall – mental health researcher
- Associate Professor Tricia Nagel - researcher and psychiatrist
- Professor David Kavanagh - researcher and psychologist
- Professor Alan Cass - researcher and nephrologist
- Dr Jacqui Hughes - researcher and nephrologist
- Professor Kirsten Howard - researcher/health economist
- Dr Michelle Sweet - researcher and previous Purple House wellbeing coordinator
Associate investigators:
- Ms Sarah Brown - CEO, Western Desert Nganampa Walytja Palyantjaku Tjutaku (Purple House)
- Dr Cherian Sajiv – Director of Central Australian Renal Services
- Dr William Majoni – Clinical lead, Department of Nephrology (Top End)
- Dr Christine Connors – General Manager Primary Health Care Top End Health Services
- Ms Cilla Preece – Researcher and renal consumer
Key contacts:
- Michelle Sweet (Alice Springs)
- Josie Povey (Top End)
Project dates:
The project commenced in July 2016 and was completed in June 2020.
Funders:
- National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC)
Collaborators:
- NT Department of Health
- Western Desert Nganampa Walytja Palyantjaku Tjutaku Aboriginal Corporation
- Queensland University of Technology
- University of Sydney
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$440 million funding boost for vital health and medical research for all stages of life
$6 million in research funding for three Indigenous health grants in the Northern Territory. This includes $2.5 million for an NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence at the Menzies School of Health Research to prevent and manage bronchiectasis, a lung disease which results in recurrent chest infections and is particularly common in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
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Senator reveals personal story of kidney disease
Nephrologist at the Menzies School of Health Research, Paul Lawton, said his research team had been investigating key causes that dramatically impact upon remote Aboriginal communities.
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The Health Advocate Episode 11 - Renal Patients in Remote Communities
AHHA's Director of the Deeble Institute for Health Policy Research, Rebecca Haddock, sits down with Stephanie Pushka.
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Fixing health—why housing and income policy must be part of the mix
In an AHHA issues brief released today, Stefanie Puszka outlines why housing and income policy changes needed to improve health outcomes.
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WICKD News - July 2018
The research team have almost reached the target of 156 participants. Work is still likely to continue in both Darwin and Alice Springs until the end of the year.
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WICKD News - March 2018
Participant recruitment and follow-ups are ongoing in Darwin and Alice Springs. The total number of recruits to date is 140.
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WICKD News - October 2017
Participant recruitment and follow-ups are ongoing in Darwin and Alice Springs. The total number of recruits to date is 107.
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WICKD News - June 2017
WICKD Study Update Participant recruitment is well under way in both Darwin and Alice Springs. The project is on track at 20 weeks.
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WICKD News - February 2017
The WICKD study is a randomised controlled trial that address the mental health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with CKD-stage 5. It brings together service providers from the Department of Health and Purple House and a team of wellbeing researchers.
- Dingwall, K. M., Sweet, M., Cass, A., Hughes, J. T., Kavanagh, D., Howard, K., Barzi, F., Brown, S., Sajiv, C., Majoni, S. W., & Nagel, T. (2021). Effectiveness of Wellbeing Intervention for Chronic Kidney Disease (WICKD): results of a randomised controlled trial. BMC nephrology, 22(1), 136. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12882-021-02344-8