The excess burden of severe sepsis in Indigenous Australian children: can anything be done?

The excess burden of severe sepsis in Indigenous Australian children: can anything be done?

“…We agree with Schultz's comments regarding our article 1 that Indigenous people's approaches to health and wellbeing will continue to inform and expand the biomedical understanding of severe sepsis and other inequalities in health that disproportionately affect Indigenous people. The establishment of Aboriginal community controlled health services to holistically advocate for improved health has made important progress in this area.…”

The excess burden of severe sepsis in Indigenous Australian children: can anything be done?

“…We thank Schultz for her stimulating correspondence in response to our article 1 and the accompanying editorial 2 on invasive infections in critically ill Indigenous children. Schultz highlights that the assessment of life‐threatening infections as defined and analysed in the article may not adequately reflect the wider social, emotional and cultural aspects of wellbeing.…”

The excess burden of severe sepsis in Indigenous Australian children: can anything be done?

“…Palasanthiran and Bowen in their MJA editorial, 1 and Ostrowski and colleagues in their related research article, 2 describe a biomedical approach to the problem of severe sepsis in Indigenous children. Biomedical approaches focus on responding to clinical signs and laboratory markers to diagnose and treat disease.…”

“…Although such approaches may explain disease and lead to rational treatments, they can dominate perspectives to such an extent that they construct our understanding of health, making it seem that there is no alternative approach 4 . However, the goal of reducing sepsis in Indigenous children appears elusive with a biomedical approach 1 …”

“…TO THE EDITOR: The excess burden of severe sepsis among Indigenous children 1,2 reflects poorly on Australia's image of itself as a prosperous and fair nation. Indigenous children are entitled to the opportunities afforded to non-Indigenous children.…”