Climacteric symptoms among indigenous Australian women and a model for the use of culturally relevant art in health promotion.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate climacteric symptoms among rural and remote, indigenous Australian women and to develop culturally relevant women's health midlife educational material.

DESIGN: A cross-sectional pilot survey based on structured interviews of women older than 18 years of age who were available for interview and willing to participate. The study was conducted in the Kimberley region of Western Australia and southwestern Victoria between February and June 1999. Health issues central to the local community were identified by the structured survey. Development of culturally relevant information involved collaboration between indigenous women and indigenous artists, health workers, educators, and ourselves. Traditional health themes in art form were then linked with specific health issues to be addressed. Health messages were translated by Aboriginal women and health workers into both traditional language and vernacular, to target all women.

RESULTS: Fifty-five women completed the survey. Thirty-eight were premenopausal, 4 were perimenopausal, and 13 were postmenopausal. The 4 perimenopausal women and 9 of the 13 postmenopausal women had climacteric symptoms, but none had been prescribed systemic or local hormonal therapy. Rates of obesity, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension were high. Midlife women's health booklets were produced in collaboration with Aboriginal elders and artists to communicate preventive health information in a visual context familiar to Aboriginal people of the Kimberley and surrounding communities.

CONCLUSIONS: In contrast to the case in other non-Caucasian populations, climacteric symptoms seem to be common among Australian indigenous women and are apparently untreated. Aboriginal art and language has been employed in the development of culturally appropriate health promotion literature for Aboriginal communities in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. This process of collaboration provides a useful model for addressing women's health issues in other culturally diverse populations.