Diabetes care: cultural context, Indigenous health and multidisciplinary teams
Cultural, linguistic and religious influences on diabetes care (interpreters, health beliefs, Ramadan fasting), diabetes among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and Māori with current data and Australian and NZ supports, and how multidisciplinary diabetes care is organised and funded under Medicare.
Tier 2Topic overview
Written with AI assistance and fact-checked against the sources below. For exam study, not clinical decisions. How notes are made
At a glance
- Diabetes outcomes depend on whether care fits the person's language, beliefs, food, faith, family and circumstances, and whether the right professionals share the work.
- First Nations Australians have diabetes at about 3 times the age-adjusted rate of other Australians, with onset decades earlier, and die from it at about 4 times the rate (AIHW 2026). Māori in Aotearoa New Zealand have about 2 times the type 2 prevalence of NZ Europeans.
- Care that is community-controlled, culturally safe and free at the point of use improves engagement: ACCHOs, Aboriginal health workers, MBS 715 health assessments, Closing the Gap PBS co-payment relief and co-payment-free NDSS CGM.
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Sources
- Diabetes: Australian facts. First Nations peopleAU/NZAustralian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2026
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Framework: measure 1.09 DiabetesAU/NZAustralian Institute of Health and Welfare and NIAA
- Nanayakkara N, Atkinson-Briggs S, Jenkins AJ, Cohen ND. Rethinking diabetes care for Indigenous Australians: the need for Indigenous-codesigned and led diabetes models of care. Med J Aust 2025;223:560-4AU/NZMedical Journal of Australia, 2025
- National guide to preventive healthcare for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peopleAU/NZNACCHO and RACGP, 4th edition
- Decision to widen access for type 2 diabetes medicines (empagliflozin, dulaglutide, liraglutide), effective 1 September 2026AU/NZPharmac (Te Pātaka Whaioranga), 2026
- Diabetes data and statistics (Virtual Diabetes Register)AU/NZHealth New Zealand Te Whatu Ora
- GP Chronic Condition Management Plans (MBS items 965, 967 and related allied health items)AU/NZServices Australia, MBS education, from 1 July 2025
- Continuous glucose monitoring for people with type 1 diabetes (co-payment exemptions)AU/NZNational Diabetes Services Scheme
- Hassanein M et al. Diabetes and Ramadan: practical guidelines 2021IDF and DAR International Alliance (Diabetes Res Clin Pract 2022;185:109185), 2021; revised DaR-ADA-IDF guidelines and risk calculator announced December 2025
- Gaede P et al. Effect of a multifactorial intervention on mortality in type 2 diabetes (Steno-2). N Engl J Med 2008;358:580-91New England Journal of Medicine, 2008
- Gaede P et al. Years of life gained by multifactorial intervention in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and microalbuminuria: 21 years follow-up on the Steno-2 randomised trial. Diabetologia 2016;59:2298-307Diabetologia, 2016
- Free Interpreting ServiceAU/NZTranslating and Interpreting Service (TIS National), Department of Home Affairs
- Last updated
- 14 November 2026
What changed
- 14 November 2026 Turnstile bot check on sign-in and signed-out feedback