Indigenous male health disadvantage--linking the heart and mind.

BACKGROUND

Aboriginal men experience unacceptably high morbidity and mortality rates for almost all medical conditions. Heart disease and depression in particular are common, inter-linked, and potentially amendable to interventions delivered through primary care.

OBJECTIVE

This article aims to raise awareness of mental illness and heart disease in Aboriginal men, to explore the links between these disease groups, and to encourage general practitioners to do all they can to help reduce morbidity and mortality, in particular through active secondary prevention.

DISCUSSION

It would be simplistic to think that these problems can be adequately addressed merely through improved general practice services, but improved recognition of illness by GPs, improved accessibility and acceptability of health services, active follow up and management of depression and heart disease, and ongoing engagement with communities is likely to improve the current situation.