Treadgold Claire, Fortunati Erika, Doyle Rob, Dann Jo, Doyle Aunty Kerrie
Starlight Children's Foundation Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Aust J Rural Health. 2025 Aug;33(4):e70082. doi: 10.1111/ajr.70082.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, particularly those in remote Australia, face disproportionately higher rates of preventable health conditions and disability. Early intervention is considered particularly important for this demographic, but previous attempts have had limited success.
In response to a need identified by the Cherbourg Health Service, Starlight Children's Foundation Australia (Starlight) partnered with them to host a unique "third birthday party" event in Cherbourg, Queensland.
The event aimed to provide health checks and a culturally sensitive, positive healthcare experience for three-year-old children and the Cherbourg community, incorporating key health service providers and Starlight "Captains" to facilitate the health checks and activities/games.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): To evaluate the third birthday party health initiative, the main outcome measures were the strengths and future considerations and improvements of the event.
The quantitative and qualitative data highlighted the event's success in promoting an effective and positive community-led healthcare experience by employing a unique, prevention-focused methodology, with benefits extending from the community to health staff and students.
Overall, the Cherbourg third birthday party serves as a model for culturally appropriate early health interventions in Australia, offering valuable insights to enhance healthcare promotion, access, and engagement for Indigenous children and communities.
原住民及托雷斯海峡岛民儿童，尤其是那些生活在澳大利亚偏远地区的儿童，面临着比例过高的可预防健康问题和残疾情况。早期干预对于这一人群被认为尤为重要，但此前的尝试成效有限。
为响应彻伯勒健康服务机构所确定的需求，澳大利亚星光儿童基金会（星光）与他们合作，在昆士兰州的彻伯勒举办了一场独特的“三岁生日派对”活动。
该活动旨在为三岁儿童及彻伯勒社区提供健康检查以及具有文化敏感性的、积极的医疗保健体验，活动纳入了关键的健康服务提供者和星光“队长”，以协助进行健康检查及开展活动/游戏。
为评估三岁生日派对健康倡议，主要结局指标是该活动的优势以及对活动未来的考量与改进。
定量和定性数据凸显了该活动通过采用独特的、以预防为重点的方法，成功促进了由社区主导的有效且积极的医疗保健体验，其益处从社区延伸至医护人员和学生。
总体而言，彻伯勒三岁生日派对为澳大利亚文化适宜的早期健康干预树立了典范，为加强原住民儿童及社区的医疗保健推广、可及性和参与度提供了宝贵见解。
