Didgeridoo playing and singing to support asthma management in Aboriginal Australians.
BACKGROUND
Asthma affects over 15% of Australian Aboriginal people. Compliance in asthma management is poor. Interventions that will increase compliance are required.


OBJECTIVE
The purpose of the study was to determine whether Aboriginal children, adolescents and adults would engage in music lessons to increase their knowledge of asthma and support management of their asthma.


METHODS
Participants were recruited from schools and through the local Aboriginal Medical Service. All participants identified as Aborigines and were diagnosed as being asthmatic. The intervention was a 6-month program of once weekly music lessons using a culturally significant wind instrument, the didgeridoo, for males and singing lessons for females.


RESULTS
High school students enthusiastically engaged and had excellent retention in what they considered to be a most enjoyable program. Respiratory function improved significantly in both junior and senior boys who also reported a noticeable improvement in their health. Similar but less significant improvement was seen in the high school girls, although like the boys, they too perceived an improvement in their asthma.


CONCLUSIONS
The project demonstrated that music has great potential for engaging and thus supporting asthma. Furthermore, cultural awareness was increased by those playing the didgeridoo and social skills were noticeably improved in the girls. Similar culturally appropriate activities have applications far beyond Aboriginal communities in Australia.
Eley
Robert
R
The Centre for Rural and Remote Area Health, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia. eleyr@usq.edu.au
Gorman
Don
D
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000368:Aged; D001249:Asthma / Q000628:therapy*; D001315:Australia; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003469:Culture; D019468:Disease Management; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009147:Music Therapy; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015397:Program Evaluation; D014797:Vital Capacity