The Pinnaroo Project team hopes that engagement with arts and cultural programs will result in a healthier community. This type of approach would be recognised as a non-medical model for improving health and wellbeing in rural communities.
COMMUNITY There are a wide variety of groups involved working collaboratively in partnership including Government, Flinders University, Arts bodies, local and visiting Artists, Local Community Members, Groups, Businesses and School. Anybody and Everybody locally has the opportunity to be involved as much or as little as they choose.
ARTS Arts will be varied and reflective of the community needs through consultation, feedback, workshops, art installments and events. What would you like to do?
HEALTH The Pinnaroo Project would like to see Pinnaroo residents happy, healthy, connected and engaged in 2021 and for many years into the future.
The health project is being lead by Professor Robyn Clark from Flinders University
“Participation in art has been shown to reduce illness and improve health in a number of settings. The Pinnaroo Project will measure, over time, how participation in art activities affects heart health and wellbeing “
— Professor Robyn Clark
What
The Pinnaroo Project is partnering with the Flinders University Caring Futures Institute to conduct a health study; to monitor and measure the health impact of The Pinnaroo Project with a focus on heart health and wellbeing.
Why
The aim of the study is to understand the health needs of the town and measure how art and culture activities can impact upon the wellbeing of the Pinnaroo community.
How
The Flinders team will ask participants to complete a questionnaire about their health and lifestyle and take a brief set of clinical measurements including blood pressure, height, weight, and a finger prick test for blood sugar and cholesterol. It’s an easy 20 minute health study that gives participants a take-home copy of their results. The community will then be asked to participate in further measurements over the following 2 years to monitor changes in their overall wellbeing.
Who
Pinnaroo residents, aged 8 years and over, are eligible to participate in the free and confidential health study designed by the Flinders University.
What are the benefits?
COME EXPERIENCE, LEARN, CREATE AND CONNECT
1. Everyone is Welcome
2. Be a part of a community effort to better understand the health and wellbeing of the Pinnaroo people
3. Have free basic health checks to assess our health over a three year period
4. Participate in creative activities, events and workshops learning new skills, fostering friendships and having a whole lot of fun!
5. Build a better future
Meet
The Researchers
Professor Robyn Clark
Professor Robyn Clark is a Registered Nurse, Professor of Acute Care and Cardiovascular Research and Theme Leader for Better Care in the Caring Futures Institute at Flinders University.
Matt Wellan
Dr Matt Wallen is a lecturer in Exercise Science and Clinical Exercise Physiology. He has a particular interest in the different ways of delivering exercise using mHealth, telehealth and wearable technology.
Sara Noonan
Sara Noonan is managing the Pinnaroo Project health study. Sara is a Registered Nurse and health researcher with many years’ experience in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and Pacific Islander health.
The Pinnaroo Project has also been assisted by a team of health professionals from Flinders University
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THE PINNAROO Project Information for Participants
| The Pinnaroo Project is a creative community wide, health improvement project which has been established by Mallee Arts and the Pinnaroo community to address the lack of locally available health services. The Pinnaroo Project aims to improve the health and wellbeing of residents through community engagement and participation in various art and cultural activities over a 2–3-year period. |
Flinders University has been invited to assist with the Pinnaroo Project and evaluate its effect on the health and wellbeing of the community.
The Pinnaroo Project team will collect information from Pinnaroo residents before, during and after the art and culture activities to see what effect, if any, participating in these activities has on the health and wellbeing of the community.
IS THE INFORMATION SAFE? Consent, questionnaire, and clinical information will be collected on Flinders University iPads and stored securely on Flinders University computer
servers. Consent and questionnaire information that is collected on paper forms will be immediately entered into the study database and the forms shredded. Results from the Pinnaroo Project evaluation will not be used for any other research.
DO I GET ANY RESULTS? The Flinders University team has worked closely with members of the Pinnaroo community since 2019 to design this study. Progress reports will be provided to the Pinnaroo Project Steering Committee each year, and a final report will be provided to the Steering Committee at the end of The Pinnaroo Project.
The Flinders University team will present results back to the people of Pinnaroo through community meetings. A summary of the results will also be published in local media. No individual results or identifiable results will ever be published. All reports will present outcomes combined as “The Pinnaroo Community”.
WHAT IS INVOLVED? ALL Pinnaroo residents aged eight years and over can participate in the Pinnaroo Project evaluation. The aim is to understand the health and wellbeing of the whole community – people who are involved in the art and culture activities, and people who are not.
As a participant, you will be asked to
1. SIGN A CONSENT FORM. (parents sign for children aged 8 to 17 years)
2. COMPLETE A QUESTIONNAIRE.
3. have a brief CLINICAL ASSESSMENT.
4. PARTICIPATE AGAIN – complete the questionnaire and have another clinical assessment during and after the Pinnaroo Project (about once a year until 2023) so that results can be compared over time.
The questionnaires focus on heart health risk factors: about you and your health, your lifestyle choices regarding food, physical activity, and smoking and alcohol, and about how you have been feeling over the last few weeks. Children have a modified questionnaire.
The clinical assessment includes blood pressure, height, weight, waist measure, and a finger prick test for blood glucose and blood cholesterol, and you will receive a copy of these results. Children will not have finger prick tests.
You can participate at The Mallee Hub (Railway Terrace S), the Pinnaroo Primary School, and at various other sites around the community. (see notices via social media)
Participation is voluntary and takes about 30 minutes.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS? 1) Be part of a community-wide effort to better understand the health and wellbeing of Pinnaroo people. 2) Have free basic health checks to assess your heart health risk over a 3-year period.
Participation in the Pinnaroo Project is not expected to cause harm or discomfort. However, anyone who experiences distress from participating in the study should inform the study team immediately and/or discuss with their usual healthcare provider. Other contacts for professional support include:
Lifeline 131 114 … Beyond Blue 1300 224 636
CAN I CHANGE MY MIND? Yes. You are free to withdraw at any time during the study, without any impact or change to your involvement with the Pinnaroo Project arts and culture activities (if you are involved) or any other community activity. If you change your mind, just contact the Flinders University team and your results will be deleted.
WHAT ABOUT PRIVACY? Maintaining privacy and confidentiality are mandatory for all health studies involving people.
The questionnaire can be completed privately (or with confidential assistance), and a private space will be provided during your clinical assessment.
A unique study number will be allocated to you for the purpose of linking your results for comparison over time. The study number is the only link to your questionnaire. Your name and contact information are stored separately; they are not included with, or attached to, your questionnaire answers.
Only the Flinders Team will have access to your questionnaire answers and clinical information; no one from Pinnaroo or the art or cultural team will have access to any of your information.
Results will be reported at conferences and in publications. Your results will be combined with all other results, and these combined results will be used to describe the health and wellbeing of the whole Pinnaroo community.
No individuals will be identified in any reports or publications.
The design of the Pinnaroo Project – the way it was set up, the information collected and the way it was reported – will be used to evaluate other community art and health projects in the future.
HOW IS THIS FUNDED? Funding has been provided by the Flinders University Arts in Health Alliance, and the Pinnaroo Community.
WHERE DO I GET MORE INFORMATION? Questions or concerns about this evaluation can be directed to the Flinders University team on 08 83201 7500 or NHSEnquiries@flinders.edu.au. The Pinnaroo Project contact is thepinnarooproject@gmail.com or at the Mallee Studio.
EVALUATION TEAM: Prof Robyn Clark, Sara Noonan, Prof Alison Kitson, Prof Sally Robinson, Dr Sean Williams Flinders University; Maz McGann, Play Your Part; Professor Alex Brown, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute.
ETHICS: The Pinnaroo Project evaluation has been approved by the Flinders University Human Research Ethics Committee in South Australia (Project 4224). For queries regarding ethics approval please contact 08 8201 3116 or human.researchethics@flinders.edu.au
The Pinnaroo Project 