LYFE LANGUAGES: HEALTHY CULTURES, HEALTHY PEOPLE
Shahmir, a Champion for the Badimaya people whose country lies to the south of Mount Magnet. Source: Lyfe Languages
For all the advancements in medical science and technology over the years, good healthcare has always relied upon effective communication.
Linguistic and cultural differences, as well as the prevalence of medical jargon, are among the major factors impacting the ability of indigenous Australians to engage with the health system and receive effective treatment.
The Lyfe Languages project is aimed at breaking down these barriers to communication by translating medical resources and terminology into the languages spoken by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
According to the Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research Institute (IATSIS), more than 250 Indigenous languages are known to have existed in Australia, around 120 of which are still spoken today.
In 2020, a team overseen by Dr. Gareth Baynam and Yarlalu Thomas began developing an app capable of translating medical terms and concepts into two of the languages spoken in Western Australia’s Pilbara region.
Yarlalu Thomas, a Nyangumarta man and Precision Public Health Fellow at the Roy Hill Foundation, has previously collaborated with Dr. Baynam, a clinical geneticist at King Edward Memorial Hospital, on the development of a facial scanning program aimed at detecting rare genetic conditions in Aboriginal communities.
In its initial stages, the Lyfe Languages app focused on translating terms and concepts related to these rare diseases. For example, macrocephaly — an enlargement of the head that can be used to diagnose certain genetic conditions — was translated to Jurnturtu Wirtu, a Nyangumarta phrase meaning “big head”.
Dr. Baynam and his team soon realised that this technology could be scaled-up to accommodate a wider range of languages and medical terminology, acting as a “universal translator” for researchers, clinicians and communities working to improve all aspects of Aboriginal health and wellbeing.
Though still in its beta phase, the app now features a database containing hundreds of medical terms, which are being translated into 14 different languages spoken throughout mainland Australia and the Torres-Strait Islands.
As well as attracting interest from researchers looking to adapt Lyfe Langauges’ technology and methods for communities in other parts of the world, the project was recently nominated as a finalist in the Australian Computer Society’s Digital Disruptor Awards.
In an interview with Sky News, Yarlalu Thomas said that the project’s future development will be guided by the needs and perspectives of the Aboriginal communities it aims to serve.
“We really want to scale across whatever is required for the community, so we’re open to having that conversation and making sure that it’s a community-driven approach,” Mr. Thomas said.
Lyfe Language’s Champion Program, which the Stan Perron Charitable Foundation supports through a Health Research Grant awarded in 2020, is aimed at recruiting and supporting a taskforce of young Aboriginal people who can work within their community to develop healthcare resources tailored to their language and culture.
With a particular emphasis upon high-school and university students, the program has already recruited participants engaged with language groups across Western Australia, the Northern Territory and the Torres Strait.
“To me on a personal level it is about learning about my own history, my ancestors and my community. It is a project which has sparked a lot of questions I have about who I am and how my people are. The project is a perfect way for me to marry my passion of health with my hunger for connection to my country,” said Shahmir, a Champion for the Badimaya people whose country lies to the south of Mount Magnet.
“I hope that this project allows local languages to be spoken more often, with more confidence, by a lot more people. It would be amazing if a patient can present to their healthcare provider and explain in their own language what their concerns are, and their clinician being able to fully understand them.”
Whether through community engagement and translation or in the development of cutting-edge software and medical technology, the participants in Lyfe Languages are working towards a healthier future — not just for patients and families, but for the languages they speak and the cultures they cherish.
To discover more, visit: http://lyfelanguages.com/
Lyfe Languages’ Dr Gareth Baynam and Yarlalu Thomas, a Nyangumarta man and Precision Public Health Fellow at the Roy Hill Foundation
Published: 5 August 2022