Cost constraints in supporting the Healthy Living Practices in remote Aboriginal communities: A Western Australian perspective

The Healthy Living Practices (HLPs) outline nine essential guidelines for maintaining health in remote Aboriginal communities, yet high costs and poor availability make them financially out of reach for many families. We assessed the cost and availability of essential goods required to support the HLPs in eight remote Kimberley community stores, recording prices during three visits in 2022 as part of the SToP (See, Treat, Prevent) Skin Sores and Scabies Trial, and retrospectively comparing these (inflation-adjusted) with Perth and Broome prices in 2024. Owing to limited stock, data were analysed at a Cluster level (geographically proximal communities) using paired-sample t-tests in SPSS. Across 23 store visits, a standardised ‘shopping basket’ was significantly cheaper in Perth ($20.29) and Broome ($21.76) than in remote communities ($39.19–$47.87; p < 0.001); whitegoods (refrigerators, washing machines) were also significantly more expensive remotely ( p < 0.01). Availability was inconsistent—the full basket was available in remote stores in only 56.5% of visits, with essential healthcare items frequently unavailable. These findings indicate that affordability and access to goods required to support the HLPs are substantially compromised in remote Kimberley communities, emphasising the need for targeted policy interventions to ensure equitable health outcomes.