Closing the gap between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal health workers through story telling

2017 ◽  
Vol 30 ◽  
pp. 36
Author(s):  
Cindy Wendt
Keyword(s):  
Health Workers ◽  
Aboriginal Health ◽  
Story Telling ◽  
Closing The Gap

scholarly journals A Qualitative Study Exploring the Experiences and Perspectives of Australian Aboriginal Women on Oral Health during Pregnancy

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (15) ◽  
pp. 8061
Author(s):  
Ariana Kong ◽  
Michelle Dickson ◽  
Lucie Ramjan ◽  
Mariana S. Sousa ◽  
Joanne Goulding ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oral Health ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Torres Strait Islander ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Aboriginal Health ◽  
Health Staff ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Aboriginal Women ◽  
Torres Strait

The aim of this study was to explore whether oral health was an important consideration for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women during pregnancy, whether oral health could be promoted by Aboriginal health staff, and strategies that would be appropriate to use in a new model of care. A qualitative descriptive methodology underpinned the study. All participants in this study identified as Aboriginal, with no Torres Strait Islander participants, and were from New South Wales, Australia. The interviews were analysed using inductive thematic analysis. From the data, two themes were constructed. The first theme identified that oral health was not always the first priority for participants as poor accessibility alongside other competing commitments were challenges to accessing oral health services. The second theme highlighted how relationships with personal networks and healthcare providers were essential and could be used to support maternal oral health during pregnancy. Effective strategies to promote oral health during pregnancy for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women should involve key stakeholders and health care providers, like Aboriginal Health Workers, to facilitate culturally safe support and tailored oral health advice.

scholarly journals “Got to build that trust”: the perspectives and experiences of Aboriginal health staff on maternal oral health

2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ariana C. Kong ◽  
Mariana S. Sousa ◽  
Lucie Ramjan ◽  
Michelle Dickson ◽  
Joanne Goulding ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Oral Health ◽  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Dental Care ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Aboriginal Health ◽  
Health Staff ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Aboriginal Women ◽  
Family Partnership

Abstract Background In Australia, models of care have been developed to train antenatal care providers to promote oral health among pregnant women. However, these models are underpinned by Western values of maternity care that do not consider the cultural needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women. This study aimed to explore the perceptions and experiences of Aboriginal health staff towards oral health care during pregnancy. It is part of a larger program of research to develop a new, culturally safe model of oral health care for Aboriginal women during pregnancy. Methods A descriptive qualitative methodology informed the study. Focus groups were convened to yarn with Aboriginal Health Workers, Family Partnership Workers and Aboriginal management staff at two antenatal health services in Sydney, Australia. Results A total of 14 people participated in the focus groups. There were four themes that were constructed. These focused on Aboriginal Health Workers and Family Partnership Workers identifying their role in promoting maternal oral health, where adequate training is provided and where trust has been developed with clients. Yet, because the Aboriginal health staff work in a system fundamentally driven by the legacy of colonisation, it has significantly contributed to the systemic barriers Aboriginal pregnant women continue to face in accessing health services, including dental care. The participants recommended that a priority dental referral pathway, that supported continuity of care, could provide increased accessibility to dental care. Conclusions The Aboriginal health staff identified the potential role of Aboriginal Health Workers and Family Partnership Workers promoting oral health among Aboriginal pregnant women. To develop an effective oral health model of care among Aboriginal women during pregnancy, there is the need for training of Aboriginal Health Workers and Family Partnership Workers in oral health. Including Aboriginal staff at every stage of a dental referral pathway could reduce the fear of accessing mainstream health institutions and also promote continuity of care. Although broader oral health policies still need to be changed, this model could mitigate some of the barriers between Aboriginal women and both dental care providers and healthcare systems.

Keepin Ya Mob Healthy: Aboriginal Community Participation and Aboriginal Health Worker Training in Victoria

2001 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 116 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen Adams ◽  
Merilyn Spratling
Keyword(s):  
Training Program ◽  
Health Worker ◽  
Aboriginal People ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Aboriginal Health ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Community Consultation ◽  
Worker Training ◽  
Health Worker Training ◽  
Aboriginal Health Worker

This article outlines the development of accredited Aboriginal Health Worker training in Victoria. The processes of community consultation are presented as the primary reason for the successful implementation of the training program in its first year of delivery. The most important community consultation processes involved the active input of Elders and Aboriginal Health Workers. The training was seen as more credible by other Koorie people because of the input of these groups. The supportive role played by both the State and Commonwealth governments as well as industry groups are also explored. The successful implementation of the Aboriginal Health Worker training program demonstrates that Aboriginal people know what is best for them and can effectively initiate, organise and deliver their own culturally appropriate training programs.

Insights on Aboriginal Grief Practices from the Northern Territory, Australia

2008 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pam McGrath ◽  
Emma Phillips ◽  
Stephanie Fox-Young
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Large Family ◽  
Aboriginal Health ◽  
Northern Territory ◽  
The Body ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
The Rich ◽  
Rich Data

The rich data drawn from a study to develop an innovative model for Indigenous palliative care are presented to help address the paucity of authentic Indigenous voices describing their grief practices. Interviews with patients, carers, Aboriginal health care workers, health care workers and interpreters were conducted in four geographical areas of the Northern Territory in Australia. Insights and descriptions of the cultural processes and beliefs that follow the death of an Aboriginal person led to the identification of a number of key themes. These included: the emotional pain of grief; traditionalist ways of dealing with grief; the importance of viewing the body; the sharing of grief among large family and community networks, with crying, wailing, ceremonial singing, telling stories and dealing with blame all playing a part in the bereavement processes. Ways for Westerners to offer assistance in culturally sensitive ways were also identified by the participants, and are reported here to enable health workers to begin to understand and respond appropriately to traditionalist ways of experiencing and reacting to grief.

61. GP PERSPECTIVES ON PARTNER NOTIFICATION FOR CHLAMYDIA

Sexual Health ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 308
Author(s):  
N. Pavlin ◽  
R. Parker ◽  
C. A. Hopkins ◽  
M. J. Temple-Smith ◽  
C. K. Fairley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Financial Incentives ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Partner Notification ◽  
Aboriginal Health ◽  
Index Patient ◽  
Role Of Government ◽  
Practice Nurses ◽  
Telephone Interviews ◽  
Computer Based ◽  
Privacy And Confidentiality

As part of a larger, combined qualitative-quantitative study of partner notification, 40 semi-structured in-depth telephone interviews were conducted with General Practitioners (GPs), from Victoria, ACT and Queensland, who had diagnosed at least one case of chlamydia in the last year. Rural doctors and those who had experience working with Aboriginal patients were over-sampled to ensure their views were represented in the study. The interviews explored GPs' current practices with regard to partner notification for chlamydia, barriers they perceived to partner notification for chlamydia in the general practice setting and what resources/incentives they felt would improve partner notification for chlamydia. The GPs in our study primarily ask the index patient to carry out partner notification themselves. It was relatively rare for GPs to have experience of notifying partners on the patient's behalf. Half of the GPs report that they only encourage notification of the patient's current/immediate past partners. There was considerable confusion amongst the GPs interviewed as to the role of government partner notification officers. Many thought that support from a government agency would allow partner notification to occur more effectively. Some were under the impression that this process is automatically activated when they 'notify' that they have diagnosed someone with chlamydia. Some of the main barriers perceived include confusion about issues of privacy and confidentiality with regard to partner notification and the sense that there is a lack of clarity as to what is expected of them in terms of partner notification for chlamydia. Most GPs feel that access to decision support tools and clear guidelines would be helpful. Financial incentives for doing partner notification were seen as particularly important to fund allied health workers' time rather than to pay GPs themselves e.g. for practice nurses and Aboriginal health workers. GPs were enthusiastic about computer based resources to aid in partner notification

Patient, staffing and health centre factors associated with annual testing for sexually transmissible infections in remote primary health centres

Sexual Health ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 274 ◽  
Author(s):  
Belinda Hengel ◽  
Handan Wand ◽  
James Ward ◽  
Alice Rumbold ◽  
Linda Garton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Aboriginal People ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Health Centre ◽  
Randomised Trial ◽  
Laboratory Data ◽  
Aboriginal Health ◽  
Guideline Recommendation ◽  
Cluster Randomised Trial ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Sexually Transmissible Infections

Background: In high-incidence Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) settings, annual re-testing is an important public health strategy. Using baseline laboratory data (2009–10) from a cluster randomised trial in 67 remote Aboriginal communities, the extent of re-testing was determined, along with the associated patient, staffing and health centre factors. Methods: Annual testing was defined as re-testing in 9–15 months (guideline recommendation) and a broader time period of 5–15 months following an initial negative CT/NG test. Random effects logistic regression was used to determine factors associated with re-testing. Results: Of 10 559 individuals aged ≥16 years with an initial negative CT/NG test (median age = 25 years), 20.3% had a re-test in 9–15 months (23.6% females vs 15.4% males, P < 0.001) and 35.2% in 5–15 months (40.9% females vs 26.5% males, P < 0.001). Factors independently associated with re-testing in 9–15 months in both males and females were: younger age (16–19, 20–24 years); and attending a centre that sees predominantly (>90%) Aboriginal people. Additional factors independently associated with re-testing for females were: being aged 25–29 years, attending a centre that used electronic medical records, and for males, attending a health centre that employed Aboriginal health workers and more male staff. Conclusions: Approximately 20% of people were re-tested within 9–15 months. Re-testing was more common in younger individuals. Findings highlight the importance of recall systems, Aboriginal health workers and male staff to facilitate annual re-testing. Further initiatives may be needed to increase re-testing.

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