Increasing community participation in an Aboriginal health service.
OBJECTIVE
To increase Aboriginal participation with mainstream health professionals in an Aboriginal health and well-being centre.


METHODS
Participatory Action Research using Aboriginal traditional symbolism to depict aspects of the research process, interview surveys and a document review.


METHODS
A regional town with 629 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander residents and a newly established Aboriginal health and well-being centre (Nunyara).


METHODS
Thirty Aboriginal community members were interviewed about their involvement with Nunyara and their health issues. Participants were selected through purposive 'pass-me-around' sampling to ensure that all family groups were included.


RESULTS
The results are presented in two areas: the structure of the Aboriginal community that affects participation and community views about health issues. Aboriginal people living in the town come from 10 or more different language groups and relate almost exclusively within their own groups. Activities at Nunyara were seen as individual family group events and not for everyone. Aboriginal community participants had a broad view of health as they reported problems that included smoking and alcohol use. Almost all would like more involvement in health issues through Nunyara.


CONCLUSIONS
Aboriginal community members are willing to get involved in health issues in collaboration with Nunyara. However, fundamental to increasing participation is to bring people together from different family groups and increase social cohesion. This can be done through developing relationships with groups enabling different points of view to be heard and valued.
Champion
Sonia
S
Spencer Gulf Rural Health School, UniSA Adelaide University, Centre for Rural Health and Community Development, Whyalla Norrie, South Australia, Australia.
Franks
Christine
C
Taylor
Judy
J
D003256:Community Participation; D005260:Female; D006303:Health Services, Indigenous / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D011320:Primary Health Care; D012423:Rural Health; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires