Archives
Expanding Roles of Aboriginal Health Workers in the Primary Care Setting: Seeking Recognition
Penny Abbott
General Practitioner, Aboriginal Medical Service Western Sydney, Sydney NSW
Elaine Gordon
Senior Aboriginal Health Worker, Aboriginal Medical Service Western Sydney, Sydney NSW
Joyce Davison
Senior Aboriginal Health Worker, Aboriginal Medical Service Western Sydney, Sydney NSW
Abstract
The work of Aboriginal health workers (AHWs) in the primary care setting is discussed, emphasising that partnership with non-Indigenous health providers such as nurses and general practitioners brings complementary skills together to improve the health care available to Aboriginal clients, and to decrease the cultural and communication barriers to delivering such health care. The diverse skills and responsibilities of AHWs, which include clinical, health promotion, education and leadership roles, are illustrated. The current focus on increasing AHW educational opportunities, and the need to recognise AHWs as core health professionals and equal members of the health care team is presented. The increasing recognition of the role of AHWs in providing cultural mentorship for non-Indigenous colleagues is discussed.
Keywords
Aboriginal health worker, general practice, primary care, cultural mentorship, partnership with non-Indigenous health workers
References
Australian General Practice Training (2004) A Framework for General Practice Training in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health. General Practice Education and Training, accessed at http://www.agpt.com.au on 10 October 2006.
Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council (2006) Accessed at http://www.ahmrc.org.au, on 22 October 2006.
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2005) Health services: provision, access and use. Chapter 10 in, The Health and Welfare of Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples 2005, accessed at http://www.aihw.gov.au/publications on 9 October 2006.
Australian Medical Association (2004) AMA discussion paper 2004. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health. Healing hands – Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Workforce Requirements, accessed at http://www.ama.com.au/web.nsf/doc/WEEN-6PV2VX on 4 October 2006.
Bird and Henderson (2005) Recognising and enhancing the role of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workers in general practice, Aboriginal and Islander Health Worker Journal 29: 32-34.
Briggs L (2004) An overview of current workforce issues, Aboriginal and Islander Health Worker Journal 28: 19-23.
Cass A, Lowell A, Christie M, Snelling PL, Flack M, Marrnganyin, B and Brown I (2002) Sharing true stories: improving communication between Aboriginal patients and healthcare workers, Medical Journal of Australia 176: 466-470.
Curtin Indigenous Research Centre (2001) Training re-Visions: A National Review of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Worker Training. Curtin Research Centre, Centre for Educational Research and Evaluation Consortium, Jojara and Associates. Perth: Curtin University.
Dollard J, Stewart T, Fuller J and Blue I (2001) Aboriginal health worker status in South Australia, Aboriginal and Islander Health Worker Journal 25: 28-30.
Jackson D, Brady W and Stein I (1999) Towards (re)conciliation: (re)constructing relationships between indigenous health workers and nurses, Journal of Advanced Nursing 29: 97-103.
James Cook University School of Medicine (2003) Cultural Mentor Handbook: The Centre for General Practice and Rural Medicine; James Cook University, accessed at http://www.healthinfonet.ecu.edu.au on 4 October 2006.
King M (2001) The diabetes health care of Aboriginal people in South Australia (Part 2), Contemporary Nurse 10: 156-162.
Mitchell M and Hussey LM (2006) The Aboriginal health worker, Medical Journal of Australia 184: 529-530.
Moore L, Webb R, Abbott P and Zonca B (2006) Cooking Classes for Diabetes - a partnership between Daruk Aboriginal Medical Service and the Western Sydney Institute of TAFE, Aboriginal and Islander Health Worker Journal 30: 11-13.
National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (2006) accessed at http://www.naccho.org.au/ on 4 October 2006.
National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health Council (2003) National Strategic Framework for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health: Framework for action by Governments. Canberra.
Panaretto KS and Wenitong M (2006) The general practitioner, Medical Journal of Australia 184: 527-528.
Ritchie JE (1991) From health education to education for health in Australia: a historical perspective, Health Promotion International 6: 157-163.
Rose M and Jackson Pulver LR (2004) Aboriginal health workers: professional qualifications to match their health promotion roles, Health Promotion Journal of Australia 15(3): 240-244.
Rowley KG, Daniel M, Skinner K, Skinner M, White GA and O'Dea K (2000) Effectiveness of a community-directed ‘healthy lifestyle’ program in a remote Australian Aboriginal community, Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health 24: 136-44.
Si D, Bailie RS, Togni SJ, d’Abbs PH and Robinson GW (2006) Aboriginal health workers and diabetes care in remote community health centres: a mixed method analysis, Medical Journal of Australia 185: 40-45.
Thomas DP, Heller RF, and Hunt JM (1998) Clinical consultations in an Aboriginal community-controlled health service: a comparison with general practice, Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health 22: 86-91.
Wallerstein N and Sanchez-Merki V (1994) Freirian praxis in health education: research results from an adolescent prevention program, Canadian Journal of Public Health 87: 24-27.
Williams S (2001) The Indigenous Australian health worker: can research enhance their development as health and community development professionals? Aboriginal and Islander Health Worker Journal 25: 9-15.
eContent Home