Researchers: Dr Andrea McKivett, A/Prof Dr David Paul (The University of Western Australia); A/Prof Shaun Ewen (Melbourne School of Population and Global Health)
Funding:
Project summary: The poor state of health in the Australian Aboriginal population is a well known fact. Australian Aboriginal patients suffer poor outcomes of health secondary to a wide number of factors. As health professionals, we have a responsibility to ensure best practice for our individual patients is implemented to enable the achievement of good health outcomes.
The goal of this research project is to, through discussion with medical practitioners, explore significant experiences and influences on decision-making and preparedness to engage in Aboriginal health.
A persons willingness to engage, manage, and potentially advocate for the needs of another is one of the great aspects of medicine. This study hopes to discuss this very notion and seek to explore what encourages this in Doctors. This could potentially lead to further ideas on how to apply such factors to the broader medical community. Not only is effective engagement important in working towards building better outcomes in the health system, it can be applied to the general community when working towards reconciliation.
The clinical-decision making process is a complex one, and has been addressed in recent literature. This process is a core component of the implementation of best practice, and will be looked into in this study. This study aims to explore different experiences and influences that medical practitioners have that may work in with their decision-making process, promoting best practice in Aboriginal health
The study will involve qualitative research obtained through short, 15-20 minute semi-structured interviews involving medical practitioners.
The improvement of Aboriginal health outcomes along with advocating for a better future for the Aboriginal population is a clear goal driving this research project. The research hopes to contribute to the medical community through the discussions had with participants regarding their experiences and influences that promote best practice and engagement in Aboriginal health. Any key influences or experiences found may then be utilised in guiding future educational and training tools for medical practitioners. This would work towards ensuring the ongoing effective development of training medical practitioners in the field of Aboriginal health and the ongoing implementation of best practice.
Progress: Ongoing