‘Alukura … for my daughters and their daughters and their daughters’. A review of Congress Alukura

Abstract

Abstract Objective: To describe the process, findings and limitations of a review of Congress Alukura commissioned in 1998. Methods: Analysis of documents and reports, service use and perinatal data from Alukura and the Northern Territory Midwives Collection; interviews with staff of Congress Alukura, of Central Australian Aboriginal Congress, of Aboriginal community organisations in Alice Springs and remote communities, of health care providers and other key informants in Alice Springs; community consultations through women's meetings or group discussions in local and remote communities. Interviews were coded for thematic and content analysis. Results: Client visits increased by 42% from 1995/96 (2,130) to 1997/98. The proportion of women having a first trimester antenatal visit increased from 23% (1986–88) to 38% (1993–95). Mean birthweight of Aboriginal infants in the Alice Springs urban area was 3,168 g in 1986–90, 3,271 g in 1991–95, and 3,268 g in 1996–99. Other primary and maternity care providers perceived the quality of care to be high and saw Alukura playing a key role through transport, liaison, screening and follow‐up. Alukura was much less successful in its role as a place for birth. Expectations of additional outreach by local and remote communities were high. Discussion: The review's limitations included: a lack of direct input from young women, the main users of Alukura; a timeframe that precluded the detailed discussion necessary for seeking access to medical records, and the need for interpreters in community settings. Current and former staff who participated in the review often had other important community roles. Developments since the review are discussed briefly.