Exploring self-determined solutions to service and system challenges to promote social and emotional wellbeing in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people: a qualitative study

Anna P. Dawson; Anna P. Dawson; Eugene Warrior; Odette Pearson; Odette Pearson; Mark A. Boyd; Mark A. Boyd; Judith Dwyer; Kim Morey; Tina Brodie; Kurt Towers; Sonia Waters; Cynthia Avila; Courtney Hammond; Katherine J. Lake; Katherine J. Lake; ‘Uncle’ Frank Lampard; ‘Uncle’ Frank Lampard; ‘Uncle’ Frank Wanganeen; Olive Bennell; Darrien Bromley; Toni Shearing; Nathan Rigney; Schania Czygan; Nikki Clinch; Andrea Pitson; Alex Brown; Alex Brown; Natasha J. Howard; Natasha J. Howard

doi:10.3389/fpubh.2023.1206371

Frontiers in Public Health (Sep 2023)

Exploring self-determined solutions to service and system challenges to promote social and emotional wellbeing in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people: a qualitative study

Anna P. Dawson,
Anna P. Dawson,
Eugene Warrior,
Odette Pearson,
Odette Pearson,
Mark A. Boyd,
Mark A. Boyd,
Judith Dwyer,
Kim Morey,
Tina Brodie,
Kurt Towers,
Sonia Waters,
Cynthia Avila,
Courtney Hammond,
Katherine J. Lake,
Katherine J. Lake,
‘Uncle’ Frank Lampard,
‘Uncle’ Frank Lampard,
‘Uncle’ Frank Wanganeen,
Olive Bennell,
Darrien Bromley,
Toni Shearing,
Nathan Rigney,
Schania Czygan,
Nikki Clinch,
Andrea Pitson,
Alex Brown,
Alex Brown,
Natasha J. Howard,
Natasha J. Howard

Affiliations

Anna P. Dawson: Wardliparingga Aboriginal Health Equity, South Australian Health and Research Institute, Adelaide, SA, Australia
Anna P. Dawson: Adelaide Medical School, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
Eugene Warrior: Wardliparingga Aboriginal Health Equity, South Australian Health and Research Institute, Adelaide, SA, Australia
Odette Pearson: Wardliparingga Aboriginal Health Equity, South Australian Health and Research Institute, Adelaide, SA, Australia
Odette Pearson: Adelaide Medical School, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
Mark A. Boyd: Adelaide Medical School, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
Mark A. Boyd: Division of Medicine, Northern Adelaide Local Health Network, Adelaide, SA, Australia
Judith Dwyer: College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia
Kim Morey: Wardliparingga Aboriginal Health Equity, South Australian Health and Research Institute, Adelaide, SA, Australia
Tina Brodie: Wardliparingga Aboriginal Health Equity, South Australian Health and Research Institute, Adelaide, SA, Australia
Kurt Towers: Division of Medicine, Northern Adelaide Local Health Network, Adelaide, SA, Australia
Sonia Waters: Aboriginal Services, AnglicareSA, Adelaide, SA, Australia
Cynthia Avila: Aboriginal Health, Sonder, Adelaide, SA, Australia
Courtney Hammond: Wardliparingga Aboriginal Health Equity, South Australian Health and Research Institute, Adelaide, SA, Australia
Katherine J. Lake: Wardliparingga Aboriginal Health Equity, South Australian Health and Research Institute, Adelaide, SA, Australia
Katherine J. Lake: Indigenous Health Equity, Centre for Health Equity, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Carlton, VIC, Australia
‘Uncle’ Frank Lampard: Division of Medicine, Northern Adelaide Local Health Network, Adelaide, SA, Australia
‘Uncle’ Frank Lampard: Executive Office, Kaurna Elder and Aboriginal Community Representative, Adelaide, SA, Australia
‘Uncle’ Frank Wanganeen: Executive Office, Kaurna Elder and Aboriginal Community Representative, Adelaide, SA, Australia
Olive Bennell: Executive Office, Nunga Mi:Minars Inc., Adelaide, SA, Australia
Darrien Bromley: 0Executive Office, InCompro Inc., Adelaide, SA, Australia
Toni Shearing: Division of Medicine, Northern Adelaide Local Health Network, Adelaide, SA, Australia
Nathan Rigney: 1Aboriginal Health Promotion, Wellbeing SA, Adelaide, SA, Australia
Schania Czygan: Aboriginal Health, Sonder, Adelaide, SA, Australia
Nikki Clinch: 2Statewide Operations, South Australian Department for Corrections, Adelaide, SA, Australia
Andrea Pitson: 3Aboriginal Education Directorate, South Australian Department for Education, Adelaide, SA, Australia
Alex Brown: 4Indigenous Genomics, Telethon Kids Institute, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
Alex Brown: 5National Centre for Indigenous Genomics, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
Natasha J. Howard: Wardliparingga Aboriginal Health Equity, South Australian Health and Research Institute, Adelaide, SA, Australia
Natasha J. Howard: Adelaide Medical School, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1206371
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 11

Abstract

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IntroductionMany Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living on Kaurna Country in northern Adelaide experience adverse health and social circumstances. The Taingiwilta Pirku Kawantila study sought to understand challenges facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and identify solutions for the health and social service system to promote social and emotional wellbeing.MethodsThis qualitative study applied Indigenous methodologies undertaken with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander governance and leadership. A respected local Aboriginal person engaged with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community members and service providers through semi-structured interviews and yarning circles that explored community needs and challenges, service gaps, access barriers, success stories, proposed strategies to address service and system challenges, and principles and values for service design. A content analysis identified the breadth of challenges in addition to describing key targets to empower and connect communities and optimize health and social services to strengthen individual and collective social and emotional wellbeing.ResultsEighty-three participants contributed to interviews and yarning circles including 17 Aboriginal community members, 38 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander service providers, and 28 non-Indigenous service providers. They expressed the need for codesigned, strengths-based, accessible and flexible services delivered by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workers with lived experience employed in organisations with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership and governance. Community hubs and cultural events in addition to one-stop-shop service centres and pre-crisis mental health, drug and alcohol and homelessness services were among many strategies identified.ConclusionHolistic approaches to the promotion of social and emotional wellbeing are critical. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are calling for places in the community to connect and practice culture. They seek culturally safe systems that enable equitable access to and navigation of health and social services. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workforce leading engagement with clients is seen to safeguard against judgement and discrimination, rebuild community trust in the service system and promote streamlined access to crucial services.

Published in Frontiers in Public Health

ISSN: 2296-2565 (Online)
Publisher: Frontiers Media S.A.
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Medicine: Public aspects of medicine
Website: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health

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