“Got to build that trust”: the perspectives and experiences of Aboriginal health staff on maternal oral health

International Journal for Equity in Health

Nathan Jones¹  Ariana C. Kong²  Ravi Srinivas³  Lucie Ramjan⁴  Ajesh George⁵  Kylie Gwynne⁶  Folau Talbot⁷  Mariana S. Sousa⁸  Joanne Goulding⁹  Michelle Dickson^1,10 

[1] Aboriginal Health Unit, South Western Sydney Local Health District, 2170, Liverpool, NSW, Australia;Centre for Oral Health Outcomes and Research Translation (COHORT), School of Nursing and Midwifery, Western Sydney University/South Western Sydney Local Health District / Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, 2170, Liverpool, NSW, Australia;Centre for Oral Health Outcomes and Research Translation (COHORT), School of Nursing and Midwifery, Western Sydney University/South Western Sydney Local Health District / Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, 2170, Liverpool, NSW, Australia;Oral Health Services, South Western Sydney Local Health District, 2170, Liverpool, NSW, Australia;School of Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, 2006, Camperdown, NSW, Australia;Centre for Oral Health Outcomes and Research Translation (COHORT), School of Nursing and Midwifery, Western Sydney University/South Western Sydney Local Health District / Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, 2170, Liverpool, NSW, Australia;Translational Health Research Institute, 2560, Campbelltown, NSW, Australia;Centre for Oral Health Outcomes and Research Translation (COHORT), School of Nursing and Midwifery, Western Sydney University/South Western Sydney Local Health District / Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, 2170, Liverpool, NSW, Australia;Translational Health Research Institute, 2560, Campbelltown, NSW, Australia;School of Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, 2006, Camperdown, NSW, Australia;Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, 2109, Macquarie Park, NSW, Australia;Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, 2006, Camperdown, NSW, Australia;IMPACCT - Improving Palliative, Aged and Chronic Care through Clinical Research and Translation, Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, 2007, Broadway, NSW, Australia;Primary and Community Services, South Western Sydney Local Health District, 2170, Liverpool, NSW, Australia;Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, 2006, Camperdown, NSW, Australia;

关键词: Aboriginal;    Dental;    Pregnancy;    Qualitative;    Yarning;    Model of care;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12939-020-01301-5

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundIn Australia, models of care have been developed to train antenatal care providers to promote oral health among pregnant women. However, these models are underpinned by Western values of maternity care that do not consider the cultural needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women. This study aimed to explore the perceptions and experiences of Aboriginal health staff towards oral health care during pregnancy. It is part of a larger program of research to develop a new, culturally safe model of oral health care for Aboriginal women during pregnancy.MethodsA descriptive qualitative methodology informed the study. Focus groups were convened to yarn with Aboriginal Health Workers, Family Partnership Workers and Aboriginal management staff at two antenatal health services in Sydney, Australia.ResultsA total of 14 people participated in the focus groups. There were four themes that were constructed. These focused on Aboriginal Health Workers and Family Partnership Workers identifying their role in promoting maternal oral health, where adequate training is provided and where trust has been developed with clients. Yet, because the Aboriginal health staff work in a system fundamentally driven by the legacy of colonisation, it has significantly contributed to the systemic barriers Aboriginal pregnant women continue to face in accessing health services, including dental care. The participants recommended that a priority dental referral pathway, that supported continuity of care, could provide increased accessibility to dental care.ConclusionsThe Aboriginal health staff identified the potential role of Aboriginal Health Workers and Family Partnership Workers promoting oral health among Aboriginal pregnant women. To develop an effective oral health model of care among Aboriginal women during pregnancy, there is the need for training of Aboriginal Health Workers and Family Partnership Workers in oral health. Including Aboriginal staff at every stage of a dental referral pathway could reduce the fear of accessing mainstream health institutions and also promote continuity of care. Although broader oral health policies still need to be changed, this model could mitigate some of the barriers between Aboriginal women and both dental care providers and healthcare systems.

【 授权许可】

CC BY