Issue addressed: Aboriginal males who use drug and alcohol may experience unique barriers accessing primary health care. This study explores the perceptions of Aboriginal males in treatment for drug and alcohol use around their experiences accessing primary health care, and barriers to access.Methods: Twenty male Aboriginal clients at a fee-paying residential drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre completed semi-structured interviews about their primary health care experiences before their stay. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to inductively develop themes.Results: About half the males had regular General Practitioners at a mainstream primary health care service or Aboriginal Medical Service. Positive experiences included having medical needs met or understanding the health information provided; and negative experiences included inefficient health service or system processes or experiencing cultural bias or racism. Barriers included limited access to appointments or to the same GP regularly, long wait times, lack of access to transport, worry or fear about their health or the visit or their complex lives taking priority. Conclusion:This research showed that the participants sought out health care and identified barriers to accessing care and potential improvements.So what?: Access to a regular General Practitioner, continuity of care and culturally appropriate and comprehensive communication techniques are important to facilitate access to primary health care by Aboriginal males. Efforts to enhance access may focus on inherent strengths within Aboriginal communities including focusing on relationships between clinicians and families, providing a welcoming environment and encouraging clients to bring a trusted family member to appointments.
Introduction Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCO) have an important role in the Australian health‐care sector. However, there has been a lack of research evaluating ACCOs in the treatment of alcohol and other drug (AOD) use. Using a benchmarking approach, the present study examined within treatment changes on measures of wellbeing for people attending a residential AOD ACCO. Methods The study focused on The Glen, an AOD residential treatment service that is managed by the Ngaimpe Aboriginal Corporation (n = 775). The Glen is a male‐only service and provides treatment to both Indigenous and non‐Indigenous men. The evaluation focused on measures of wellbeing (i.e. symptom distress and quality of life) collected at intake, 30 and 60 days during the person's stay. Comparative benchmarking was conducted with a cohort of men who were attending non‐ACCO residential AOD treatment services (n = 4457). Results The Glen participants demonstrated statistically significant improvements on measures of wellbeing. The Glen participants were more likely to complete treatment than participants attending non‐ACCO services. Likewise, Indigenous people attending The Glen were more likely to complete treatment (compared to Indigenous people attending non‐ACCO services). Rates of reliable and clinically significant change suggested that changes in quality of life were largely equivalent between The Glen and non‐ACCO services, while participants attending The Glen tended to demonstrate larger reductions in symptom distress compared to the non‐ACCO services. Discussion and Conclusion The study provides further support for the important role that ACCOs play in supporting Indigenous people in their recovery.
Background Primary healthcare (PHC) services are crucial in supporting people who use substances. The aims of this study were to explore the experiences of Aboriginal males in NSW in treatment for substance use about speaking about their substance use with PHC staff, and their preferences for accessing PHC about their substance use. Methods Semi-structured interviews with residential drug and alcohol rehabilitation treatment service clients. Thematic analysis was used to develop themes inductively and deductively. Two interviews were independently double coded by an Aboriginal researcher and the project was supported by an Aboriginal Advisory Group. Results Twenty male adults who self-identified as Aboriginal participated (mean age 27 years). Half reported visiting PHC and talking about their substance use before their residential service stay. Two major themes developed: (1) speaking up about substance use or mental health problems linked with substance use, (2) ways to improve access to PHC about substance use. Although some males were offered treatment, some were not, and others had concerns about the treatments offered. Conclusion This research highlights opportunities to improve access and to better support Aboriginal males who use substances in PHC. Focus on culturally appropriate PHC and providing staff with training around substance use and treatment options may improve access. It is important to foster culturally appropriate services, develop PHC staff knowledge around substance use, focus on therapeutic relationships and have a range of treatment options available that can be tailored to individual circumstances.
Background Primary healthcare (PHC) services are crucial in supporting people with substance use problems. The aims of this study were to explore Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (hereafter Aboriginal) males in treatment for substance use problems experiences about speaking about their substance use with PHC staff, and their preferences for accessing PHC about their substance use.MethodsSemi-structured interviews with residential drug and alcohol rehabilitation treatment service clients. Thematic analysis was used to develop themes inductively and deductively. Two interviews were independently double coded by an Aboriginal researcher and the project was supported by an Aboriginal Advisory Group.ResultsTwenty male adults who self-identified as Aboriginal participated (mean age 27 years). Half reported visiting PHC and talking about their substance use before their residential service stay. Two major themes developed: (1) asking for help for substance use or mental health problems linked with substance use, (2) ways to improve access to PHC about substance use. Although some males were offered treatment, some were not, and others had concerns about the treatments offered. ConclusionThis research highlights opportunities to improve access and to better support Aboriginal males with substance use problems in PHC. Focus on culturally appropriate PHC and providing staff with training around substance use and treatment options may improve access. It is important to foster culturally appropriate services, develop PHC staff knowledge around substance use, focus on therapeutic relationships and have a range of treatment options available that can be tailored to individual circumstances.
Background Primary healthcare (PHC) services are crucial in supporting people with substance use problems. The aims of this study were to explore Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (hereafter Aboriginal) males in treatment for substance use problems experiences about speaking about their substance use with PHC staff, and their preferences for accessing PHC about their substance use.MethodsSemi-structured interviews with residential drug and alcohol rehabilitation treatment service clients. Thematic analysis was used to develop themes inductively and deductively. Two interviews were independently double coded by an Aboriginal researcher and the project was supported by an Aboriginal Advisory Group.ResultsTwenty male adults who self-identified as Aboriginal participated (mean age 27 years). Half reported visiting PHC and talking about their substance use before their residential service stay. Two major themes developed: (1) asking for help for substance use or mental health problems linked with substance use, (2) ways to improve access to PHC about substance use. Although some males were offered treatment, some were not, and others had concerns about the treatments offered. ConclusionThis research highlights opportunities to improve access and to better support Aboriginal males with substance use problems in PHC. Focus on culturally appropriate PHC and providing staff with training around substance use and treatment options may improve access. It is important to foster culturally appropriate services, develop PHC staff knowledge around substance use, focus on therapeutic relationships and have a range of treatment options available that can be tailored to individual circumstances.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.