Using qualitative methodology to inform an Indigenous-owned oral health promotion initiative in Australia

Abstract

Indigenous Australians experience poor oral health. Oral health perceptions among a group of rural-dwelling Indigenous Australians were explored so that a culturally appropriate, community-owned oral health promotion initiative might be developed. Focus group methodology was used, with prompt questions including oral health knowledge, oral health's role in general health, how community oral health had changed in recent times, the causes of poor oral health and ways to prevent poor oral health at a community level. Some 34 participants took part; age range 21-72 years. A core category emerged from the data and was labelled 'cultural adaptation'. Five sub-categories were also identified; 'lifestyle changes', 'oral health behaviours', 'barriers to dental care', 'impact of poor oral health' and 'oral health literacy'. Participants felt that historical legacy impacted on the oral health of community members, through continued practices of being told what to do, where to live and what oral health services were available to them. Participants perceived they had little power over their oral health or oral health care decisions. Findings from the focus group discussions were used in the development of a context-specific, oral health promotion initiative, which involved construction of an audiovisual tool in Phase I and a series of interactive, context-specific seminars focused on key issues raised in the focus groups in Phase II. Oral health promotion initiatives among rural-dwelling Indigenous Australians may be more successful if perceptions of the anticipated audience are considered in the design stage of such strategies.

Associations between Indigenous Australian oral health literacy and self-reported oral health outcomes

“…In previous projects, focus groups had revealed themes of concern such as poor oral health systems navigation and a poor understanding of oral health information and health behaviours [24]. Following feedback from the community, this study was developed to investigate associations between oral health literacy and self-reported oral health outcomes.…”

Understanding health talk in an urban Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander primary healthcare service: a cross-sectional study

“…Strait Islander people is limited to a few studies identifying an association between inadequate dental health literacy and poorer dental health outcomes among Aboriginal Australians residing in rural South Australia (Jamieson et al 2008;Parker and Jamieson 2010;Jamieson et al 2013). Assessment of health literacy will provide some indication of the prevalence of adequate health literacy, increase health professionals' awareness of the need to provide health information that is easily understood by patients and assist Indigenous Australians to better manage their illness.…”

The Children’s Oral Health Initiative: An intervention to address the challenges of dental caries in early childhood in Canada’s First Nation and Inuit communities

“…13,14 Indigenous people have perceived that they have had little power over their oral health or oral health carerelated decisions. 15 Historically, Canadian federal policies have limited the autonomy of FN/I communities in determining and addressing their own health needs. 16,17 In contrast, COHI's continued expansion to over half of the country's 636 Aboriginal communities during the past decade is an example of effective collaboration between FN/I communities and the federal health regions.…”

“…24 Non-indigenous dental service providers conveying information about oral health are not always easily related to by the indigenous patients using their services. 25 However, the COHI aides can effectively deliver oral health messages because they share a culture and background with the community. This use of community oral health workers to facilitate improvements in the oral health of marginalized populations has been demonstrated in other indigenous populations.…”