Moving Forward Together in Aboriginal Women's Health: - Theses ...

Moving Forward TogetherJanet Kellysupport were written by managers of the Gilles Plains Community HealthService, the Gilles Plains Aboriginal Outreach Health Service and Shine SA(see Appendix 3).Informed consent and supportive paperworkTo ensure participant consent was voluntary and informed, a Research StudyInformation Sheet (Appendix 4) and Letter of Introduction (Appendix 5) werecreated and distributed. Those interested in being involved in the research wereprovided with an age appropriate Consent Form to be involved in interviews orfocus groups (Appendix 6) and a list of Trigger Questions (Appendix 7),written in plain English. In addition, a list of de-briefing, counselling andreferral pathways were provided (Appendix 8) in recognition that the researchprocess may raise issues that may be distressing for some co-researchers andother participants.Co-researchers were encouraged to take the form, read it, think about it anddiscuss it with family members, friends or colleagues if they chose. A specificform was developed to enable young people under sixteen, not living with caregivers, to be involved, however none of the participants fitted into this criteria.Co-researchers were invited to attend interviews by themselves or with others,in a time and space of their preference. Similarly, consent from potential focusgroup members was discussed and all consent was given and the time andspace negotiated.Most participants asked to meet for interviews in the clinic room I used as acommunity health nurse at the Gilles Plains campus, reinforcing that myposition as nurse/researcher was well accepted and trusted. I ensured that allparticipants understood that whether they were involved in the research or nothad no impact on the health care I or my colleagues would provide for them. Ioffered all participants alterNative health care providers. Some thanked mepolitely, said yes they understood, and then asked me to do their women’shealth checks. A hand out listing referral and counselling options was alsoproduced, in recognition that discussing women’s issues can raise distressingmemories or issues.117