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

Moving Forward TogetherJanet Kellywould prevent it from being housed within the university library and beingread by a mixed gendered audience 17 .Community consultationsBeing a nurse/researcher who already had mutually respectful relationshipswith many of the Aboriginal people and other stakeholders enhanced thecommunity consultation process, and enabled us to have deep discussions inrelatively short periods of time. Prior to applying for ethics, I consulted withlocal Aboriginal community women, Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal staff andmanagers associated with the Gilles Plains Campus, and Aboriginalcoordinators of state wide women’s programs such as cervix screening,women’s health and sexual and reproductive health. I asked the followingquestions ‘if I was going to do research concerning Aboriginal women’s healthand primary health care, what do you think is important that I do and include?What would make this research meaningful? What would you like to seehappen? What are the priorities?’The Elder women and co-ordinators of Aboriginal women’s health programsreinforced that:The community has had enough of people coming in and doing surveys andresearch, and then nothing happens and they never hear of it again. We thinkyou’d better work with the women and make sure that something actuallyhappens spoken on behalf of the group by Ros Pierce.Another saidIf young Aboriginal women could feel respected, loved, accepted andworthwhile for one day, that would be a marvellous thing.The Aboriginal community women ‘connected’ with the Gilles Plains Campusat the time (early 2005) were interested in research that could help us get ourwomen’s group happening. They were tired of talk, they wanted action.17 As part of the PhD agreement, a copy of the thesis needs to go into the university library. Eventhough there is the capacity to place sensitive material in closed reserve area with restrictedaccess, the Ngarrindjeri women preferred to ensure that no sensitive material was in it at all.120