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

Moving Forward TogetherJanet KellyMethodsThe methods used in this Collaboration Area included communityconsultations, semi structured interviews and focus groups with triggerquestions, and document analysis. There were also less formal discussions faceto face, via the telephone or email, and formal meetings such as staff meetings,and meetings between different agencies. These methods were used in repeatedand multilayered cycles of PAR. For example, the entire activities in thiscollaboration followed the pattern of Look and Listen, Think and Discuss andTake Action. I first spoke with, and listened to, co-researchers and stakeholdersin interviews and focus groups, analysed and interpreted themes coming fromthese discussions, and then worked together to develop positive action to bettermeet the needs of local Aboriginal women. Within this were mini cycles ofPAR such as when the co-researchers and stakeholders realised the need formore immediate action, discussed the options and decided to hold a women’shealth day.Co-researcher selectionIn this Collaboration Area I invited all of the health staff and managersworking at/ or being involved with health service provision at Gilles Plains,from both Aboriginal health and community health services over a period ofeighteen months. Three nurses, four receptionists, two doctors, ten Aboriginalhealth workers and four managers became involved voluntarily. All nurseswere non-Aboriginal, two receptionists were Aboriginal and two were non-Aboriginal, both doctors were non-Aboriginal, all Aboriginal health workersidentified as Aboriginal, and two managers were Aboriginal and two non-Aboriginal. We met together for community consultations, discussions,meetings, interviews, focus groups and PAR activities. Eight chose to becomeinvolved in semi structured interviews (five from Aboriginal health, three fromcommunity health) and two Aboriginal health workers and one nurse becamethe core co-researchers in the action phase.Stakeholder selectionStakeholders in this Collaboration Area were Aboriginal clients and potentialclients of the health service, in particular the women co-researchers from209