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

Moving Forward TogetherJanet Kellyencouraged. In this new clinical settings however, such behaviour wasconsidered to be over servicing. The only other service available at the timewas a diabetes program. Some of the women began attending. However,because they were seeking ongoing support and connection more than thehealth content, they were at times non-compliant with the program goals andexpected outcomes. These community women did not fit neatly within theplanned service provision and so became positioned as the Other, as difficultclients. They repeatedly sought services even through they were notparticularly ill or suffering a chronic condition. The local Aboriginal womensought ongoing contact for their health and well being, and the Aboriginalhealth services sought to meet the complex health needs of a wider Aboriginalpopulation.Even when women focused programs were developed, the women were stillpositioned as the Other due to specific program foci. For example, theAboriginal Primary Health Care Access Program (APHCAP) promoted apartnership approach with specific policies focusing on maternal and childhealth. Unfortunately this excluded the Aboriginal women in CollaborationOne as they had older children. Following program target group criteria, heathprofessionals promoted a group for young Aboriginal women at the GillesPlains campus. The four local Aboriginal women were informed by AboriginalHealth Workers that they were not to attend because they did not fit the criteria(as per the policy). However, what occurred was that very few young womenattended, possibly because the health service was still becoming known andthere were few networks. There was a worker, resources and a holisticwomen’s program, but very few clients. The local Aboriginal women observedthis under-utilisation, identified their own longstanding needs and invitedthemselves in. The Aboriginal Mothers Group of 1999 had included and valuedthe role of older women as carers of children, but in this selective primary careprogram, the women were considered to be inappropriate participants and onceagain monopolising services.The extent and frequency to which inclusion or exclusion, connection orOthering occurred was dependent upon many factors including personalities,people’s energy levels, policies and what else was happening at the time. For256