View - LIME Network

Box 9.7.2Sharing the True Stories — improving communication inIndigenous health careFrom 2001 to 2005 the Sharing the True Stories (STTS) longitudinal participatoryaction research project was conducted in renal and hospital services in the NT. Theaim of the project was to improve health outcomes for Indigenous people by identifyingand addressing barriers to effective communication between Indigenous patients andNT health care workers.The project was conducted in two stages. Stage 1 identified factors that limitedeffective communication between Indigenous patients and health care workers in asatellite dialysis unit in Darwin, NT. Stage 2 focused on developing and evaluatingstrategies and resources to bring about constructive change in health service deliveryto Indigenous patients.Stage 1 was conducted from January to August 2001 and found thatmiscommunication and lack of shared understanding between health staff andIndigenous renal patients had seriously limited the patients’ opportunity and capacity tomake informed choices about their health care.Stage 2 found that the following strategies improved intercultural communication inIndigenous health:• effective use of Indigenous interpreters, which means, training Indigenousinterpreters to prepare them for work with health care workers. As a result of theSTTS project participating interpreters gained experience in interpreting in renal andhospital contexts and an education in biomedical concepts.• effective educational resources for Indigenous patients about the physiologicalprocesses and treatment options. Indigenous people involved in the project stated apreference for ‘learning in action’ (for example role-playing) instead of books orwebsites. Educational resources for health staff about the cultural, social andeconomic realities confronting Indigenous patients and their families.• engaging Indigenous people in the development of strategies and resources toimprove intercultural communication and education gives Indigenous people morecontrol of their health care.• community consultation, training and education of patients and their supporting kinin self-care home haemodialysis.Source: Cass et al. 2002; Coulehan et al. 2005.FUNCTIONAL ANDRESILIENT FAMILIESAND COMMUNITIES