| An education for health example from a community in Central Australia
An effective education for health process was demonstrated in Harts Range (Atitjere) in
1993/4. The nurse had been talking to mothers and AHWs about the link between skin sores
and other sickness, and had also raised awareness about the link between poor health in
dogs and children's skin health.
When Commonwealth funding for dog programs became available, the community council took
the opportunity to arrange skills training for an Aboriginal Health Worker. He was trained
in skills to treat parasites and give contraceptive medicine to the dogs; this training
was given by a visiting veterinary surgeon from Alice Springs. He also found that dog
owners needed accurate information to understand the treatment and its effects, one of
which may cause the death of some dogs.
The AHWs and some community members started a local project to wash and feed the dogs.
As dog health improved, so did skin health amongst family groups. People could see the
positive results of their efforts combined with the veterinary treatments.
The four AHWs in Haarts Range and Alcoota, as part of their ongoing professional
development activities with the then Open College staff, decided to develop some local
resources to help pass on information about dog health, and about other health issues they
felt were important. The nurse, as a resource person, prepared a submission to receive
National Health Advancement funding through the Health Promotion Unit. The funds were used
to develop and print posters to promote positive messages about breast feeding, bush food,
bush medicine and dog health. People supported the project and the health workers with
enthusiasm, and the resources were made and displayed in many places around the community
and other areas around Central Australia.
The project helped to stimulate further personal and community action such as
establishment of a campfire cooking program at the Women's Centre, which involved the
store and linked with a literacy program being run by the NT Open College. Related
projects were researched such as the Strong Women, Strong Babies, Strong Culture program.
Gardening and clean community programs were established.
Many of the benefits of these activities came from taking effective education for
health approaches within a Primary Health Care model. Working partnerships between
Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal staff were strengthened as health staff planned together and
helped each other to learn new skills and knowledge. By building on individual strengths
and well established relationships, various roles and tasks were worked out. AHWs'
education roles in the community were extended, which raised personal confidence and
profiles within the community for each AHW.
Staff worked together to decide the best way to share health information with other
community members - when to work with groups such as participants at the Women's Centre,
and when to talk one-to-one. They planned when it was best for the nurse to share
information about other health related topics, such as sexual health, contraception and so
on. This was so that female AHWs and other women of the community could deal with the
cultural aspects of these topics in Arrernte.
The development of such working relationships and approaches takes time, a personal
commitment and constant self-evaluation. These processes are integral to effective
education for health outcomes. People need to feel ownership of programs.
Information provided by Vicki James and Kerry Taylor, Alice Springs |
