Abstract
BackgroundOverall the physical health of Indigenous men is among the worst in Australia. Research has indicated that modifiable lifestyle factors, such as poor nutrition and physical inactivity, appear to contribute strongly to these poor health conditions. To effectively develop and implement strategies to improve the health of Australia's Indigenous peoples, a greater understanding is needed of how Indigenous men perceive health, and how they view and care for their bodies. Further, a more systematic understanding of how sociocultural factors affect their health attitudes and behaviours is needed. This article presents the study protocol of a community-based investigation into the factors surrounding the health and body image of Indigenous Australian men.Methods and designThe study will be conducted in a collaborative manner with Indigenous Australian men using a participatory action research framework. Men will be recruited from three locations around Australia (metropolitan, regional, and rural) and interviewed to understand their experiences and perspectives on a number of issues related to health and health behaviour. The information that is collected will be analysed using modified grounded theory and thematic analysis. The results will then be used to develop and implement community events in each location to provide feedback on the findings to the community, promote health enhancing strategies, and determine future action and collaboration.DiscussionThis study will explore both risk and protective factors that affect the health of Indigenous Australian men. This knowledge will be disseminated to the wider Indigenous community and can be used to inform future health promotion strategies. The expected outcome of this study is therefore an increased understanding of health and health change in Indigenous Australian men, the development of strategies that promote healthy eating and positive patterns of physical activity and, in the longer term, more effective and culturally-appropriate interventions to improve health.
Highlights
Overall the physical health of Indigenous men is among the worst in Australia
This study will explore both risk and protective factors that affect the health of Indigenous Australian men
Aims and expected outcomes The overall aim of this study is to examine factors related to eating and physical activity among young Indigenous Australian men, and their attitudes and behaviours relating to their body, diet, and physical activity
Summary
Research framework The study will be conducted using a participatory action research (PAR) framework [51]. We will work collaboratively with these men to develop the interview protocol, recruit participants, work with men and their families, collect, analyse and interpret data, and find appropriate and sensitive ways of disseminating the findings for each stage of research Through this approach, information gained from the study will be shaped, researched and analysed in partnership with Indigenous men living in these communities. Inbuilt in our approach are several methods to establish the trustworthiness of our data [67] These include checks to ensure the authenticity, quality and the consistency of our interpretations grounded in the data: prolonged engagement (the need for sufficient time and interaction to establish rapport, trust and purpose), triangulation (discussions with the men’s families), peer debriefing (our advisory panels); and collaboration and member checking (research questions, procedures, and analyses will be co-constructed between the research team and the participants of the study). The project has been approved by the Deakin University Human Research Ethics Committee (DU-HREC 2009-182), and will be approved by the relevant organisations and community elders in each location
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