Rural Aboriginal Communities Research Articles

Assessment of vocabulary comprehension in Bilingual Qom - Spanish Indigenous children in Northern Argentina: Evidence for education, language preservation, and psycholinguistic theory

In this study we adapted the Computerized Comprehension Task (CCT), to be used in rural native communities with bilingual children learning Qom Indigenous language and the Chaco dialect of Argentinean Spanish. The main objectives were (a) to test the utility of this task, which provides accuracy and response time measures of decontextualized vocabulary, for use with children from three to seven years in schools and rural settings; (b) to assess Qom children’s vocabulary learning trajectories in both languages. The adaptation of the CCT was based on extensive fieldwork establishing language usage patterns, word frequency, and age of acquisition. Eighty-three children from three to seven years of age living in Chaco Province were assessed in Qom and Spanish, employing the CCT adaptation. Findings provided evidence of attrition of children’s heritage language (which is on par with vocabulary in the majority language up until age five), beginning as children approach elementary school.

Responsiveness of a rural Aboriginal community controlled health organisation: A qualitative study.

Responsiveness of health care systems is a global concept defined as the ability of systems to function in a manner that meets the expectations of individuals, and is under-studied. In Australia, Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs) are valued by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples for the provision of holistic culturally safe primary health care and are well positioned to be responsive to community needs. To develop a conceptual framework examining the responsiveness of a rural ACCHO to the health care needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples in their service region. A qualitative interview study using abductive reasoning was conducted. Interviews conducted with Aboriginal clients, key informants, and ACCHO health personnel from two evaluations undertaken in partnership with a rural ACCHO located in Victoria, Australia, were analysed through an iterative process of identifying key concepts from the data and evidence. Key concepts were used to develop a conceptual framework. Across the two evaluations, 22 participants were involved in data collection and 28 interviews were undertaken. A conceptual framework examining the responsiveness of a rural ACCHO to the health care needs of Aboriginal Peoples within their service region was developed and encompassed three concepts: operating within a complex adaptive system, mechanisms of responsiveness used by the ACCHO, and challenges experienced by the ACCHO when being responsive. The developed conceptual framework expands on research supporting the value of ACCHOs in providing holistic culturally safe health care to their communities, particularly in rural settings. A key finding is the importance for ACCHOs to meet the health care needs of their community whilst navigating needs in the context of the broader health care system. When dissonance is encountered between external system components and community needs, challenges can be experienced such as adequately resourcing models of service delivery and maintaining the provision of services. Conceptualising the health care system as a complex adaptive system in which an ACCHO operates and is responsive, highlights the competing demands experienced. Findings expand on mechanisms of responsiveness used at the service-user interface. Future research should examine how the broader health care system can support the role and functions of ACCHOs in being responsive to the health care needs of their communities.

Retracted: Identifying Strategies to Improve Enrollment and Participation in Three Rural Native American WIC Programs

Abstract Objectives The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) has a strong track record of improving birth and health outcomes in high-risk populations. For the past decade and a half, WIC enrollment among Native American women and children has declined by approximately 40% for reasons that have not yet been elucidated. The objectives of this work are to 1) Understand the individual-, household-, and community-level factors that facilitate and impede participation in three rural tribal WIC programs, and 2) Identify strategies for addressing significant unexplained declines in WIC participation. Methods We partnered with three tribal WIC agencies – two in the Southwest and one in the Midwest – to plan and conduct this formative research. In-depth qualitative interviews (n = 35) were conducted with current and former WIC participants, eligible non-participants, WIC staff, tribal health administrators, and managers of food store that accept WIC in each study community. Interview transcripts were inductively coded and crosscutting emergent themes across communities were identified by four researchers. Results Tribal WIC agencies are highly valued for their culturally-competent staff and the integration of traditional knowledge and values into their services. However, participation barriers related to internet and telephone connectivity have become amplified during the COVID-19 pandemic, and a complicated and often embarrassing food shopping experience is a major obstacle to WIC benefit redemption in small rural food stores. Dominant themes differed greatly by community, indicating that intervention strategies to address declines in WIC participation should be tailored to community-level infrastructure, policy, and cultural values, which are unique to each community. Conclusions This work represents an important step toward improving understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the WIC program in rural Native communities and identifying key focus areas for future interventions. Funding Sources Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Healthy Eating Research Grant #77,235.

Indigenous practices of accounting on the ground: a Bourdieusian perspective

PurposeThis study explores accounting practice in an Indigenous organization. This organization is embedded within a rural Aboriginal community in the country currently known as Australia. In doing so, this study illustrates the intertwining of accounting practice, practitioners, organizations and social/cultural context, while recognizing that the cultural embeddedness of accounting is not uniform.Design/methodology/approachEmpirical materials were collected as part of a qualitative field study with an Indigenous organization. Specific methods include interviews, informal conversations, documentary reviews and participant observations. These materials were analysed through a Bourdieusian perspective.FindingsBy working with Indigenous Peoples on the ground, rather than relying on secondary materials, this study highlights how the values of a community challenge and reorient accounting practice towards community aspirations. This study illustrates how fields beyond the organization influence accounting practice, including in budgeting and assurance.Originality/valueExploring Indigenous practices of accounting maintains Indigenous agency and opens up space for alternative understandings and practices of accounting. By illustrating how a community can influence the accounting practice of an organization, this study has implications for wider understandings of the cultural embeddedness of mainstream accounting and possible alternatives.

Managing oral health care and prevention: The experience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders living in a rural community in Queensland, Australia

ObjectiveTo understand the experience of rural Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in engaging with oral health care services and programs in order to support the development of oral health services and prevention programs that better meet their needs.DesignThe study used a qualitative research design, which aims to describe participants' lived experience of engaging with oral health services and prevention programs in a rural Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. Focus group discussions and in‐depth interviews were conducted with 27 participants. The 15 transcribed discussions were analysed using a 6‐step phenomenological process.SettingA rural community in Queensland, Australia, with a predominantly Aboriginal population.ParticipantsParticipants were purposively recruited from established health and community groups.Main outcomeSystem‐level barriers to accessing and engaging with oral health services and prevention influence how communities manage oral health and seek treatment.ResultsThe study identified 4 main themes describing the community's experience: service location and the efforts required to access oral health services; the financial burden of accessing oral health care and practising prevention; lack of confidence in oral health services; and the avoidance or delaying of accessing care for dental problems. Results confirmed a high burden of oral disease but limited attendance at an oral health facility and difficulties engaging in preventative oral health behaviours. Treatment seeking was usually instigated by the experience of pain and typically at a tertiary health facility.ConclusionAboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in rural communities experience a high burden of oral disease but have limited engagement with oral health services. This is associated with system‐level barriers to accessing and engaging with oral health services and prevention.

Participatory research with a rural Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation: lessons learned using the CONSIDER statement.

In Australia, Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs) are geographically proximal to where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People reside and are valued for providing holistic and culturally safe primary health care. Partnering with ACCHOs in research is appropriate for redressing health inequities experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People, which includes a high burden of chronic disease. Historically, some approaches to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health research have been unethical. Greater accountability in the research process, transparency in reporting, and use of culturally appropriate research methodologies are key recommendations to improving the ethical integrity of research. The need for strengthening the reporting of health research involving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People and Indigenous peoples globally led to the development of the CONSolIDated critERia for strengthening the reporting of health research involving Indigenous peoples (CONSIDER statement), which is a synthesis of international ethical guidelines. This project report uses the CONSIDER statement to critically reflect on participatory research undertaken in partnership with an ACCHO in the rural context and to identify lessons of value for future research. By using the CONSIDER statement as a tool for critical reflection, it was identified that processes used to establish a research partnership with an ACCHO were key to setting the research agenda, including identifying ethical issues, the needs of local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People, and expectations from the research. The participation of Aboriginal community members throughout the entire research process was not only methodologically important but was also ethically appropriate. Research activities in this project included opportunities for Aboriginal community members to directly share their perspectives and experiences and develop local solutions to issues affecting them. Outcomes included evidence to support future funding applications, community-derived priorities that assisted with government reporting, and locally identified methods for addressing chronic disease management. Key to this was building the research capacity and capability of local Aboriginal community members, which also reflected the ethical principles of reciprocity and equity. This also provided opportunities for non-Indigenous researchers to learn from local Aboriginal community members and develop skills in culturally appropriate research. Using the CONSIDER statement was beneficial in enabling researchers to critically reflect on a participatory research project undertaken in partnership with a rural ACCHO. Researchers identified that participatory approaches can be used to generate research of relevance to local Aboriginal community members and their ACCHOs, and to support health service reporting, and future funding applications. Research timelines and activities needed to be flexible and adaptable, to allow for staff turnover and unforeseen events of cultural significance. Similarly, it is important for researchers to be receptive to change and open to learning. Although research partnerships are established on trust and mutual respect, it is recommended that greater formal provisions are required to protect the intellectual property of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities involved in research. These lessons are likely to be transferrable to other settings and are of value to researchers seeking to partner with ACCHOs in research.

Engaging with a rural Aboriginal community to identify strategies to improve oral health within their community: a qualitative study.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders bear a higher burden of oral disease compared to non-Indigenous persons. Rural Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities are further disadvantaged due to service access difficulties. This study, initiated by community concern for oral health identified through its Health Action Group, aimed to explore a rural Aboriginal community's strategies to resolve oral health problems. Community members are aware of local barriers and potential facilitators for improving oral health within their community. Their identification of priority strategies can be used to inform the delivery of oral healthcareservices and to develop oral healthcare promotion programs for the community. Co-designing solutions with the community should be an integral part of solving complex problems such as oral health. A qualitative research study using a phenomenological research design with focus group discussions and in-depth interviews was completed in partnership with a rural community in Queensland, Australia, with a predominantly Aboriginal population. The research team included Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal personnel; community and external personnel; and dental and non-dental personnel. The collaborative approach included the development, implementation, analysis and interpretation of the research involving the community through its Health Action Group. Community engagement led to the recruitment of 27 participants from local health and community groups. Themes emerging from the data included: reducing financial barriers to accessing oral health care; integrating oral health care with other health services; increasing oral healthcare promotion activities; and ensuring local input and cultural safety within local oral healthcare services.

Palliative Care in Rural Aboriginal Communities: Conversations Around Experiences and Needs.

The aim of this study was to investigate the experiences and needs of Aboriginal community members with regard to rural community-based palliative care. Conversations with Aboriginal Elders were conducted. (In this Aboriginal community, Elders was not confined to older age. It referred to community leaders and includes [younger] emerging leaders.) The results were analyzed using descriptive analysis. Our study showed that there was a general lack of understanding of palliative care as distinct from curative care and limited awareness of services available. There was a strong need for clear information and on-call and practical support. Some concerns were expressed regarding limited awareness among health care providers of specific cultural needs. However, the home-based nature of palliative care was not, in itself, perceived as a barrier, provided that appropriate respect was displayed. We concluded that the current lack of understanding and awareness of services still impedes access to, and utilization of, care. More attention is needed for specific cultural needs. Adoption of a cultural humility approach for the promotion and delivery of palliative care seems to best fit the expressed needs and experiences of the participants.

'We walked side by side through the whole thing': A mixed-methods study of key elements of community-based participatory research partnerships between rural Aboriginal communities and researchers.

ObjectivesTo advance the rural practice in working with Aboriginal communities by (a) identifying the extent of community partners' participation in and (b) operationalising the key elements of three community‐based participatory research partnerships between university‐based researchers and Australian rural Aboriginal communities.DesignA mixed‐methods study. Quantitative survey and qualitative one‐on‐one interviews with local project implementation committee members and group interviews with other community partners and project documentation.SettingThree rural Aboriginal communities in New South Wales.ParticipantsThirty‐seven community partners in three community‐based participatory research partnerships of which 22 were members of local project implementation committees and 15 were other community partners who implemented activities.InterventionCommunity‐based participatory research partnerships to develop, implement and evaluate community‐based responses to alcohol‐related harms.Main outcomes measuresCommunity partners' extent of and experiences with participation in the community‐based participatory research partnership and their involvement in the development and implementation processes.ResultsCommunity partners' participation varied between communities and between project phases within communities. Contributing to the community‐based participatory research partnerships were four key elements of the participatory process: unique expertise of researchers and community‐based partners, openness to learn from each other, trust and community leadership.ConclusionTo advance the research practice in rural Aboriginal communities, equitable partnerships between Aboriginal community and research partners are encouraged to embrace the unique expertise of the partners, encourage co‐learning and implement community leadership to build trust.

Evaluation of a culturally sensitive social and emotional well-being program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.

To evaluate Deadly Thinking, a social and emotional well-being promotion program targeted to remote and rural Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Deadly Thinking aims to improve emotional health literacy, psychological well-being and attitudes towards associated help-seeking. Participants completed pre/post-test evaluations via a brief self-report survey immediately before and after the Deadly Thinking workshop. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in rural and regional Australia. Data were obtained from 413 participants (69.8% female, mean age 41.6years), of whom 70.4% identified as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders. Deadly Thinking workshops involve participant's engaging with a series of videos and facilitated group discussions with other participants related to social and emotional well-being topics relevant to individuals and communities. Participants completed measures of psychological distress, suicidal ideation, substance use, changes in attitudes towards help-seeking and help-seeking intentions and satisfaction with the workshop. Additionally, participants in a train-the-trainer workshop rated their perceived confidence to deliver the program post-workshop. Participants reported positive perceptions of community safety and well-being and low rates of marked distress, with no significant difference between train-the-trainer and community workshop participants. Results indicated significant improvement in help-seeking intentions post-workshop and high rates of satisfaction with workshop components. Initial evaluation indicates good acceptability and feasibility of delivering the Deadly Thinking program in rural and remote Indigenous communities; however, more robust evaluation of the program is warranted using controlled conditions to measure effectiveness, particularly for changing in help-seeking behaviour.

Formigas como recurso alimentar e medicinal

Este texto traz uma revisão dos artigos que descrevem a importância das formigas para humanos no aprovisionamento alimentar e no tratamento de doenças, aspectos que vão além do suporte aos serviços ambientais que estes animais realizam. Reunimos e atualizamos as informações a respeito do uso das formigas como recurso alimentar e medicinal por comunidades nativas indígenas e rurais no Brasil, na América Latina e em outros continentes. Os resultados compilados do presente estudo demonstram que a mirmecofagia é ainda amplamente empregada em vários locais do mundo, sendo uma fonte nutricional importante. Ao todo, foram registradas 52 espécies de formigas utilizadas como alimento. Quanto ao uso medicinal, foram registradas, até o presente momento, 19 espécies de formigas. Além das propriedades antifúngicas e antibacterianas dos hormônios produzidos pelas glândulas mandibular e metapleural, existem os hidrocarbonetos cuticulares, bem como as secreções da glândula de veneno e das glândulas associadas ao aparelho de ferrão que produzem substâncias químicas com aplicações em problemas estomacais, respiratórios, circulatórios e também nas hemorragias, artrites e dores em geral. Assim, abordamos dois aspectos da interação formigas/humanos e destacamos o histórico do seu uso no Brasil.

Uptake and acceptability of human papillomavirus self-sampling in rural and remote aboriginal communities: evaluation of a nurse-led community engagement model

BackgroundAboriginal women experience disproportionately higher rates of cervical cancer mortality yet are less likely to participate in screening for early detection. This study sought to determine whether a community-based HPV self-sampling service model can effectively recruit never-screened and under-screened Aboriginal women to participate in cervical cancer screening; assess the clinical outcomes; and explore the acceptability of the model from the perspective of the participants.MethodsAboriginal women aged 25–69 years of age were recruited from eight rural and remote communities in New South Wales, Australia to participate in HPV self-sampling via a community-based service model. Outcome measures were: number of women screened by HPV self-sampling, their prior cervical screening status (under-screened or never-screened), clinical outcomes and participation in follow-up pathways of care, and satisfaction with the service model.ResultsIn total, 215 women conducted a HPV self-sampling test and 200 evaluation surveys were completed. One-fifth of participants (n = 46) were never-screened and one-third (n = 69) were under-screened. Many were unsure of their screening status. Nine women were HPV 16/18 positive and eight had completed all follow up by the conclusion of the study. A further 30 women tested positive for a high risk type other than HPV 16/18 (HPV other), of which 14 had completed follow up at the conclusion of the study. Satisfaction with the HPV self-sampling kit, the process of self-sampling and the service model was high (> 92% satisfied on all items). Many women had difficulty understanding their official HPV results and placed high importance on the nurse explaining it to them.ConclusionsA community-based service model that respects Aboriginal Women’s Business can effectively recruit under-screened and never-screened Aboriginal women to complete cervical cancer screening. Furthermore, this service model supports them to complete recommended follow-up care and engage with their local existing health services.

Factors influencing the perceived importance of oral health within a rural Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community in Australia

BackgroundIndigenous Australians suffer from higher rates of oral disease and have more untreated dental problems and tooth extractions than the general population. Indigenous Australians also have lower rates of accessing oral health services and are more likely to visit for a problem rather than a check-up. Multiple issues effect health service and prevention programs including: characteristics of health services such as distances to health services; existence of social and cultural barriers; available wealth and social support; and, characteristics of the individual and community including the importance given to the disease. This paper seeks to explore the perceived importance of oral health within a rural Indigenous community in Australia and the factors influencing this perception.MethodsThe study used a phenomenology research design incorporating focus group discussions and in-depth interviews. It was undertaken in partnership with communities’ Health Action Group who guided the focus, implementation and reporting of the research. A convenience sample was recruited from established community groups. Thematic analysis on the transcripts was completed.ResultsTwenty-seven community members participated in three focus groups and twelve in-depth interviews. The study found that the community gives high priority to oral health. Factors influencing the importance include: the perceived severity of symptoms of oral disease such as pain experienced due to tooth ache; lack of enabling resources such as access to finance and transport; the social impact of oral disease on individuals including impact on their personal appearance and self-esteem; and health beliefs including oral health awareness. Participants also noted that the importance given to oral health within the community competed with the occurrence of multiple health concerns and family responsibilities.ConclusionThis paper highlights the high importance this rural Indigenous community gives to oral health. Its findings suggest that under-utilisation of oral health services is influenced by both major barriers faced in accessing oral health services; and the number and severity of competing health and social concerns within the community. The study results confirm the importance of establishing affordable, culturally appropriate, community-based oral health care services to improve the oral health of rural Indigenous communities.

Zoeken naar het overbruggen van afstand binnen een Aboriginal gemeenschap

Trying to gain access to an isolated rural Aboriginal community in Western Australia This article describes my enterprise to collect data about health literacy among an isolated rural Aboriginal community in Western Australia. The aim of the research was to find out whether an adapted survey about health literacy for less developed and lower income countries could be used to collect data on this issue among a rural isolated Aboriginal community. I was confronted with three challenges into gaining access to this community. In the first place, I had never been to Australia, secondly I am not from Aboriginal descent and thirdly, the community was isolated geographically. In this article, I describe my ways of gaining access to persons from this isolated community, which included working in the canteen of the community school and preparing weekly a healthy snack for the school children, working in the local allotments which offer subsidized jobs to persons without work, and visiting local organizations. In this way, I was finally able to speak with about 18 persons, half of them being from Aboriginal descent, about issues related to health literacy.

Barriers and facilitators to implementation of VA home-based primary care on American Indian reservations: a qualitative multi-case study

BackgroundVeterans Health Affairs (VA) home-based primary care (HBPC) is an evidence-based interdisciplinary approach to non-institutional long-term care that was developed in urban settings to provide longitudinal care for vulnerable older patients. Under the authority of a Memorandum of Understanding between VA and Indian Health Service (IHS) to improve access to healthcare, 14 VA medical centers (VAMC) independently initiated plans to expand HBPC programs to rural American Indian reservations and 12 VAMC successfully implemented programs. The purpose of this study is to describe barriers and facilitators to implementation in rural Native communities with the aim of informing planners and policy-makers for future program expansions.MethodsA qualitative comparative case study approach was used, treating each of the 14 VAMC as a case. Using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) to inform an open-ended interview guide, telephone interviews (n = 37) were conducted with HBPC staff and clinicians and local/regional managers, who participated or oversaw implementation. The interviews were transcribed, coded, and then analyzed using CFIR domains and constructs to describe and compare experiences and to identify facilitators, barriers, and adaptations that emerged in common across VAMC and HBPC programs.ResultsThere was considerable variation in local contexts across VAMC. Nevertheless, implementation was typically facilitated by key individuals who were able to build trust and faith in VA healthcare among American Indian communities. Policy promoted clinical collaboration but collaborations generally occurred on an ad hoc basis between VA and IHS clinicians to optimize patient resources. All programs required some adaptations to address barriers in rural areas, such as distances, caseloads, or delays in hiring additional clinicians. VA funding opportunities facilitated expansion and sustainment of these programs.ConclusionsSince program expansion is a responsibility of the HBPC program director, there is little sharing of lessons learned across VA facilities. Opportunities for shared learning would benefit federal healthcare organizations to expand other medical services to additional American Indian communities and other rural and underserved communities, as well as to coordinate with other healthcare organizations. The CFIR structure was an effective analytic tool to compare programs addressing multiple inner and outer settings.

Rural American Indian and Alaska Native veterans' telemental health: A model of culturally centered care.

American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) veterans living in rural areas have unique health care needs and face numerous barriers to accessing health care services. Among these needs is a disproportionate prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder and other mental illnesses. Since 2001, 14 rural communities have partnered with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the Centers for American Indian and Alaska Native Health at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus to extend telemental health clinics to American Indian veterans. Administrative and, to some extent, clinical considerations of these clinics have been reviewed previously. This paper describes a model of care, evolved over a 14-year period, that weaves together evidence-based Western treatment, traditional Native healing, and rural Native communities into 4 main components: mental health care, technology, care coordination, and cultural facilitation. We delineate improvements to care made by addressing barriers such as system transference, provider-patient trust, and videoconferencing. Similarly, the discussion notes ways that the care model leverages strengths within Native communities, such as social cohesion and spirituality. Future steps include selection of appropriate performance indicators for systematic evaluation. The identification of key constructs of this care model will facilitate comparisons with other models of care in underserved populations with chronic and complex health conditions, and eventually advance the state of care for our warriors. (PsycINFO Database Record

Rural Educational Tourism's Potential

Growth trends in life-long learning, and rural tourism indicate potential for the rural educational tourism sector; however; there is very little empirical research on how this niche tourism, which may include activities such as, agricultural school excursions/exchange programmes, “farm-to-table” culinary courses, artisan craft programs, etc., might build local capacity, support sustainable rural economies, and mobilize place-based ways of learning that are required for global sustainability. This research project, which is at the conceptual/exploratory stage, aims to explore the economic, social and environmental impacts of rural educational tourism. There is no existing research that brings together rural development and place-based educational tourism in a Canadian context. Sub-questions with particular relevance to rural development policy and planning include: How was rural educational tourism integrated within a greater economic and learning development strategy? What new roles and competencies did stakeholders require and how were they developed? What changes from traditional forms of policy development were required? How were issues of sustainability, environmental impact, and conservation addressed? How did the quality and quantity of interconnections change? Since educational tourism has received very little research attention, comparative case studies with mixed methods are a suitable approach. I hope to include educational tourism activities in rural Aboriginal communities, pending consultation, and with an understanding of Aboriginal research as being research by and with Aboriginal Peoples. My approach emphasizes and values the existing strengths, assets and knowledge systems of rural communities.

Riding the rural radio wave: The impact of a community-led drug and alcohol radio advertising campaign in a remote Australian Aboriginal community.

Aboriginal people experience a higher burden of disease as a consequence of drug and alcohol (D&A) abuse. Although media campaigns can be a popular tool for disseminating health promotion messages, evidence of the extent to which they reduce the impact of substance abuse is limited, especially for rural Aboriginal communities. This paper is the first to examine the impact a locally designed D&A radio advertising campaign for Aboriginal people in a remote community in Western NSW. A post-intervention evaluation. The radio campaign was implemented in Bourke, (population 2465, 30% Aboriginal). Fifty-three community surveys were completed. The self-reported level of awareness of the campaign and the number of self-referrals to local D&A workers in the intervention period. Most respondents (79%) reported they listen to radio on a daily basis, with 75% reporting that they had heard one or more of the advertisements. The advertisement that was remembered best contained the voice of a respected, local person. There was one self-referral to local health services during the intervention timeframe. The community-led radio advertising campaign increased community awareness of substance abuse harms, but had limited impact on formal help-seeking. This paper highlights the value of radio as a commonly used, trusted and culturally relevant health promotion medium for rural communities, especially when engaging local respected Aboriginal presenters.

Confronting barriers and recognizing opportunities: Developing effective community-based environmental monitoring programs to meet the needs of Aboriginal communities

Aboriginal communities can be negatively affected by resource development, but often they do not have a full opportunity to participate in project review and the resulting monitoring and mitigation activities. Cumulative impacts of resource development are also typically neglected in monitoring protocols that focus on a limited number of environmental values, rather than adopting a long-term, holistic view of development over time and space. Community-based environmental monitoring (CBEM) is emerging as a way to meaningfully include local Aboriginal citizens in the decision-making process as well as the assessment of the long-term impacts of the development of natural resources. We explored opportunities and barriers for developing CBEM programs that meet the needs of small and rural Aboriginal communities that are faced with the rapid and wide-spread development of natural resources. We conducted interviews with a local Aboriginal community, and natural resource management practitioners who could provide perspectives on the application of CBEM to resource management in north-central British Columbia, Canada. Results demonstrate that CBEM offers a locally adapted and culturally appropriate approach to facilitate the participation of Aboriginal communities in natural resource decision making and management. The interpretation of the specific role and purpose of CBEM differed among participants, depending on their objectives for and concerns about natural resource development. However, all parties were consistent in viewing CBEM as an effective method for engaging in dialogue, cooperation, and tracking environmental change. The development or improvement of CBEM programs should consider the efficacy of monitoring protocols, social cohesion and relationships, ability to inform decision-making, and effectiveness of CBEM for the members of the community.

Stayin' on Track: the feasibility of developing Internet and mobile phone-based resources to support young Aboriginal fathers.

Young Aboriginal fathers face social and emotional challenges in the transition to fatherhood, yet culturally appropriate support mechanisms are lacking. Peer mentoring to develop online- and mobile phone-based resources and support may be a viable approach to successfully engage these young men. This feasibility study engaged two trusted Aboriginal mentors and researchers to partner with one regional and two rural Aboriginal communities in New South Wales, Australia. Early in the research process, 20 young Aboriginal fathers were recruited as co-investigators. These fathers were integral in the development of web-based resources and testing of mobile phone-based text messaging and mood-tracking programs tailored to provide fathering and mental health support. Overwhelmingly positive feedback from evaluations reinforced community pride in and ownership of the outcomes. The young men's involvement was instrumental in not only developing culturally appropriate support, but also in building their capacity as role models for other fathers in the community. The positive results from this feasibility study support the adoption of participatory approaches in the development of resources for Aboriginal communities.