Journal Article

Using community‐led development to build health communication about rheumatic heart disease in Aboriginal children: a developmental evaluation

Mitchell, Alice G., Francis, Joshua Reginald, Scholes, Mason, Remenyi, Boglarka, Guraylayla, Laurie, Carter, Abigail, Coleman, Carolyn, Jinmarabynana, Cindy, Djorlom, Gideon, Yan, Jennifer, James, Alistair Djalolba, Haynes, Emma, Rankin, Stanley Djalarra, Diddo, Joseph

2021

Overview

A high prevalence of acute rheumatic fever (ARF) and rheumatic heart disease (RHD) among Aboriginal children in northern Australia is coupled with low understanding among families. This has negative impacts on children's health, limits opportunities for prevention and suggests that better health communication is needed. During an RHD echocardiography screening project, Aboriginal teachers in a remote community school created lessons to teach children about RHD in their home languages, drawing on principles of community‐led development. Access to community‐level RHD data, previously unknown to teachers and families, was a catalyst for this innovative work. Careful, iterative discussions among speakers of four Aboriginal languages ensured a culturally coherent narrative and accompanying teaching resources. The evaluation demonstrated the importance of collective work, local Indigenous Knowledge and metaphors. As a result of the lessons, some children showed new responses and attitudes to skin infections and their RHD treatment. Language teachers used natural social networks to disseminate new information. A community interagency collaboration working to prevent RHD commenced. Action to address high rates of RHD must include effective health communication strategies that value Indigenous Knowledge, language and culture, collaborative leadership and respect for Indigenous data sovereignty.

• Publisher: Elsevier B.V,John Wiley & Sons, Inc,Elsevier Limited,Elsevier
• Subject: Aboriginal Australians / Adolescent / Australia - epidemiology / Australian aborigines / Cardiovascular disease / Cardiovascular diseases / Catalysts / Child / Children / Children & youth / Children of minorities / Childrens health / Collaboration / Communication / Communication in medicine / Communication strategies / Community / Community development / Community Participation / Community schools / Community-Based Participatory Research / community‐led development / Coronary artery disease / Culturally Competent Care / Culture / Demographic aspects / developmental evaluation / Discourse strategies / Disease / Echocardiography / Education / Empowerment / Families & family life / Grammatical aspect / Health aspects / Health care / Health Communication / Health education / Health information / Health planning / Health Services, Indigenous - organization & administration / Heart / Heart diseases / Humans / Indigenous knowledge / Indigenous Knowledges / Indigenous languages / Indigenous peoples / Interagency collaboration / Intergovernmental relations / Interorganizational networks / Language / Language attitudes / Language teachers / Languages / Leadership / Learning / Local knowledge / Male / Mass Screening / Medical screening / Metaphor / Methods / Native peoples / Penicillin / Prevalence / Prevention / Public health / Rheumatic fever / Rheumatic heart disease / Rheumatic Heart Disease - ethnology / Rheumatic Heart Disease - prevention & control / Social networks / Social organization / Sovereignty / Teachers / Teaching / Ultrasonic imaging