Sharing the number dhäwu (story): exploring quantitative data for First Nations decision-making in a very remote Birthing on Country demonstration site

Birthing on Country models of maternity care are community governed models that centre First Nations worldviews and ways of knowing,
being, and doing. In Australia, Birthing on Country sites typically use routinely collected maternity services data to evaluate service
effectiveness. However, like other types of government data, routinely collected maternity data tends to reflect the priorities of non-
Indigenous peoples and governments. Research on approaches to using routinely collected maternity data, and other quantitative data, to
inform First Nations maternal and infant health decision-making is lacking, particularly in remote communities.
In this project, Jess will work with community-based Yolŋu researchers to explore collaborative approaches to analysing, sharing and
developing maternal and infant health data in a very remote Birthing on Country demonstration site. This project will integrate findings
from three studies. In study 1, a scoping review will describe approaches to building shared intercultural understanding of health concepts
between Yolŋu and non-Indigenous people. Study 2 involves participatory action research to identify the skills, processes and resources
needed to analyse and disseminate local maternity services data. Study 3 involves participatory action research to identify the skills,
processes and resources needed for First Nations-led development of maternal and infant health data for governance. Findings from this
project will inform approaches to using quantitative data for First Nations decision-making in the Galiwin’ku Birthing on Country
demonstration site, and may be of use to other Birthing on Country sites.