Evaluation of ‘Ask the Specialist’: A cultural education podcast to inspire improved healthcare for Aboriginal peoples in Northern Australia

Vicki Kerrigan; Stuart Yiwarr McGrath; Rarrtjiwuy Melanie Herdman; Pirrawayingi Puruntatameri; Bilawara Lee; Alan Cass; Anna P. Ralph; Marita Hefler

doi:10.1080/14461242.2022.2055484

Evaluation of ‘Ask the Specialist’: A cultural education podcast to inspire improved healthcare for Aboriginal peoples in Northern Australia

Vicki Kerrigan, Stuart Yiwarr McGrath, Rarrtjiwuy Melanie Herdman, Pirrawayingi Puruntatameri, Bilawara Lee, Alan Cass, Anna P. Ralph, Marita Hefler

Menzies School of Health Research

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

8 Citations (Scopus)

98 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

In Australia’s Northern Territory (NT) most people who access health services are Aboriginal and most healthcare providers are non-Indigenous; many providers struggle to deliver culturally competent care. Cultural awareness training is offered however, dissatisfaction exists with the limited scope of training and the face-to-face or online delivery format. Therefore, we developed and evaluated Ask the Specialist: Larrakia, Tiwi and Yolŋu stories to inspire better healthcare, a cultural education podcast in which Aboriginal leaders of Larrakia, Tiwi and Yolŋu nations, known as the Specialists, answer doctors’ questions about working with Aboriginal patients. The Specialists offer ‘counterstories’ which encourage the development of critical consciousness thereby challenging racist narratives in healthcare. After listening to the podcast, doctors reported attitudinal and behavioural changes which led to stereotypes being overturned and more culturally competent care delivery. While the podcast was purposefully local, issues raised had applicability beyond the NT and outside of healthcare. Our approach was shaped by cultural safety, critical race theory and Freirean pedagogy. This pilot is embedded in a Participatory Action Research study which explores strategies to improve culturally safe communication at the main NT hospital Royal Darwin Hospital.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	139-157
Number of pages	19
Journal	Health Sociology Review
Volume	31
Issue number	2
Early online date	Apr 2022
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/14461242.2022.2055484
Publication status	Published - 2022

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Vicki Kerrigan was supported by an Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship and Improving Health Outcomes in the Tropical North: A multidisciplinary collaboration (HOT NORTH)’, (NHMRC GNT1131932). Stuart Yiwarr McGrath was supported by HOT NORTH Indigenous Development and Training Award (NHMRC GNT 113193). Anna P Ralph was supported by an NHMRC fellowship 1142011. Alan Cass was supported by a NHMRC Investigator [grant number 1194677]. Funding to undertake data collection was provided by the Menzies School of Health Research Grants Scheme. The authors would like to thank: Top End Health Service particularly the anonymous doctors who participated in this project and Sean Taylor for his support; Bernadette Nethercott, Curtis Roman and all staff from the NT Aboriginal Interpreter Service. We also thank the anonymous reviewers and journal editors who provided us with beautifully considered and constructive feedback. We are very grateful for their time.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Access to Document

10.1080/14461242.2022.2055484

56397530-oaFinal published version, 2.07 MBLicence: CC BY-NC-ND

Cite this

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abstract = "In Australia{\textquoteright}s Northern Territory (NT) most people who access health services are Aboriginal and most healthcare providers are non-Indigenous; many providers struggle to deliver culturally competent care. Cultural awareness training is offered however, dissatisfaction exists with the limited scope of training and the face-to-face or online delivery format. Therefore, we developed and evaluated Ask the Specialist: Larrakia, Tiwi and Yol{\ng}u stories to inspire better healthcare, a cultural education podcast in which Aboriginal leaders of Larrakia, Tiwi and Yol{\ng}u nations, known as the Specialists, answer doctors{\textquoteright} questions about working with Aboriginal patients. The Specialists offer {\textquoteleft}counterstories{\textquoteright} which encourage the development of critical consciousness thereby challenging racist narratives in healthcare. After listening to the podcast, doctors reported attitudinal and behavioural changes which led to stereotypes being overturned and more culturally competent care delivery. While the podcast was purposefully local, issues raised had applicability beyond the NT and outside of healthcare. Our approach was shaped by cultural safety, critical race theory and Freirean pedagogy. This pilot is embedded in a Participatory Action Research study which explores strategies to improve culturally safe communication at the main NT hospital Royal Darwin Hospital.",

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Evaluation of ‘Ask the Specialist’: A cultural education podcast to inspire improved healthcare for Aboriginal peoples in Northern Australia

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Access to Document

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The barriers to effective communication between Aboriginal patients and hospital-based doctors in Darwin

Cite this

Evaluation of ‘Ask the Specialist’: A cultural education podcast to inspire improved healthcare for Aboriginal peoples in Northern Australia

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Projects

The barriers to effective communication between Aboriginal patients and hospital-based doctors in Darwin

Cite this