Improving Health Literacy

Today….not Tomorrow”

Its in our Aboriginal peoples hands

Julie Wright – AHP – Colleen Mack – AHPO CAHS PHC Outreach Unit

Important Priorities

Engage Healtri

Must Prioritise

Engaging with our Aboriginal

Health Workforce

WHY?

FACTS/realities ?

• Aboriginal language speakers average 70% of all health

service users in NT.

• Aboriginal health professionals less than 1% of health

workforce.

• High rates of staff turnover

• Inability to communicate effectively puts lives and

practice at risk.

Title

sertionSub HeadingPresenter Name

Departmental Agency

Insert date

Must work towards

Good communication &

Strong Working

Relationships

Who are we?Aboriginal Community Workers

Aboriginal Health Practitioners

SWSBSC Strong Women Workers

Aboriginal Male Health Community Workers

Aboriginal Health Promotion Officer

Also include key Community Members, and community based lifestyle

and stakeholder programs

Aboriginal workforce in clinic, schools, women's centres, council, shop,

police, child care, SWSBSC workers etc.

Also Interpreter service

Someone will help if you keep asking

• Essential to teach provide training to our Aboriginal

Health Workforce and community

• Create safe supportive working environments &

Cultural Induction

• Building relationships with the people /consumers and

their families

• Develop resources and training to use essential tools

when working with the people /consumer and their

families

HELP us help our people

• Create safe supportive working environments

• Provide cultural Induction

• Strengthen relationships with the consumer and

their family

Empower our Aboriginal Health Workforce with the

skills and Knowledge to interpret Health information

to the consumer

• Because Language skills is always important to

the consumer

Definitions

‘Health literacy is about communicating health information clearly and understanding it correctly’ (Osborne, 2014, p1)

the ability to find, understand, and

act on health information.

an interactionbetween

patients and the health care

system

verbal, print, and seek web-

based information

Consumer

• Working together • Provide clinical expertise

• Aboriginal people lead and support remote PHC

• Support people and communities self manage:

preventable chronic conditions. Diabetes, Heart& Kidney Disease,

Mental health Also Environmental Health living

condition issues l

Engaging with Health Service

Centres

Improving Quality Care through our workforce and Language literacy

skills

Multi-disciplinary approach and Education and training is the key to Caring for the consumer

Relationship BuildingFor the

ConsumerHealth teams

Family Community

Help Support Networks Communication and

ReferralsMeetings

DiscussionsWorkshops

Training

People need to understand what your saying if Lifestyle Behaviours

are to be modified Poor Physical ActivityPoor Nutrition

SmokingAlcohol Social Emotional & Well Being

PEOPLE ACTION OUTCOME/ RESULT

Better Communication pillars

‘The nurse asks. Do you have any questions? The patient shakes

his head, indicating no. While the nurse might assume this

response means she did a good job communicating. the patient

may out of politeness be shaking their head to end consult as a

way of not saying how confused he really is (Osborne, 2014)

Aboriginal workers can help get your message across and assess

level of understanding

Questions are good however when encouraging

questions remember the following:

Any Questions?

• Osborne, H 2014 Health Literacy A to Z

• Taylor, K 2010 intercultural health care

communications

References