Register      Login
Australian Journal of Primary Health Australian Journal of Primary Health Society
The issues influencing community health services and primary health care
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Feltman: evaluating the acceptability of a diabetes education tool for Aboriginal health workers

Jennifer Browne A C , Emily D’Amico B , Sharon Thorpe A and Colin Mitchell B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation, 17–23 Sackville Street, Collingwood, Vic. 3066, Australia.

B Diabetes Australia – Victoria, 570 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne, Vic. 3000, Australia.

C Corresponding author. Email: jenniferb@vaccho.com.au

Australian Journal of Primary Health 20(4) 319-322 https://doi.org/10.1071/PY14040
Submitted: 3 March 2014  Accepted: 11 June 2014   Published: 18 July 2014

Abstract

There is an urgent need to address the lack of Aboriginal-specific diabetes prevention and management resources. Following consultation with Victorian Aboriginal health workers, the Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation and Diabetes Australia – Victoria developed ‘Feltman’, a life-sized felt body showing the main organs involved in the digestion and metabolism of food, and the main parts of the body affected by diabetes. Feltman was distributed to all Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations and an additional 32 Victorian organisations. In total, 276 people from 57 organisations were trained to use Feltman. An online evaluation survey was developed and sent to all people who were trained to use Feltman in Victoria. Sixty-six people completed the survey. All respondents agreed Feltman was an appropriate tool for the Aboriginal community, 89% of health workers felt more confident in their ability to discuss diabetes with their community but would like further training to maintain skills and confidence and 70% of workers had used Feltman with the community. Qualitative feedback noted its strength as a highly visual resource that was popular with the Aboriginal community. Workers reported that Feltman was a highly acceptable diabetes education resource, which they believed had increased knowledge and improved the management of diabetes among clients.

Additional keywords: health education, health education resource.


References

Adams K, Spratling M (2001) Keepin ya mob healthy: Aboriginal community participation and Aboriginal health worker training in Victoria. Australian Journal of Primary Health 7, 116–119.
Keepin ya mob healthy: Aboriginal community participation and Aboriginal health worker training in Victoria.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workforce Working Group (2011) National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workforce strategic framework 2011–2015. (Australian Health Ministers’ Advisory Council: Canberra)

Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) (2013) Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health survey: first results. ABS Catalogue no. 4727.0.55.001. Available at http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/CD58150AC0A36286CA257C2F0014591C?opendocument#Endnote1 [Verified 24 February 2014]

Battersby MW, Ah Kit J, Prideaux C, Harvey PW, Collins JP, Mills PD (2008) Research implementing the Flinders model of self-management support with Aboriginal people who have diabetes: findings from a pilot study. Australian Journal of Primary Health 14, 66–74.
Research implementing the Flinders model of self-management support with Aboriginal people who have diabetes: findings from a pilot study.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Browne J, Thorpe S, Tunny N, Adams K, Palermo C (2013) A qualitative evaluation of a mentoring program for Aboriginal health workers and allied health professionals. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health 37, 457–462.
A qualitative evaluation of a mentoring program for Aboriginal health workers and allied health professionals.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 24090329PubMed |

Burgess CP, Berry HL, Gunthorpe W, Bailie RS (2008) Development and preliminary validation of the ‘Caring for Country’ questionnaire: measurement of an Indigenous Australian health determinant. International Journal for Equity in Health 7, 26
Development and preliminary validation of the ‘Caring for Country’ questionnaire: measurement of an Indigenous Australian health determinant.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 19094240PubMed |

Christou A, Thompson S (2013) Missed opportunities in educating Aboriginal Australians about bowel cancer screening: whose job is it anyway? Contemporary Nurse 46, 59–69.
Missed opportunities in educating Aboriginal Australians about bowel cancer screening: whose job is it anyway?Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 24716763PubMed |

Clapham K, Digregorio K, Dawson A, Hughes I (1997) The community as pedagogy: innovations in Indigenous health worker education. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management 19, 35–43.
The community as pedagogy: innovations in Indigenous health worker education.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Curtis S, Pegg D, Curtis O (2004) Aunty Jean’s good health team: listening to the voices of the Elders to create an Aboriginal Chronic and Complex Care program. (Illawarra Health: Wollongong, NSW)

Department of Health (2012) Koolin Balit: Victorian government strategic directions for Aboriginal health 2012–2022. (Victorian Government: Melbourne).

Finley R (2012) SurveyMonkey. (Survey Monkey: Portland, OR) Available at https://www.surveymonkey.com [Verified 28 February 2014]

Gill J, Dietrich U (2001) Creating an oasis from a resource desert: integrating right and left brain learning approaches in developing health promotion resources for rural and remote areas. In ‘Proceedings of the 6th National Rural Health Conference’. (Ed. National Rural Health Alliance) p. 24. (National Rural Health Alliance: Canberra)

Goodman J, Hsu-Hage B, Hosie F, Cottrell D (2007) Evaluation report: community involvement in the adaptation of a diabetes education package. (The University of Melbourne School of Rural Health, Goulburn Valley Division of General Practice and Rumbalara Aboriginal Cooperative: Shepparton, Vic.)

Hecker R (1997) Participatory action research as a strategy for empowering Aboriginal health workers. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health 21, 784–788.
Participatory action research as a strategy for empowering Aboriginal health workers.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:STN:280:DyaK1c7ltVCmug%3D%3D&md5=28405311e99c1c437a53581da093ac00CAS | 9489200PubMed |

King M, Wilson K (1999) The teaching and learning principles of metropolitan Aborigines with diabetes. Contemporary Nurse 8, 152–158.
The teaching and learning principles of metropolitan Aborigines with diabetes.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:STN:280:DC%2BD3M3osVOisQ%3D%3D&md5=17acd4bf4ffc256b7e2847b0d01a94d3CAS | 11141787PubMed |

King M (2001) The diabetes health care of Aboriginal people in South Australia. Contemporary Nurse 10, 147–155.
The diabetes health care of Aboriginal people in South Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:STN:280:DC%2BD387itFCmtw%3D%3D&md5=fb03b5f85a8770914655095777c675b7CAS | 11855106PubMed |

Main D, Nichol R, Fennell R (2000) Reconciling pedagogy and health sciences to promote Indigenous health. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health 24, 211–213.
Reconciling pedagogy and health sciences to promote Indigenous health.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:STN:280:DC%2BD3c3ltFGnsw%3D%3D&md5=5fbaf5f94dd636c6150f63dfbb4aa36dCAS | 10790945PubMed |

Newton King M (2006) The relevance of an accredited Australian Diabetes Educators Association course to Aboriginal health workers, supervisors and Aboriginal people in South Australia. (Collaborative Research Centre for Aboriginal Health: Darwin)

NSW Health (2002) Principles for better practice in Aboriginal health promotion: the Sydney Consensus Statement. (NSW Health: Sydney)

Porter M (2008) The Sugar Man: an interactive model for diabetes education in Australia. The Diabetes Educator 11, 28–32.

Schoen D, Balchin D, Thompson S (2010) Health promotion resources for Aboriginal people: lessons learned from consultation and evaluation of diabetes foot care resources. Health Promotion Journal of Australia 21, 64–69.

Shephard MD (2006) Cultural and clinical effectiveness of the ‘QAAMS’ point-of-care testing model for diabetes management in Australian Aboriginal medical services. The Clinical Biochemist Reviews 27, 161–170.

Sulway M (1999) Bodylink. (McGraw-Hill: Sydney, NSW)

Thorpe S, Browne J (2009) Closing the nutrition & physical activity gap in Victoria: Victorian Aboriginal Nutrition and Physical Activity Strategy 2009–2014. (Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation: Melbourne)

Vass A, Mitchell A, Dhurrkay Y (2011) Health literacy and Australian Indigenous peoples: an analysis of the role of language and worldview. Health Promotion Journal of Australia 22, 33–37.

Wise M, Massi L, Rose M, Nancarrow H, Conigrave K, Bauman A, Hearn S (2012) Developing and implementing a state-wide Aboriginal health promotion program: the process and factors influencing successful delivery. Health Promotion Journal of Australia 23, 25–29.

Whiteside M, Tsey K, McCalman J, Cadet-James J, Wilson A (2006) Empowerment as a framework for indigenous workforce development and organisational change. Australian Social Work 59, 422–434.
Empowerment as a framework for indigenous workforce development and organisational change.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Vos T, Barker B, Stanley L, Lopez A (2007) The burden of disease and injury in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, 2003. (University of Queensland, School of Population Health: Brisbane)

Zeunert S, Cerro N, Boesch L, Duff M, Shephard MD, Jureidini KF, Braun J (2002) Nutrition project in a remote Australian Aboriginal community. Journal of Renal Nutrition 12, 102–106.
Nutrition project in a remote Australian Aboriginal community.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 11953923PubMed |