General Practice and Primary Care - Theses
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ItemNo Preview AvailableExploring the use of technology to address barriers Indigenous peoples experience when help-seeking for family violenceFiolet, Renee Louise ( 2020)Australia’s Indigenous populations experience high rates of family violence but are less likely to access support than non-Indigenous peoples. Mainstream family violence responses have rarely been informed by Indigenous perspectives, and as a result are often not embraced. Although online family violence resources have been well received by non-Indigenous communities, their acceptability to Indigenous peoples has yet to be determined. This thesis engaged with an Indigenous Australian community to understand their perceptions of help-seeking behaviours for family violence and respond to the barriers experienced when pursuing support. Further, this thesis explored the potential for technology as an acceptable resource for those impacted by Indigenous family violence, and what elements an online resource would need have for it to be engaging and usable. To address these aims, a series of methods were used. Firstly, a scoping review was undertaken to identify the help-seeking barriers experienced by Indigenous peoples globally. Then, Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) methods were used for addressing the localised help-seeking barriers and exploring the acceptability and elements of online resources for Indigenous family violence. Following a Canadian framework for collaborative research developed with Indigenous peoples, the CBPR methods began by working closely with an Indigenous population on a community-identified need. After establishing trust and seeking approval for the research, an Aboriginal Community Advisory Group was formed and guiding principles for the collaborative research were established. Then, working with the Aboriginal Community Advisory Group, appropriate CBPR methods for addressing the aims of the research were identified. To understand the local perspectives on help-seeking behaviours for Indigenous family violence, interviews took place with fourteen Indigenous women and nine men. These interviews also explored the potential for online family violence resources for Indigenous peoples. Findings from the interviews were then complemented with a round of focus groups where the use of technology for responding to family violence was discussed. Finally, to enhance the likelihood of developing an online resource that was engaging and acceptable to Indigenous peoples, a further round of focus groups and Aboriginal Community Advisory Group deliberations informed the understanding of the elements needed in an appropriate resource. These methods also led to the co-design of an online resource for the Indigenous community involved in the research. This thesis presents the findings in three peer-reviewed articles and a model of suggested elements for online Indigenous family violence resources that can be adapted for other communities. The findings suggest that Indigenous peoples avoid accessing formalised services for family violence because of the substantial barriers they experience such as shame, racism, and fear. One key original contribution to knowledge is that Indigenous peoples perceived online responses for family violence to be acceptable and anticipate that many barriers to support can be addressed through the use of technology. Other significant and new understandings include that Indigenous peoples want co-designed family violence resources that facilitate healing through connection to culture, community and country. This thesis provides evidence that systematic change is required to prioritise the respectful treatment of Indigenous peoples accessing support for family violence. Implications at the practice level include that service providers need cultural training – informed by Indigenous knowledge – to provide culturally safe care so Indigenous peoples can overcome fear and access support. Technology has a role to play in providing accessible support for Indigenous family violence survivors in the practice space. Finally, research implications include opportunities to expand knowledge on the link between culture and healing. Using CBPR methods, non-Indigenous research teams can work respectfully with Indigenous knowledge holders to highlight their voices and create appropriate and useful solutions for community-driven needs.