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“Got to build that trust”: The perspectives and experiences of Aboriginal health staff on maternal oral health
Ariana C Kong
Western Sydney University
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1384-227X
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
View the published version at International Journal for Equity in Health.
Background: In Australia, models of care have been developed to train antenatal care providers to promote oral health among pregnant women. However, these models are underpinned by Western values of maternity care that do not consider the cultural needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women. This study aimed to explore the perceptions and experiences of Aboriginal health staff towards oral health care during pregnancy. It is part of a larger program of research to develop a new, culturally safe model of oral health care for Aboriginal women during pregnancy.
Methods: A descriptive qualitative methodology informed the study. Focus groups were convened to yarn with Aboriginal Health Workers, Family Partnership Workers and Aboriginal management staff at two antenatal health services in Sydney, Australia.
Results: A total of 14 people participated in the focus groups. There were four themes that were constructed. These focused on Aboriginal Health Workers and Family Partnership Workers identifying their role in promoting maternal oral health, where adequate training is provided and where trust has been developed with clients. Yet, because the Aboriginal health staff work in a system fundamentally driven by the legacy of colonisation, it has significantly contributed to the systemic barriers Aboriginal pregnant women continue to face in accessing health services, including dental care. The participants recommended that a priority dental referral pathway, that supported continuity of care, could provide increased accessibility to dental care.
Conclusions: The Aboriginal health staff identified the potential role of Aboriginal Health Workers and Family Partnership Workers promoting oral health among Aboriginal pregnant women. To develop an effective oral health model of care among Aboriginal women during pregnancy, there is the need for training of Aboriginal Health Workers and Family Partnership Workers in oral health. Including Aboriginal staff at every stage of a dental referral pathway could reduce the fear of accessing mainstream health institutions and also promote continuity of care. Although broader oral health policies still need to be changed, this model could mitigate some of the barriers between Aboriginal women and both dental care providers and healthcare systems.
Keywords
Aboriginal, dental, pregnancy, qualitative, yarning, model of care
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CURRENT STATUS: Published
Version 3
Posted 25 Sep, 2020
Published
On 23 Oct, 2020
No community comments so far
Editor assigned
On 24 Sep, 2020
Editorial decision: Accept
On 24 Sep, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 23 Sep, 2020
Editor invited
On 23 Sep, 2020
Version (no preprint)
Posted 20 May, 2020
Editorial decision: Minor Revision
On 07 Sep, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 26 Aug, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 06 Aug, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 06 Aug, 2020
Editor assigned
On 04 Aug, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 04 Aug, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 04 Aug, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 03 Aug, 2020
Editor invited
On 03 Aug, 2020
This version was not preprinted
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Major Revision
On 08 Jun, 2020
Review #3 received
Received 07 Jun, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 02 Jun, 2020
Reviewer #3 agreed
On 12 May, 2020
Editor assigned
On 11 May, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 11 May, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 11 May, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 11 May, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 11 May, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 10 May, 2020
Editor invited
On 10 May, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Major Revision
On 28 Mar, 2020
Review #3 received
Received 27 Mar, 2020
Reviewer #3 agreed
On 27 Feb, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 21 Feb, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 04 Feb, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 02 Feb, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 24 Jan, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 14 Jan, 2020
Editor assigned
On 02 Jan, 2020
First submitted
On 01 Jan, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 01 Jan, 2020
Editor invited
On 01 Jan, 2020
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This preprint is under consideration at International Journal for Equity in Health. A preprint is a preliminary version of a manuscript that has not completed peer review at a journal. Research Square does not conduct peer review prior to posting preprints. The posting of a preprint on this server should not be interpreted as an endorsement of its validity or suitability for dissemination as established information or for guiding clinical practice.
Learn more about In Review
Research
“Got to build that trust”: The perspectives and experiences of Aboriginal health staff on maternal oral health
Ariana C Kong
Western Sydney University
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1384-227X
Badges
Prescreen
This manuscript passed our Prescreen assessment
Complete author information
Appropriate declaration statements
Potential risks to human health
Prescreen
Peer Review Timeline
CURRENT STATUS: Published
Version 3
Posted 25 Sep, 2020
Published
On 23 Oct, 2020
No community comments so far
Editor assigned
On 24 Sep, 2020
Editorial decision: Accept
On 24 Sep, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 23 Sep, 2020
Editor invited
On 23 Sep, 2020
Version (no preprint)
Posted 20 May, 2020
Editorial decision: Minor Revision
On 07 Sep, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 26 Aug, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 06 Aug, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 06 Aug, 2020
Editor assigned
On 04 Aug, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 04 Aug, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 04 Aug, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 03 Aug, 2020
Editor invited
On 03 Aug, 2020
This version was not preprinted
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Major Revision
On 08 Jun, 2020
Review #3 received
Received 07 Jun, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 02 Jun, 2020
Reviewer #3 agreed
On 12 May, 2020
Editor assigned
On 11 May, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 11 May, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 11 May, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 11 May, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 11 May, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 10 May, 2020
Editor invited
On 10 May, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Major Revision
On 28 Mar, 2020
Review #3 received
Received 27 Mar, 2020
Reviewer #3 agreed
On 27 Feb, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 21 Feb, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 04 Feb, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 02 Feb, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 24 Jan, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 14 Jan, 2020
Editor assigned
On 02 Jan, 2020
First submitted
On 01 Jan, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 01 Jan, 2020
Editor invited
On 01 Jan, 2020
Metrics
Comments: 0
PDF Downloads: ...
HTML Views: ...
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
View the published version at International Journal for Equity in Health.
Background: In Australia, models of care have been developed to train antenatal care providers to promote oral health among pregnant women. However, these models are underpinned by Western values of maternity care that do not consider the cultural needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women. This study aimed to explore the perceptions and experiences of Aboriginal health staff towards oral health care during pregnancy. It is part of a larger program of research to develop a new, culturally safe model of oral health care for Aboriginal women during pregnancy.
Methods: A descriptive qualitative methodology informed the study. Focus groups were convened to yarn with Aboriginal Health Workers, Family Partnership Workers and Aboriginal management staff at two antenatal health services in Sydney, Australia.
Results: A total of 14 people participated in the focus groups. There were four themes that were constructed. These focused on Aboriginal Health Workers and Family Partnership Workers identifying their role in promoting maternal oral health, where adequate training is provided and where trust has been developed with clients. Yet, because the Aboriginal health staff work in a system fundamentally driven by the legacy of colonisation, it has significantly contributed to the systemic barriers Aboriginal pregnant women continue to face in accessing health services, including dental care. The participants recommended that a priority dental referral pathway, that supported continuity of care, could provide increased accessibility to dental care.
Conclusions: The Aboriginal health staff identified the potential role of Aboriginal Health Workers and Family Partnership Workers promoting oral health among Aboriginal pregnant women. To develop an effective oral health model of care among Aboriginal women during pregnancy, there is the need for training of Aboriginal Health Workers and Family Partnership Workers in oral health. Including Aboriginal staff at every stage of a dental referral pathway could reduce the fear of accessing mainstream health institutions and also promote continuity of care. Although broader oral health policies still need to be changed, this model could mitigate some of the barriers between Aboriginal women and both dental care providers and healthcare systems.