Aboriginal Health Promotion Self Determination Project: background paper

Abstract

In 1999, the NRAHS committed funding to Aboriginal Health Promotion. The Health Promotion Unit employed an Aboriginal Health Promotion Officer to develop, pilot, implement, evaluate and coordinate, in partnership with other service providers, a Health Promotion Self-Determination project. Early on in the project it became evident that before future planning could take place at a local level, it was necessary to review the overall complex organisational context of Aboriginal health; the many organisations that make up Aboriginal health, their structure, role and how they inter/intra relate with each other. Therefore, an exploration into existing frameworks and structures was necessary at a National, State, and Local level to review existing strategies, partnerships, policies and programs. A comprehensive literature review was also undertaken. Focusing on the concept of Self Determination, this search covered a plethora of topics exploring physical, mental, social and spiritual issues facing indigenous communities with particular attention directed at evidence based practice and outcomes. This review details the process undertaken and summarises information collected during the first twelve months of the project. This information includes: - · social, demographic and health status data of Aboriginal people; · a map of Aboriginal communities within the NRAHS; · demographic and health status data of Aboriginal people residing in the NRAHS; · national and state Aboriginal Government and non-Government organizations; · local Aboriginal Government and non-Government organizations; · a summary of health programs for Aboriginal people conducted within the NRAHS 1990- 2000; · a literature review supporting the need for self-determination of Aboriginal people; · a summary of information collected on Aboriginal programs conducted across Australia; · a list of people contacted and information received (Appendix 1); · outcomes associated with parent /early childhood interventions (Appendix 2); · a summary of early intervention programs conducted at the local, state and national (Appendix 3)