Indigenous EMCR Funded Award Recipient - Spotlight

Research Associate Elizabeth Bourke

Exploring the attitudes, experiences, and perspectives of non-Aboriginal health workers when working interculturally with female Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers/Aboriginal Liaison Officers/Aboriginal Health Practitioners

“ I feel very blessed to be accepted for this generous award. It will be beneficial in allowing me to work towards publications, women’s mentoring programs, conferences, further learning, resource development and stakeholder engagement workshops for women Aboriginal Health Workers.”

I am a proud Kamilaroi woman and mum to four adults and one grandson. I have been a researcher for eight years at The George Institute for Global Health in the Guuna-maana (Heal) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Program. Recently, I transitioned from a Masters to a PhD at Flinders University. I am dedicated to improving health inequities for First Nations people and communities. I pride my research on implementing Indigenous methodologies (ways of knowing, being and doing) and understanding the importance of engaging in and collaborating with communities. I also have 25 years of experience in various Children’s Services and Child Protection roles.

Project

This PhD research project recognises Aboriginal health Workers, Liaison Officers, and other health professionals are often women. The aim of my research is to explore the attitudes, experiences, and perspectives of non-Aboriginal health workers when working interculturally with female Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers/Aboriginal Liaison Officers/Aboriginal Health Practitioners. Aboriginal Health Workers/Aboriginal Liaison Officers/Aboriginal Health practitioners are considered crucial when working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients, particularly with children and families. The role of Aboriginal Health Workers within a clinical team can be undervalued. Quality health care calls for all multidisciplinary team members to work effectively together. Despite this, very little is understood about the relationship between non-Aboriginal and Aboriginal health workers, particularly the impact on Aboriginal women health workers and how that impacts quality care service provision.

The research will be underpinned and influenced by Indigenous research methodologies, Indigenous Standpoint Theory and Indigenous Knowledge at the Interface. Yarning will be conducted by working at the interface with ten non-Aboriginal health professional participants to collect narratives. Using yarning to collect data will privilege the First Nations' research space.  I hope this research will successfully enhance multidisciplinary team relationships between non-Aboriginal health workers and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women working in health professional roles. Findings will go towards resource development for multi-disciplinary teams to work together, improving communication between Aboriginal and Non-Aboriginal health workers.