Abstract Systems thinking is increasingly applied to understand and address systemic drivers of complex health problems. In Australia, group model building, a participatory method from systems science, has been applied in various locations to engage communities in systems-based health promotion projects. To date there is limited evidence regarding GMB use with Australian Aboriginal communities. This study aimed to determine the value and acceptability of group model building (GMB) as a methodological approach in research with Aboriginal communities and identify any adaptations required to optimise its utility. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with 18 Aboriginal health and university staff who had prior [...]

Abstract Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic is creating immense psychosocial disturbance. While global, broad-based research is being conducted, little is known about the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on health and well-being or how protective and resilience factors influence the human response in Australian rural and regional communities. Rural and regional communities often have less resources to deal with such public health emergencies and face additional environmental adversity. Healthcare workers, including those in rural and regional areas, have felt the immediate impacts of COVID-19 in a multitude of ways and these impacts will continue for years to come. Therefore, this study [...]

Abstract Background: On a per capita basis, rural communities are underserviced by health professionals when compared to metropolitan areas of Australia. However, most studies evaluating health workforce focus on discrete professional groups rather than the collective contribution of the range of health, care and welfare workers within communities. The objective of this study was therefore to illustrate a novel approach for evaluating the broader composition of the health, welfare and care (HWC) workforce in Tasmania, Australia, and its potential to inform the delivery of healthcare services within rural communities. Methods: Census data (2011 and 2016) were obtained for all workers [...]

Abstract Objective Assess nursing and allied health student satisfaction with their remote Northern Territory integrated learning placement and consideration of future rural/remote work Describe the characteristics of these students Examine changes in student characteristics over time. Design A cross-sectional survey of students and a review of student placement data. Setting Northern Territory, Australia. Participants Former students having a work integrated learning placement of more than 1 week in the Northern Territory from 2017 to 2019. Main outcome measure(s) Agreement with the statements ‘This placement has encouraged me to consider living and working in a rural or remote location after I graduate’ [...]

Abstract Evidence is mounting regarding the positive effects of Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice (IPECP) on healthcare outcomes. Despite this, IPECP is only in its infancy in several Australian rural healthcare settings. Whilst some rural healthcare teams have successfully adopted an interprofessional model of service delivery, information is scarce on the factors that have enabled or hindered such a transition. Using a combination of team surveys and individual semi-structured team member interviews, data were collected on the enablers of and barriers to IPECP implementation in rural health settings in one Australian state. Using thematic analysis, three themes were developed from [...]