‘Hero to Healing’ drink driving program for Indigenous communities in Far North Queensland
Michelle S. Fitts A B and Gavan R. Palk AA Centre for Accident Research and Road Safety – Queensland (CARRS-Q), Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, Level 4, K-Block, 130 Victoria Park Road, Qld 4059, Australia.
B Corresponding author. Email: michelle.fitts1@jcu.edu.au
Health Promotion Journal of Australia 27(1) 74-79 https://doi.org/10.1071/HE15069
Submitted: 25 June 2015 Accepted: 14 September 2015 Published: 9 February 2016
Abstract
Issue addressed: Alcohol-related road crashes are a leading cause of the injury burden experienced by Indigenous Australians. Existing drink driving programs are primarily designed for the mainstream population. The ‘Hero to Healing’ program was specifically developed with Indigenous communities and is underpinned by the Community Reinforcement Approach (CRA). This paper reports on the formative evaluation of the program from delivery in two Far North Queensland communities.
Methods: Focus groups and semistructured interviews were conducted with drink driver participants (n = 17) and other Elders and community members (n = 8) after each program. Qualitative content analysis was used to categorise the transcripts.
Results: The CRA appealed to participants because of its flexible nature and encouragement of rearranging lifestyle factors, without specific focus on alcohol use. Participants readily identified with the social and peer-related risk and protective factors discussed. Cofacilitation of the program with Elders was identified as a key aspect of the program. More in-depth discussion about cannabis and driving, anger management skills and relationship issues are recommended.
Conclusions: Participants’ recognition of content reinforced earlier project results, particularly the use of kinship pressure to motivate younger family members to drink drive. Study findings suggest that the principles of the CRA are useful; however, some amendments to the CRA components and program content were necessary.
So what?: Treating drink driving in regional and remote Indigenous Australian communities as a community and social issue, rather than an individual phenomenon, is likely to lead to a reduction in the number of road-related injuries Indigenous people experience.
Key words: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, alcohol, health promotion, program acceptability.
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