Feltman: evaluating the acceptability of a diabetes education tool for Aboriginal health workers
Jennifer Browne A C , Emily D’Amico B , Sharon Thorpe A and Colin Mitchell B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation, 17–23 Sackville Street, Collingwood, Vic. 3066, Australia.
B Diabetes Australia – Victoria, 570 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne, Vic. 3000, Australia.
C Corresponding author. Email: jenniferb@vaccho.com.au
Australian Journal of Primary Health 20(4) 319-322 https://doi.org/10.1071/PY14040
Submitted: 3 March 2014 Accepted: 11 June 2014 Published: 18 July 2014
Abstract
There is an urgent need to address the lack of Aboriginal-specific diabetes prevention and management resources. Following consultation with Victorian Aboriginal health workers, the Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation and Diabetes Australia – Victoria developed ‘Feltman’, a life-sized felt body showing the main organs involved in the digestion and metabolism of food, and the main parts of the body affected by diabetes. Feltman was distributed to all Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations and an additional 32 Victorian organisations. In total, 276 people from 57 organisations were trained to use Feltman. An online evaluation survey was developed and sent to all people who were trained to use Feltman in Victoria. Sixty-six people completed the survey. All respondents agreed Feltman was an appropriate tool for the Aboriginal community, 89% of health workers felt more confident in their ability to discuss diabetes with their community but would like further training to maintain skills and confidence and 70% of workers had used Feltman with the community. Qualitative feedback noted its strength as a highly visual resource that was popular with the Aboriginal community. Workers reported that Feltman was a highly acceptable diabetes education resource, which they believed had increased knowledge and improved the management of diabetes among clients.
Additional keywords: health education, health education resource.
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