Community-driven health research in the Torres Strait
Hylda Wapau A , Ella Kris A , Luisa Roeder B and Malcolm McDonald on behalf of the Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine Torres Strait Community-Driven Research Collaboration# C *A Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service, Queensland Health, 163 Douglas Street, Thursday Island, Qld 4875, Australia.
B School of Exercise and Nutrition Science, Queensland University of Technology, 60 Musk Avenue, Kelvin Grove, Qld 4059, Australia.
C Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Thursday Island and Cairns, Building E4, 1/14–88 McGregor Road, Smithfield, Qld 4870, Australia.
Australian Journal of Primary Health 28(4) 289-295 https://doi.org/10.1071/PY21290
Submitted: 10 December 2021 Accepted: 28 February 2022 Published: 23 June 2022
© 2022 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing on behalf of La Trobe University. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND)
Abstract
Background: In July 2018, participants at a Waiben (Thursday Island) conference declared that it was time for a locally driven research agenda for the Torres Strait and Queensland Northern Peninsula Area. For decades, they felt exploited by outside researchers. They identified a lack of respect and consultation, with few benefits for their people.
Methods: In response, the Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine (Waiben Campus‐Ngulaigau Mudh) invited a consultative group of elders and senior health providers to develop a research program based on local cultural and health needs. The aim was to promote research skills through a learn-by-doing approach. Four workshops were conducted over 2019. Key financial and in-kind support was provided by the Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, Hot North, and Queensland Health’s Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service.
Results: The first workshop attracted 24 people; none had previous research experience. The workshop format evolved over 2019, mainly guided by the participants. Overall, feedback was positive, and participant research proposals remain in various stages of development.
Conclusions: Although suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic, this is a long-term investment in community-driven research that seeks to translate health benefits to the people. This model may apply to other communities, especially in rural and remote Australia.
Warning: This article contains the names and/or images of deceased Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Keywords: capacity‐strengthening, community driven, Indigenous research, primary healthcare, Torres Strait, workshop.
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