Reducing recurrence of bacterial skin infections in Aboriginal children in rural communities: new ways of thinking, new ways of working
Susan Thomas A E , Kristy Crooks B , Kylie Taylor C , Peter D. Massey B D , Ruth Williams C and Glenn Pearce CA School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW 2300, Australia, c/o Locked Bag 10, Wallsend, NSW 2287, Australia.
B Hunter New England Local Health District, Population Health, Locked Bag 10, Wallsend, NSW 2287, Australia.
C Hunter New England Local Health District, Population Health, Locked Bag 9783, Tamworth, NSW 2348, Australia.
D College of Medicine and Dentistry, James Cook University, Cairns, Qld 4870, Australia.
E Corresponding author. Email: susan.thomas3@hnehealth.nsw.gov.au
Australian Journal of Primary Health 23(3) 229-235 https://doi.org/10.1071/PY16135
Submitted: 21 October 2016 Accepted: 15 November 2016 Published: 10 January 2017
Journal Compilation © La Trobe University 2017 Open Access CC BY-NC-ND
Abstract
Reports from health workers, school staff and community members in rural NSW suggested that bacterial skin infections are a significant health issue for Aboriginal children and their families, affecting quality of life and contributing to poor school attendance. Current NSW treatment guidelines do not incorporate important sociocultural factors or ways of living in Aboriginal communities. The aim of this qualitative study was to gain a deeper understanding of the experience of parents and carers of Aboriginal children affected by skin infections and of other community members, health workers and school staff, and what actions have been considered successful or unsuccessful in reducing the recurrence of infection. This study used a Participatory Action Research methodology. Interviews and focus groups were conducted with 38 health workers and managers, school staff, community members and parents and carers. Themes that emerged included: (i) skin infections have become normalised; (ii) skin infections are, in part, a consequence of transgenerational trauma; (iii) skin infections are interwoven with social determinants; (iv) families have survived but more could thrive; and (v) something can and should be done about the problem. The findings of this study will inform the development of more effective and acceptable options to reduce skin infections in Aboriginal children.
References
Andrews RM, Kearns T, Connors C, Parker C, Carville K, Currie BJ, Carapetis JR (2009a) A regional initiative to reduce skin infections amongst Aboriginal children living in remote communities of the Northern Territory, Australia. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases 3, e554| A regional initiative to reduce skin infections amongst Aboriginal children living in remote communities of the Northern Territory, Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Andrews RM, Mccarthy J, Carapetis JR, Currie BJ (2009b) Skin disorders, including pyoderma, scabies, and tinea infections. Pediatric Clinics of North America 56, 1421–1440.
| Skin disorders, including pyoderma, scabies, and tinea infections.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Atkinson J (2013) Trauma-informed services and trauma-specific care for Indigenous Australian children. (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare) Available at http://apo.org.au/node/35109 [Verified 1 December 2016]
Australian Department of Health and Ageing (2013) National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan 2013–2023. Australian Department of Health and Ageing, Canberra, ACTY, Australia.
Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet (2016) Overview of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health status, 2015. Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet, Perth, WA, Australia.
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2014) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Framework, 2014 report: New South Wales. Catalogue number IHW 162. AIHW, Canberra, ACT, Australia.
Bailie RS, Stevens MR, Mcdonald E, Halpin S, Brewster D, Robinson G, Guthridge S (2005) Skin infection, housing and social circumstances in children living in remote Indigenous communities: testing conceptual and methodological approaches. BMC Public Health 5, 128
| Skin infection, housing and social circumstances in children living in remote Indigenous communities: testing conceptual and methodological approaches.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Bailie RS, Stevens M, Mcdonald EL (2012) The impact of housing improvement and socio-environmental factors on common childhood illnesses: a cohort study in Indigenous Australian communities. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health 66, 821–831.
| The impact of housing improvement and socio-environmental factors on common childhood illnesses: a cohort study in Indigenous Australian communities.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Blignault I, Haswell M, Pulver LJ (2016) The value of partnerships: lessons from a multi‐site evaluation of a national social and emotional wellbeing program for Indigenous youth. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health 40, S53–S58.
| The value of partnerships: lessons from a multi‐site evaluation of a national social and emotional wellbeing program for Indigenous youth.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Colquhoun S, Dockery AM (2012) The link between Indigenous culture and wellbeing: qualitative evidence for Australian Aboriginal peoples. Centre for Labour Market Research and School of Economics and Finance, Curtain University, Perth, WA, Australia.
Crane P, O’Regan M (2010) On PAR; using participatory action research to improve early intervention. Social Work and Human Services, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Qld, Australia.
Evans M, Miller A, Hutchinson P, Dingwall C (2014) Decolonizing research practice: Indigenous methodologies, Aboriginal methods, and knowledge/knowing. In ‘The Oxford Handbook of Qualitative Research’. (Ed. P Leavy) p. 179. (Oxford Library of Psychology)
Health NSW (2016) Management of Individuals with skin and soft tissue infections 2016. Available at http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/factsheets/Documents/MRSA_manag_flowchart_clinicians.pdf [Verified 1 December 2016]
Hedrick J (2003) Acute bacterial skin infections in pediatric medicine. Paediatric Drugs 5, 35–46.
Heyes C, Chan J, Halbert A, Clay C, Buettner P, Gebauer K (2011) Dermatology outpatient population profiling: Indigenous and non‐Indigenous dermatoepidemiology. Australasian Journal of Dermatology 52, 202–206.
| Dermatology outpatient population profiling: Indigenous and non‐Indigenous dermatoepidemiology.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Kelly J, Saggers S, Taylor K, Pearce G, Massey P, Bull J, Odo T, Thomas J, Billycan R, Judd J (2012) ‘Makes you proud to be black eh?’: reflections on meaningful indigenous research participation. International Journal for Equity in Health 11, 40
| ‘Makes you proud to be black eh?’: reflections on meaningful indigenous research participation.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Mancini AJ (2000) Bacterial skin infections in children: the common and the not so common. Pediatric Annals 29, 26–35.
| Bacterial skin infections in children: the common and the not so common.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3MXjvV2itLg%3D&md5=be59e5239bd682114acd20d21a69fc74CAS |
Marquardt T (2014) Managing skin infections in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. Australian Family Physician 43, 16–19.
Massey PD, Miller A, Saggers S, Durrheim DN, Speare R, Taylor K, Pearce G, Odo T, Broome J, Judd J (2011) Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and the development of pandemic influenza containment strategies: community voices and community control. Health Policy 103, 184–190.
| Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and the development of pandemic influenza containment strategies: community voices and community control.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Merritt S (2007) An Aboriginal perspective on resilience. Aboriginal and Islander Health Worker Journal 31, 10–12.
Miller A, Massey P, Judd J, Kelly J, Durrheim D, Clough A, Speare R, Saggers S (2015) Using a participatory action research framework to listen to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia about pandemic influenza. Rural and Remote Health 15, 2923
Palit A, Inamadar AC (2010) Current concepts in the management of bacterial skin infections in children. Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology 76, 476–488.
| Current concepts in the management of bacterial skin infections in children.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Spurling G, Askew D, King D, Mitchell GK (2009) Bacterial skin infections: an observational study. Australian Family Physician 38, 547–551.
Tsey K, Whiteside M, Daly S, Deemal A, Gibson T, Cadet‐James Y, Wilson A, Santhanam R, Haswell‐Elkins MR (2005) Adapting the ‘Family Wellbeing’ empowerment program to the needs of remote Indigenous school children. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health 29, 112–116.
| Adapting the ‘Family Wellbeing’ empowerment program to the needs of remote Indigenous school children.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Valery PC, Wenitong M, Clements V, Sheel M, Mcmillan D, Stirling J, Sriprakash K, Batzloff M, Vohra R, Mccarthy JS (2008) Skin infections among Indigenous Australians in an urban setting in far North Queensland. Epidemiology and Infection 136, 1103–1108.
| Skin infections among Indigenous Australians in an urban setting in far North Queensland.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:STN:280:DC%2BD1cvisF2gtw%3D%3D&md5=aebf67b57c0e8c6f0fe6e29f09a6c3f9CAS |
