Lowitja Funded Research
Permanent URI for this collection
The Lowitja Institute is committed to investing in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-driven health research that privileges Indigenous ways of knowing, being and doing. The Lowitja Institute's investment upholds Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander rights to sovereignty and self-determination throughout all stages of the research process and within the health research workforce. This collection features research funded by the Lowitja Institute and its predecessors, encompassing community-led studies and publications by researchers affiliated with the Lowitja Institute.
Submit a publication to the Respository.
Submit a publication to the Respository.
Browse
Browsing Lowitja Funded Research by Author "Adams J."
Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
Results Per Page
Sort Options
Item Communication, collaboration and care coordination: the three-point guide to cancer care provision for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians.(2020-06-17) de Witt A.; Matthews V.; Bailie R.; Garvey G.; Valery P.C.; Adams J.; Martin J.H.; Cunningham F.C.Aim: To explore health professionals' perspectives on communication, continuity and between-service coordination for improving cancer care for Indigenous people in Queensland. Method(s): Semi-structured interviews were conducted in a purposive sample of primary health care (PHC) services in Queensland with Indigenous and non-Indigenous health professionals who had experience caring for Indigenous cancer patients in the PHC and hospital setting. The World Health Organisation integrated people-centred health services framework was used to analyse the interview data. Result(s): Seventeen health staff from six Aboriginal Community Controlled Services and nine health professionals from one tertiary hospital participated in this study. PHC sites were in urban, regional and rural settings and the hospital was in a major city. Analysis of the data suggests that timely communication and information exchange, collaborative approaches, streamlined processes, flexible care delivery, and patient-centred care and support were crucial in improving the continuity and coordination of care between the PHC service and the treating hospital. Conclusion(s): Communication, collaboration and care coordination are integral in the provision of quality cancer care for Indigenous Australians. It is recommended that health policy and funding be designed to incorporate these aspects across services and settings as a strategy to improve cancer outcomes for Indigenous people in Queensland. Copyright © 2020 The Author(s).Item Exploring traditional and complementary medicine use by Indigenous Australian women undergoing gynaecological cancer investigations.(2019-06-19) Gall A.; Anderson K.; Diaz A.; Matthews V.; Adams J.; Taylor T.; Garvey G.Background: Indigenous Australian women experience worse gynaecological cancer outcomes than non-Indigenous women. While traditional and complementary medicine (T&CM) is increasingly used by cancer patients alongside conventional treatments, little is known about T&CM use by Indigenous women. This study aimed to explore the beliefs, attitudes and experiences related to T&CM use and disclosure among Indigenous women undergoing gynaecological cancer investigations. Method(s): A mixed-methods design explored T&CM use among Indigenous women who presented for gynaecological cancer investigation at an urban Queensland hospital (September 2016 and January 2018). Result(s): Fourteen women participated. The reported use (86%) and perceived value of T&CM was high among the participants, however, women reported major challenges in communicating with healthcare providers about T&CM, commonly associated with trust and rapport. Conclusion(s): These findings highlight the need for strategies to facilitate culturally-appropriate doctor-patient communication around T&CM to foster trust and transparency in gynaecological cancer care for Indigenous women. Copyright © 2019Item "I'm a survivor": Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cancer survivors' perspectives of cancer survivorship.(2020-03-20) Meiklejohn J.A.; Bailie R.; Adams J.; Garvey G.; Bernardes C.M.; Williamson D.; Marcusson B.; Arley B.; Martin J.H.; Walpole E.T.; Valery P.C.Background: Disparity in outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people after cancer diagnosis is multifactorial, including lower cancer screening participation, later diagnosis, reduced access and uptake of cancer treatment, higher rate of comorbidities, and barriers accessing the health system. Little is known about cancer survivorship experiences. Objective(s): The aim of this study was to explore Indigenous Australian cancer survivor's perspectives of cancer survivorship. Method(s): Indigenous people who completed cancer treatment 6 months to 5 years before fieldwork were recruited from a tertiary hospital and remote primary health service for this qualitative study. Data collection was guided by yarning methods, a culturally appropriate method emphasizing storytelling. Data were interpreted using a social constructionist framework. Result(s): Thirteen women and 6 men were interviewed. Participants' past experiences contributed to their specific identity as survivors. Participants described factors affecting a positive transition from cancer patient to cancer survivor and the importance of ongoing family support in helping to manage survivorship. Finally, participants described a range of community support they received and provided to others and how this improved their cancer survivorship. Conclusion(s): Although a range of experiences are presented, this study provides evidence that the survivorship perspectives of Indigenous cancer survivors may be, in part, shared by non-Indigenous cancer survivors. Implications for Practice: Acknowledging Indigenous cancer survivors' past experiences and how these influence their overall well-being is important for providing patient-centered and culturally appropriate care. Nurses and other healthcare professionals may use this knowledge to foster a range of coping strategies to assist Indigenous cancer survivors to live well.Copyright © 2020 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.Item Traditional and complementary medicine use among Indigenous cancer patients in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States: a systematic review.(2018-08-23) Gall A.; Leske S.; Adams J.; Matthews V.; Anderson K.; Lawler S.; Garvey G.Background: Cancer 'patients' are increasingly using traditional Indigenous and complementary medicines (T&CM) alongside conventional medical treatments to both cure and cope with their cancer diagnoses. To date T&CM use among Indigenous cancer patients from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States has not been systematically reviewed. Method(s): We systematically searched bibliographic databases to identify original research published between January 2000 and October 2017 regarding T&CM use by Indigenous cancer patients in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States. Data from records meeting eligibility criteria were extracted and appraised for quality by 2 independent reviewers. Result(s): Twenty-one journal articles from 18 studies across all 4 countries met our inclusion criteria. T&CM use ranged from 19% to 57.7% (differing across countries). T&CM was mostly used concurrently with conventional cancer treatments to meet their spiritual, emotional, social, and cultural needs; however, bush, traditional, and herbal medicines were used in a minority of cases as an alternative. Conclusion(s): Our findings highlight the importance of T&CM use to Indigenous cancer patients across these 4 countries; we identified multiple perceived spiritual, emotional and cultural benefits to its use. The patient's perception of their health professional's attitudes toward T&CM in some cases hindered or encouraged the patient's disclosure. Additional research is required to further explore the use and disclosure of T&CM among Indigenous cancer patients to help inform and ensure effective, safe, coordinated care for Indigenous cancer patients that relies on shared open decision making and communication across patients, communities, and providers.Copyright © The Author(s) 2018.