Community Perceptions of Chronic Disease in Remote Aboriginal Communities
Kate Senior, Menzies School of Health Research
The move from an acute model of health service delivery to one that focuses on chronic disease involves major cultural changes in the beliefs and practices of health centre staff and also the expectations and behaviours of the people accessing health services. This paper examines indigenous clients’ perceptions and experiences regarding health, health care in general and chronic disease in particular. It explores ideas about responsibility, behavioural change and self management which are fundamental components of strategies to address and prevent chronic disease and compares these ideas to the expectations of staff at the health clinics and medical centres. It is necessary to understand these perceptions before implementing any changes, in order to determine a baseline to measure any changes in attitude and to ensure that service changes will be acceptable and appropriate. This paper draws upon the results of anthropological research carried out in four communities in the Northern Territory and Queensland from 1999 to 2006.
