Communication in Indigenous healthcare: extending the discourse into the physiotherapy domain

摘要

Australian Indigenous health remains well below that of nonIndigenous Australians.1 Considering the high mortality andmorbidity associated with chronic conditions amongst Indigenous communities, it is essential to provide Indigenous Australians access to equitable healthcare. Physiotherapists are wellpositioned to play an important role in preventing and managingmany health conditions that are prevalent amongst IndigenousAustralians. The Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA) has aPosition Statement on Indigenous Health2 and a focus of theirReconciliation Action Plan3 is to provide Indigenous Australianswith access to equitable healthcare. It is therefore concerningthat there has been little evidence published in the area ofphysiotherapy practice for Indigenous Australians. The scantattention paid to Indigenous health in physiotherapy journals washighlighted in an editorial in the Australian Journal of Physiotherapy by Maher and Cotter4 and continues to be an issue eight yearslater. In 2013, a systematic search of databases for papers relatedto Indigenous healthcare in the Australian Journal of Physiotherapyretrieved only one written piece since the editorial by Maher andCotter4 – it was a letter by a physiotherapist voicing concern overthe lack of improvement in Indigenous health outcomes despiteextensive research in Indigenous health.5 In addition, theAustralian Physiotherapy Association published two articles: abrief article outlining the commitment of the APA to improvingphysiotherapy services to Indigenous Australians,6 and an articlevoicing the need for improved healthcare services in the NorthernTerritory.7.