Aboriginal health workers and community members living and working on Eora, Wilyakali, Gandangara, Wiradjuri, Bundjalung, Darug, and Yuin lands in NSW collaborated in August and September 2021, to adapt culturally responsive shared decision making (SDM) resources for Aboriginal peoples to use when making decisions about COVID-19 vaccines.
The resources were adapted from the evidence-based ‘Ask Share Know’ (ASK) question prompt and the ‘Three-talk’ model for SDM. The model’s interconnected circles denote the core elements of SDM through an Aboriginal perspective.
The result was a model for SDM called ‘Finding your way’, an adapted ASK questions prompt and other supporting resources, including an interactive tool, posters, yarn cards and tearaway pads.
Finding Your Way aligns with policies that include the National Safety and Quality Healthcare Standards and Closing the Gap, which calls for an effective partnership and SDM between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and the Australian government.
The project provides Aboriginal leadership (professional and consumer) and infrastructure (training, tools, and campaigns) to facilitate system-wide implementation of SDM with Aboriginal people, aligning with Future Health Strategic outcomes and key objectives.
Watch the video from our NSW Health Awards nomination (video transcript)
