THE YALATA KIDNEY HEALTH FESTIVAL: IMPLEMENTING CARI CLINICAL AND CULTURAL SAFETY GUIDELINES IN A REMOTE COMMUNITY
Prof. JANET KELLY1, Ms RHANEE LESTER1, Ms EDEN SMITH2, Dr SAM BATEMAN3, Ms KATHERINE DUMAS2, MR LIAM HALFORD2, MS TAHLEE STEVENSON1, MS JORDI WILKSCH2
1The University of Adelaide, Adelaide Nursing School, Adelaide, Australia, 2The University of Adelaide , Adelaide, Australia, 3SA Health – Central and Northern Adelaide Renal and Transplantation Services (CNARTS), Adelaide, Australia
Aim – To identify key components of a collaborative approach to implementing recommendations of recently launched kidney care guidelines within a remote First Nations community.
Background -The inaugural 2023 CARI Guidelines for culturally and clinically safe kidney care for First Nations Australians have specific recommendations reflecting both community priorities and clinical expertise. People in remote areas have reduced access to information and services, leading to significant care gaps. Place-based health promotion, disease prevention and care-coordination, co-designed with local schools, community, and health services are needed to enhance implementation.
Methods -The AKction research team and AURHA undergraduate health students expanded an existing remote area school-based kidney health promotion event, involving community members, clinic, aged care, early childhood, specialist services, the dialysis truck, podiatry team and visiting nephrologist. Co-designed Participatory Action Research was used to plan, fund and facilitate this community-based event.
Results – The co-designed 5-day Yalata Kidney Festival resulted in increased local community control of implementing the 7 guidelines recommendations. Inherent institutional racism, transport and accommodation challenges were minimised, and cultural safety increased by taking resources and services to the community. Creative health promotion and education activities increased children and adults’ awareness, promoting healthy choices and self-management. Clinic staff education and community updates about pre dialysis, kidney failure and transplantation improved understanding and identification of risk factors, leading to specific screening and timely referral.
Conclusions -Those most at risk of developing kidney disease, First Nations peoples living in remote areas, need to be meaningfully involved in guideline development and implementation of strategies and recommendations. Without meaningful community involvement, and collaboration between health, education, community-based and visiting services, guidelines implementation is ineffective and tokenistic at best.
Presentation Slides PDF – Click here
Biography:
Janet Kelly is a nurse-researcher and course-coordinator focused on improving healthcare and outcomes with and for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Janet co-leads AKction2, a 5 year NHMRC Ideas grant with Dr Kim O’Donnell. This project brings together Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander kidney patients and their families, health professionals, academics, researchers and other key stakeholders to identify strengths and gaps and improve care. This collaborative work positions First Nations people with lived experience of kidney disease as patient experts and chief investigators, and has four nested sub studies: Indigenous governance, Peer support, Kidney journey mapping, and Cultural safety.