Kanyini Qualitative Study
Background
The Kanyini Qualitative study seeks to investigate the nature of the dynamic interplay between service users and providers at many levels. Although the focus will be at the clinical interface between patients and health workers, the study will also uncover both strengths and vulnerabilities at the broader health service and system levels.
Study Design
This will be a qualitative study involving patients at high cardiovascular disease risk, their families and community members, professional health care providers, managers and policy makers in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health.
Aims
To give an understanding of the barriers encountered by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in accessing best practice chronic disease care and prevention.
The study also aims to:
- understand patients', communities', health care providers' and policy-makers' views regarding barriers to necessary care;
- determine the key structural and organisational components of health services that affect their accessibility and quality of care provided;
- explore the critical components of clinical interactions between health care providers and service users that affect quality of care;
- explore how barriers to care are experienced differently in primary care settings when compared to hospital based care.
Participant Selection
Around 180 patients and 90 health related staff will be interviewed across the participating health services across Australia.
Data Collection, Analysis and Follow-up
Members of the Kanyini Vascular Collaboration will work closely with the participating Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHSs) to conduct the interviews. Although not exclusively relied upon, a participatory action approach will be employed to allow interview participants to play an active role in the construction of the interview content and schedules.
Local reference groups will oversee the conduct of the study.
Data analysis will utilise grounded theory techniques and the qualitative data management software "NVivo" will assist with the thematic analysis. A series of interim and final feedback workshops are planned in which participants will be given the opportunity to critically evaluate the study conduct and its outcomes.
Outcomes
This study aims to uncover:
- key indicators of access to health services from patients' and their families' perspectives;
- critical health service level issues that impact on optimal patient care and;
- pervasive themes at the systemic and policy level factors which influence care.
By engaging key stakeholders at multiple levels we expect that the process itself will bridge gaps in understanding and create new opportunities for dialogue.
By placing this work firmly within the community and through the use of community reference groups we also expect that this study will increase the research capacity of community-controlled health services.