R. Hecker, PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH AS A STRATEGY FOR EMPOWERING ABORIGINALHEALTH-WORKERS, Australian and New Zealand journal of public health, 21(7), 1997, pp. 784-788
A participatory action research project tvas undertaken with Aborigina
l health workers on the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Lands in South Australia
. The study examined the factors that affect the empowerment of Aborig
inal health workers within the context of an Aboriginal-controlled pri
mary health care service. This project was different from precious res
earch conducted with Aboriginal health workers in remote areas for was
reasons. First, it enabled them to participate actively as co-researc
hers in the study and second, it brought about action and change durin
g the research process. The three main factors preventing Aboriginal h
ealth workers from attaining a key role within the health service are
the standard of training they receive, their low literacy and numeracy
levels, and their lack of participation in decision making within the
health service, Each of these factors is interrelated and all affect
the Aboriginal health workers' ability to have more control and respon
sibility within the health service.