ABSTRACT
Objectives & Aims: To investigate the health and healthcare experiences of persons with multiple sclerosis (MS) in the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic, including gathering community opinions to inform future crisis planning. Method(s): Second year data collection of a longitudinal consumer directed mixed-methods study. An online survey followed by semi structured interviews took place August-October 2021. Participants were Australian persons with MS, carers, MS-healthcare providers and MS advocates, most interviewed participants were returnees from the original 2020 interviews. The survey and interviews established health-related experiences in the second year of the pandemic and opinions on the needs of persons with MS for future crises. Qualitative data were analysed using a general inductive approach. Result(s): The study was completed by 34 persons (persons with MS:18, Carers:5, healthcare professionals:6, MS advocacy employees:5) from across Australia. Themes of healthy lifestyle, accessing healthcare and medication, accessing information, and plans of action were identified. Participants discussed and suggested helpful management strategies for the MS community during future crises including mental health services, increased accessibility to preventative measures, and healthcare and rehabilitation consistency through the crisis. Conclusion(s): The health and health-management implications of the COVID-19 pandemic are ongoing and represent one community crisis affecting Australians with MS. Consumer informed preparation models, such as those which include access to mental health services and consistency in healthcare and rehabilitation services are wanted by the MS community.
ABSTRACT
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (ATSI), it is expected that non-ATSI health-care professionals become culturally aware;however, participants’ perceptions of the relative merit of cultural awareness training (CAT) formats is uncertain. Design/methodology/approach: The authors compared undergraduate students’ perceptions of an asynchronous online format with onsite delivery formats of CAT using a mixed-method design. Students from five successive cohorts (n = 64) in an undergraduate programme were invited to complete a post-training survey which gathered quantitative and qualitative data. Findings: Whilst feedback was positive regarding both formats, the onsite format was preferred qualitatively with several valuable learning outcome themes emerging from the results. These themes included;“perceived benefits of self-evaluation of students’ own culture whilst learning about Aboriginal culture”;“encouraging to be provided with scenarios, examples and exercises to enhance cultural awareness” and “engagement with the interactive facilitator approach”. There were differing views about the benefits of learning the history of oppression which warrant further research. Research limitations/implications: Results may be applicable to undergraduate allied health students who participate in clinical immersion placements (CIPs) who participate in Aboriginal CAT. Practical implications: Given the changing dynamic in education forced by the COVID-19 pandemic, more resources may need to be directed to improving online training and possibly combining formats in course delivery. Social implications: The strength of the study is that the authors achieved a response rate of 100%, thus the results are highly significant for the sample. This sample represents 41.3% of chiropractic students who attended CAT and CIPs at this university over the course of 9 years, thus the results could be generalized to chiropractic students who participated in these types of placements. Originality/value: To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to compare student perceptions of different formats of Aboriginal CAT for final year chiropractic undergraduate students in Australia. © 2021, Emerald Publishing Limited.