Development of Key Principles and Best Practices for Co-Design in Health with First Nations Australians

Kate Anderson; Alana Gall; Tamara Butler; Khwanruethai Ngampromwongse; Debra Hector; Scott Turnbull; Kerri Lucas; Caroline Nehill; Anna Boltong; Dorothy Keefe; Gail Garvey

doi:10.3390/ijerph20010147

Development of Key Principles and Best Practices for Co-Design in Health with First Nations Australians

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Dec 22;20(1):147. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20010147.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Herston 4006, Australia.
² National Centre for Naturopathic Medicine, Faculty of Health, Southern Cross University, Lismore 2480, Australia.
³ Cancer Australia, Sydney 2010, Australia.
⁴ Kirby Institute, UNSW Medicine, The University of New South Wales, Kensington 2052, Australia.

Abstract

Background: While co-design offers potential for equitably engaging First Nations Australians in findings solutions to redressing prevailing disparities, appropriate applications of co-design must align with First Nations Australians' culture, values, and worldviews. To achieve this, robust, culturally grounded, and First Nations-determined principles and practices to guide co-design approaches are required.

Aims: This project aimed to develop a set of key principles and best practices for co-design in health with First Nations Australians.

Methods: A First Nations Australian co-led team conducted a series of Online Yarning Circles (OYC) and individual Yarns with key stakeholders to guide development of key principles and best practice approaches for co-design with First Nations Australians. The Yarns were informed by the findings of a recently conducted comprehensive review, and a Collaborative Yarning Methodology was used to iteratively develop the principles and practices.

Results: A total of 25 stakeholders participated in the Yarns, with 72% identifying as First Nations Australian. Analysis led to a set of six key principles and twenty-seven associated best practices for co-design in health with First Nations Australians. The principles were: First Nations leadership; Culturally grounded approach; Respect; Benefit to community; Inclusive partnerships; and Transparency and evaluation.

Conclusions: Together, these principles and practices provide a valuable starting point for the future development of guidelines, toolkits, reporting standards, and evaluation criteria to guide applications of co-design with First Nations Australians.

Keywords: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people; First Nations peoples; cancer; co-design; community engagement; participatory action research.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Australia
Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples*
Health Services, Indigenous*
Humans
Population Groups

Grants and funding

This research was funded by Cancer Australia, grant number F21/412. Cancer Australia was established by the Australian Government in 2006 to benefit all Australians affected by cancer, and their families and carers. G.G. was funded by a NHMRC Investigator Grant (#1176651).