From health care to home community: an Aboriginal community-based ABI transition strategy

To explore the barriers and enablers surrounding the transition from health care to home community settings for Aboriginal clients recovering from acquired brain injuries (ABI) in northwestern Ontario.

Participatory research design using qualitative methods.

Focus groups conducted with clients with ABI, their caregivers and hospital and community health-care workers. The Framework Method of analysis was used to uncover emerging themes.

Six main categories emerged: ABI diagnosis accuracy, acute service delivery and hospital care, transition from hospital to homecare services, transition from hospital to community services, participant suggestions to improve service delivery and transition, and views on traditional healing methods during recovery.

A lack of awareness, education and resources were acknowledged as key challenges to successful transitioning by clients and healthcare providers. Geographical isolation of the communities was highlighted as a barrier to accessibility of services and programmes, but the community was also regarded as an important source of social support. The development of educational and screening tools and needs assessments of remote communities were identified to be strategies that may improve transitions.

Findings demonstrate that the structure of rehabilitation and discharge processes for Aboriginal clients living on reserves or in remote communities are of great concern and warrants further research.