The WA Goldfields Aboriginal Community Antenatal Program—A community midwifery initiative

Area of Science:

• Maternal Health
• Indigenous Health
• Public Health Programs

Background:

• The Aboriginal Community Antenatal Program aims to improve health services for remote Aboriginal communities.
• Evaluating program acceptability and satisfaction is crucial for service improvement and sustainability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the acceptability and satisfaction of the Aboriginal Community Antenatal Program among program and partner agency staff.
• To identify factors influencing the program's effectiveness and areas for enhancement.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods approach utilizing a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) framework.
• Data collection involved qualitative (questionnaires, thematic analysis) and quantitative (statistical package) methods.
• Participants included 22 staff from the program and supporting agencies in remote Western Australian Aboriginal communities.

Main Results:

• Qualitative data revealed high acceptability and satisfaction, highlighting organizational, staffing, cultural, and interagency dynamics.
• Quantitative data indicated positive program outputs from service delivery.
• Staff identified key strengths and opportunities for program growth and improved collaboration.

Conclusions:

• The program is effective in increasing community-based pre-conception and antenatal health services.
• Partnerships between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal staff foster an emerging model of community antenatal care.
• Enhanced collaboration among health provider agencies is a key outcome, strengthening service provision.