Rural primary care workforce views on trauma-informed care for parents experiencing complex trauma: A descriptive...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Services Research
• Trauma Studies

Background:

• Primary health care (PHC) is a critical service system for rural parents experiencing complex trauma.
• Effective trauma-informed care (TIC) integration in PHC is essential for improving population health and well-being in rural settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of the rural primary health care workforce regarding trauma-informed care.
• To identify barriers and enablers to implementing trauma-informed care within rural primary health care settings.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive, cross-sectional study utilizing an online survey conducted in rural Victoria, Australia, in 2021.
• Participants included the primary health care workforce (n=63) from community health and child and family services.
• Data collected via a Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices tool, a Barriers and Enablers to Trauma-Informed Care Implementation tool, and open-ended questions.

Main Results:

• A majority of respondents (78%) had received some form of trauma-informed care training.
• Respondents reported positive self-rated knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding trauma-informed care.
• Key enablers were internal (workforce motivation, organizational support), while barriers were external structural factors (referral pathways, service availability).

Conclusions:

• Primary health care plays a crucial role in rural population health and well-being.
• A dedicated rural trauma-informed care implementation strategy is needed to overcome structural barriers.
• Policy development, system enhancement, and long-term investment in the rural workforce and PHC settings are essential for successful TIC integration.