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

Area of Science:

• Indigenous Health
• Community-Based Participatory Research
• Health Equity

Background:

• Co-design can address health disparities for First Nations Australians.
• Effective co-design requires alignment with First Nations culture, values, and worldviews.
• Culturally grounded, First Nations-determined principles are essential for co-design.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop key principles and best practices for co-design in health with First Nations Australians.
• To ensure co-design initiatives are culturally appropriate and led by First Nations communities.

Main Methods:

• A First Nations Australian co-led team utilized Online Yarning Circles (OYC) and individual Yarns.
• A Collaborative Yarning Methodology informed the iterative development of principles and practices.
• Findings were informed by a comprehensive literature review and stakeholder engagement.

Main Results:

• Six key principles for co-design were identified: First Nations leadership, Culturally grounded approach, Respect, Benefit to community, Inclusive partnerships, and Transparency and evaluation.
• Twenty-seven associated best practices were developed to guide co-design in health.
• A total of 25 stakeholders participated, with 72% identifying as First Nations Australian.

Conclusions:

• The developed principles and practices offer a foundation for future co-design guidelines, toolkits, and evaluation criteria.
• This work supports equitable engagement and culturally safe health research with First Nations Australians.
• Implementation of these principles can enhance the effectiveness of co-design in addressing Indigenous health disparities.