"It Is All About Education, Isn't It?": Community Priorities for an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Adolescent...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Indigenous Health
• Community Nutrition

Background:

• Rural Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adolescents face limited access to health promotion services.
• There is a need for community-driven programs that are locally tailored and address adolescent health needs.
• Existing health initiatives often lack cultural appropriateness and empowerment focus.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify community priorities for co-designing a culturally appropriate, empowerment-focused nutrition program.
• To explore barriers, enablers, and opportunities for program implementation with rural Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adolescents.
• To integrate community voice with evidence-based practice for program development.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional, qualitative study design in Queensland, Australia.
• Utilized implementation science and Indigenous frameworks.
• Employed community yarning and thematic analysis involving adolescents, parents, healthcare staff, community leaders, and Elders.

Main Results:

• Six key themes emerged, highlighting community health priorities and local food environment context.
• Cooking skills and family involvement were identified as crucial for adolescent empowerment.
• Community preferences for program evaluation were explored and integrated into the program outline.

Conclusions:

• Co-designing culturally appropriate, empowerment-focused nutrition programs is vital for rural Indigenous adolescents.
• Partnership with the community is recommended for future program implementation and research.
• Addressing local context and incorporating community voice ensures program relevance and effectiveness.