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Rehabilitation medicine
Protocol
Study protocol for a prospective process evaluation of a culturally secure rehabilitation programme for Aboriginal Australians after brain injury: the Healing Right Way project
  1. Rachel Skoss1,2,3,
  2. Jane White4,
  3. Mandy J Stanley4,
  4. Melanie Robinson5,
  5. Sandra Thompson6,
  6. Elizabeth Armstrong7,
  7. Judith M Katzenellenbogen3
  1. 1Institute for Health Research, The University of Notre Dame Australia, Fremantle, Western Australia, Australia
  2. 2Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
  3. 3School of Population and Global Health, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia
  4. 4School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Western Australia, Australia
  5. 5Ngangk Yira Research Centre for Aboriginal Health Social Equity, Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
  6. 6Combined Universities Centre for Rural Health, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
  7. 7Department of Health and Medical Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Western Australia, Australia
  1. Correspondence to Dr Rachel Skoss; rachel.skoss{at}nd.edu.au

Abstract

Introduction Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (hereafter respectfully referred to as Aboriginal) people are Australia’s First Peoples, having the longest continuous culture in the world and deep spiritual connections with ancestral land. Improvements in their health and well-being is a major policy goal of Australian governments, as the legacy of colonisation and disruption of cultural practices contribute to major health challenges. Lack of culturally secure services impacts participation of Aboriginal people in health services. Aboriginal people with a brain injury typically experience poor access to rehabilitation and support following hospital discharge. ‘Healing Right Way’ (HRW) is a randomised control trial aiming to improve access to interdisciplinary and culturally secure rehabilitation services for Aboriginal people after brain injury in Western Australia, improve health outcomes and provide the first best practice model. This protocol is for the process evaluation of the HRW trial.

Methods and analysis A prospective mixed methods process evaluation will use the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research to evaluate implementation and intervention processes involved in HRW. Data collection includes qualitative and quantitative data from all sites during control and intervention phases, relating to three categories: (1) implementation of trial processes; (2) cultural security training; and (3) Aboriginal Brain Injury Coordinator role. Additional data elements collected from HRW will support the process evaluation regarding fidelity and intervention integrity. Iterative cross-sectional and longitudinal data synthesis will support the implementation of HRW, interpretation of findings and inform future development and implementation of culturally secure interventions for Aboriginal people.

Ethics and dissemination This process evaluation was reviewed by The University of Western Australia Human Research Ethics Committee (RA/4/20/4952). Evaluation findings will be disseminated via academic mechanisms, seminars at trial sites, regional Aboriginal health forums, peak bodies for Aboriginal health organisations and the Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet (https://healthinfonet.ecu.edu.au/).

Trial registration number ACTRN12618000139279.

  • rehabilitation medicine
  • public health
  • stroke medicine
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/

This is an open access article distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited, appropriate credit is given, any changes made indicated, and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/.

https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2020-046042

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    Footnotes

    • Twitter @stanley_mandy, @MelRuss12

    • Contributors Based on the initial concept outlined in the original HRW protocol, JMK led the development of the process evaluation and obtained funding in collaboration with ST, EA and MR. RS developed the draft process evaluation protocol, prepared the draft manuscript and revised it to align with all theoretical constructs used. JW, MJS and JMK contributed to the refinement of the process evaluation protocol. JW prepared the figures. JW, MJS, MR, ST, EA and JMK contributed to the drafting of the manuscript.

    • Funding This work was supported by the Stroke Foundation (Australia) grant SEED1816. The parent Healing Right Way Trial is supported by National Health and Medical Research Council Grant #1132468, Western Australian Department of Health, the Royal Perth Hospital Medical Research Foundation, the Neurological Council of Western Australia, Bega Garnbirringu Health Services, Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service, Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Services Council and the Stroke Foundation.

    • Competing interests None declared.

    • Patient and public involvement Patients and/or the public were involved in the design, or conduct, or reporting, or dissemination plans of this research. Refer to the Methods section for further details.

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.

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