"This is my boy's health! Talk straight to me!" perspectives on accessible and culturally safe care among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients of clinical genetics services

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people do not enjoy equal access to specialist health services that adequately meet their needs. Clinical genetics services are at the vanguard of realising the health benefits of genomic medicine. As the field continues to expand in clinical utility and implementation, it is critical that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are able to participate and benefit equally to avoid further widening of the existing health gap. This is the first study to explore barriers to accessing clinical genetics services among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, which has been acknowledged as a key strategic priority in Australian genomic health policy.

Citation:
Dalach P, Savarirayan R, Baynam G, McGaughran J, Kowal E, Massey L, et al. "This is my boy's health! Talk straight to me!" perspectives on accessible and culturally safe care among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients of clinical genetics services. Int J Equity Health. 2021;20(1):103.

Keywords:
Aboriginal and Torres Strait islanders; Access to health care; Cultural safety; Genetic health services; Indigenous Australians

Abstract:
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people do not enjoy equal access to specialist health services that adequately meet their needs. Clinical genetics services are at the vanguard of realising the health benefits of genomic medicine. As the field continues to expand in clinical utility and implementation, it is critical that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are able to participate and benefit equally to avoid further widening of the existing health gap. This is the first study to explore barriers to accessing clinical genetics services among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, which has been acknowledged as a key strategic priority in Australian genomic health policy.