Using Citizen Science to Address Out-of-Pocket Healthcare Expenditure with Aboriginal Communities in the Far West of South Australia: A Protocol

Title
Using Citizen Science to Address Out-of-Pocket Healthcare Expenditure with Aboriginal Communities in the Far West of South Australia: A Protocol
Publication Date
2025-10-28
Author(s)
Ryder, Courtney
Mahoney, Ray
Sharpe, Patrick
Sallows, Georga
Canuto, Karla
Goodman, Andrew
Coombes, Julieann
Pearson, Odette
Hughes, Jaquelyne T
Varnfield, Marlien
Oster, Candice
Karnon, Jonathan
Drummond, Claire
Smith, James A
Omodei-James, Shanti
Otieno, Lavender
Soltani, Ali
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8042-410X
Email: asoltani@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:asoltani
Bonevski, Billie
Type of document
Journal Article
Language
en
Entity Type
Publication
Publisher
MDPI AG
Place of publication
Switzerland
DOI
10.3390/ijerph22111640
UNE publication id
une:1959.11/73995
Abstract

Out-of-pocket health expenditure (OOPHE) significantly impacts people with chronic and complex diseases (CCDs) and injuries. Aboriginal communities experience a higher burden of CCDs and injury, along with greater OOPHE inequities. This project aims to develop and implement a social prescribing digital platform (Web App) to reduce OOPHE. It is grounded in citizen science approaches that value the lived experience and knowledge of Aboriginal people in shaping solutions. The project uses a citizen science methodology adapted for these communities, using knowledge interface methodology to weave together Indigenous and Western knowledges. Research methods (Indigenous, quantitative, qualitative) explore the relational nature of OOPHE risks and protective factors through co-design and workshops with Aboriginal participants to develop the Web App. A community-centric developmental evaluation guides the trial and refinement of the platform, allowing for ongoing learning and adaptation. Process measures inform a national scale-up and evaluation framework. Addressing OOPHE is essential to improving health and wellbeing for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals and families living with or at risk of CCDs. This initiative aims to reduce the impact of OOPHE through digital social prescribing, there by connecting people with essential community services to access healthcare, offering a scalable approach to addressing health inequities nationwide.

Link
Citation
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 22(11), p. 1-12
ISSN
1660-4601
1661-7827
Start page
1
End page
12
Rights
Attribution 4.0 International

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