Premium
Youth and Relationship Networks (YARNS): mobilising communities for sexual health
Author(s) -
Whiteside Mary,
Tsey Komla,
Crouch Alan,
Fagan Patricia
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
health promotion journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.515
H-Index - 32
eISSN - 2201-1617
pISSN - 1036-1073
DOI - 10.1071/he12226
Subject(s) - population health , public health , community health , health economics , reproductive health , animal ecology , sexual behavior , human sexuality , environmental health , business , sociology , psychology , population , medicine , gender studies , social psychology , nursing , ecology , biology
Issue addressed Community participation is vital if sexual health disadvantage among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people is to be addressed, yet there is a paucity of literature examining this issue. Methods The development, nature and impact of a community participation strategy for sexual health, implemented in two North Queensland sites, provided the opportunity for a systematic study, using qualitative and grounded theory analytic methods, of the factors that enable and constrain community participation in this context. A total of 30 people participated, in individual interviews and focus groups. Results The community participation strategy was fundamental to the development of culturally and community congruent sexual health initiatives. There were also signs of a changing discourse in community around sexual health. Factors that enabled effective community participation involved individual attributes, structured group processes, organisational support, empowering external relationships, a culturally sensitive strategy and enhanced health and wellbeing. Conclusion The model developed here identifies factors that enable community participation and mobilisation, thus providing a valuable tool for health practitioners seeking to plan and evaluate strategies that address entrenched disadvantage in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations. So what? The study provides a framework that, if utilised, could support the development of effective and sustained community participation in addressing culturally and socially challenging issues, such as sexual health. This is critical to progress in ‘closing the gap’.