‘Atawhai’: A Primary Care Provider-Led Response to Family Violence in Aotearoa New Zealand
Date
Authors
Gear, Claire
Koziol-McLain, Jane
Eppel, Elizabeth
Rolleston, Anna
Timutimu, Ngareta
Ahomiro, Hori
Kelly, Eunice
Healy, Clare
Isham, Claire
Supervisor
Item type
Journal Article
Degree name
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Abstract
Background As a key determinant of ill-health, family violence is inadequately responded to within Aotearoa New Zealand health policy and practice. Without adequate system support, health professionals can often be unsure of what to do, or how to help. Developed in response to this system gap, ‘Atawhai’ aims to make it easier for primary care professionals to respond to family violence. Methods Underpinned by indigenous Māori customs, Atawhai combines complexity theory and participatory research methodologies to be responsive to the complexity involved in family violence. We worked with 14 primary care professionals across ten whakawhitiwhiti kōrero wānanga (meetings for deliberate dialogue) to identify and develop primary care system pathways and tools for responding to family violence. This paper focuses on the development of Atawhai through wānanga and observation methods. Methods used to capture change will be reported separately. Findings Atawhai is a relational response to family violence, focused on developing a network of trusted relationships between health and social care professionals to support safe responses to those accessing care. This study identified four key health system pathways to responsiveness and developed associated tools to support health care responsiveness to family violence. We found the quality of relationships, both among professionals and with those accessing care, coupled with critical reflection on the systems and structures that shape policy and practice are essential in generating change within primary care settings. Conclusions Atawhai is a unique health care response to family violence evidenced on empirical knowledge of primary care professionals. Our theoretical lens calls attention to parts of the system often obscured by current health care responses to family violence. Atawhai presents an opportunity to develop a grassroots-informed, long-term response to family violence that evolves in response to needs.Description
Keywords
1117 Public Health and Health Services, Public Health, 4202 Epidemiology, 4204 Midwifery, 4206 Public health
Source
Archives of Public Health, ISSN: 2049-3258 (Online), Springer Science and Business Media LLC, 82(1). doi: 10.1186/s13690-024-01309-1
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