Best practice principles for research with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in action: Case study of a safe infant sleep strategy.

BACKGROUND: Approaches to health promotion that are collaborative, support strengths inherent in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, and demonstrate respect and understanding for individual communities, have achieved the most positive outcomes to date. AIM: To illustrate how the implementation and evaluation of a safe infant sleep health promotion strategy was facilitated by embedding recognised best practice principles for the conduct of research with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities. METHODS: The Pepi-Pod® Program was introduced across rural, remote and metropolitan locations in Queensland between 2013 and 2017. This case study discusses the partnership between the Pepi-Pod® Program and one community-controlled maternal and child health service that employed an Aboriginal Health Worker led model of maternal and child health care for remote regions of Queensland. FINDINGS: Best practice principles were embedded within the program design and adaptation, and in the approach to community consultation prior to program implementation. Collaborative partnerships based on trust, which established stakeholder expectations through transparent communication processes, together with effective engagement in achieving program goals, led to the implementation of this evidence-based health promotion initiative as intended. Consideration for locally relevant and culturally competent program delivery was key to success. The integrity of the program was maintained and embedded into ongoing service delivery. CONCLUSIONS: Through adherence to best practice principles for research with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, implementation and evaluation of health promotion programs can be conducted in mutually acceptable, feasible and sustainable ways that develop capacity within participating health services.

UNITING CULTURAL PRACTICES AND SAFE SLEEP ENVIRONMENTS FOR VULNERABLE INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIAN INFANTS.

Sudden unexpected death in infancy (SUDI) is four times higher for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander babies compared to non-indigenous babies (Commission for Children and Young People and Child Guardian 2014). Co-sleeping is a culturally valued practice used by many indigenous families however is associated with an increased risk of infant death in hazardous circumstances (Venneman et al. 2012; Blair et al. 2014).