Primary health care for Aboriginal women and children in the year after birth: findings from a population‐based study in South Australia

• Published in: Australian and New Zealand journal of public health 2016-10, Vol.40 (5), p.418-423
• Main Authors: Yelland, Jane, Weetra, Donna, Stuart‐Butler, Deanna, Deverix, Janiene, Leane, Cathy, Ah Kit, Jackie, Glover, Karen, Gartland, Deirdre, Newbury, Jonathan, Brown, Stephanie
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aboriginal Australians; Aboriginal maternal and child health; Adolescent; Adult; Birth weight; Child Health Services - statistics & numerical data; Childbirth & labor; Children; Children & youth; Childrens health; Cohort analysis; Diabetes; Diabetes mellitus; Families & family life; Female; Health care; health disparities; Health services; Health Services Accessibility - statistics & numerical data; Health Services, Indigenous - statistics & numerical data; Humans; Hypertension; Infant; Infants; Male; Maternal and infant welfare; Maternal Health Services - statistics & numerical data; Medical personnel; Medical workers; Morbidity; Native peoples; Native women; Nurses; Obstetrics; Patient Acceptance of Health Care - statistics & numerical data; Population studies; Population-based studies; population‐based study; postpartum; Pregnancy; Prenatal care; Primary care; primary health care; Primary Health Care - statistics & numerical data; Public health; South Australia; Women; Womens health; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1326-0200; 1753-6405; 1753-6405
• DOI: 10.1111/1753-6405.12581

To investigate the extent to which Aboriginal women access primary care for themselves and their infant in the year after childbirth. Cross sectional population‐based survey of women giving birth to Aboriginal babies in South Australia between July 2011 and June 2013. A total of 344 women took part in the study 4–9 months after giving birth. The majority had seen a primary health care practitioner since the birth: 86% had seen a Child and Family Health Service (CaFHS) nurse, 81% a general practitioner (GP), and 61% an Aboriginal health worker (AHW). Women living in remote areas were more likely to have seen primary care practitioners than women living in Adelaide (GP: OR 2.3, 95% CI 1.0–5.2; CaFHS: OR 2.4, 95% CI 1.0–5.8; AHW: OR 5.2, 95% CI 2.8–9.8). Around 16% of women with gestational diabetes and 10% with hypertension had not seen a GP since the birth, and 24% of women who had a low birthweight infant had not seen a CaFHS nurse. Despite high prevalence of maternal and infant morbidity, a sizeable minority of women did not access primary care practitioners postpartum. Stronger efforts are needed to ensure Aboriginal women and families receive appropriate postnatal follow‐up.