Applying an Indigenous strengths-based theoretical framework for nutrition-related health and wellbeing for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples of Australia impacted by chronic kidney disease.

BACKGROUND

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples' perspectives on health and wellbeing remain largely absent and underrepresented in contemporary public health nutrition and wellness literature. The dominant Western health knowledge system is positioned as normative, effectively rendering Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples' health knowledge systems invisible, particularly in chronic kidney disease (CKD) care.

OBJECTIVE

To demonstrate through a case study how an Indigenous strengths-based theoretical framework can equip nutrition practitioners with tools for recognising, naming and reframing deficit discourse, while identifying and amplifying the diverse strengths of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples of Australia impacted by CKD, offering an alternative to deficit-based approaches in primary health nutrition practice and research.

DISCUSSION: We present a narrative background on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples' conceptions of health, nutrition and wellbeing in the context of CKD, highlighting how deficit-based approaches negatively impact outcomes, and proposing a strengths-based approach as a more effective and culturally appropriate way forward. We then provide a case study integrating Prehn's strengths-based theoretical framework according to micro, meso and macro levels to facilitate recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples' multitude of strengths. Our case study is a worked example of this framework provided in the context of promoting nutrition health and wellbeing for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples impacted by CKD residing in Yarrabah, Australia.

CONCLUSION

Our case study shows how Prehn's framework can guide culturally safe, strengths-based CKD nutrition care, supporting health sovereignty and self-determination for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples across all levels of practice.