Healing Steps on Country-Exploring Care Pathways for Aboriginal People in the Kimberley With Diabetes-Related Foot Disease.

OBJECTIVE

This project aimed to document the experiences of Aboriginal people living in the Kimberley region who have experienced diabetes-related foot disease (DFD) so that service delivery can be optimised.

SETTING

The Kimberley region, Western Australia.

PARTICIPANTS

Aboriginal People in the Kimberley with DFD.

DESIGN

A mixed methods study design was used, incorporating quantitative analysis of primary and outpatient care presentations and hospitalisation data collected from in-depth medical record reviews (n = 35) and semi-structured interviews with participants (n = 28).

RESULTS

This study highlighted that DFD in the Kimberley has a significant impact on individuals and communities. While primary and outpatient services play a key role in DFD care, there is an opportunity to strengthen preventive foot care services. Participants valued flexibility and autonomy in managing their care, especially with the support of Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHS). Recommendations to improve DFD care are provided, incorporating the perspectives of patients and of the health professionals who participated in the data interpretation workshop. These include facilitating patient self-care, expanding high-quality foot care within ACCHS, strengthening support for hospitalised patients, and advocating for upstream service improvements.

CONCLUSION

Addressing geographical and systemic barriers through improved patient education, better access to primary care resources, and increased patient choice may enhance autonomy and long-term DFD outcomes.