Talking about Medicines: Enhancing medicines communication for Aboriginal people in Central Australia

The Talking About Medicines project will improve communication between Aboriginal people and health professionals about medicines. This will enable Aboriginal people to make informed decisions about their medicine use. The research will develop and evaluate a package of co-designed resources and training, as well as generate best practice recommendations for health professionals to guide communication with Aboriginal people about medicines.

The Talking About Medicines project aims to improve the understanding of how Aboriginal people in Central Australia may be better supported to understand and access their medicines through a focus on the medicine communication process. Medicines are necessary for many people to achieve and maintain good health. Medicine use is common in Aboriginal populations, with approximately 46% of the population having one or more chronic conditions.

Aims of the project:
1. Identify the experiences and expectations of Aboriginal people in Central Australia related to medicines, focusing on the communication process.
2. Review the evidence for best practice communication about medicines for Aboriginal people.
3. Work in partnership with local stakeholders and an Aboriginal advisory group to co-develop an action plan of potential strategies to enhance the medicines communication process.
4. Investigate opportunities for research translation and dissemination.