Aboriginal health workers and diabetes care in remote community health centres : a mixed method analysis

This article investigates the impact of employing Aboriginal health workers on the delivery of diabetes care in remote community health centres. This study was part of the Coordinated Care Trials of health system reform, conducted from 1997 to 2002 in two remote areas of the Northern Territory: the Tiwi Islands and the Katherine West region. A 3 year study was conducted of seven remote health services with 137 Aboriginal patients with type 2 diabetes. The study measured delivery of diabetes services, adherence to guidelines, intermediate health outcomes for patients, number and sex of Aboriginal health workers at health centres over time, and barriers to worker involvement in chronic illness care.