Listening to the Voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women in Regional and Remote Australia About Traumatic Brain Injury From Family Violence: A Qualitative Study

• DOI: 10.1111/hex.14125
• Publication Date: 2024-07-20T08:29:27Z
• Authors: Elaine Wills; Michelle Fitts
• Keywords: Adult; Medicine (General); Domestic Violence; Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples; Decision Making; Health Services Accessibility; Interviews as Topic; Young Adult; 03 medical and health sciences; R5-920; 0302 clinical medicine; Brain Injuries, Traumatic; Humans; Qualitative Research; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander; traumatic brain injury; Australia; Middle Aged; Focus Groups; remote; concussion; Original Article; Female; women; Public aspects of medicine; RA1-1270; family violence

ABSTRACTIntroductionIndigenous women experience high rates of family violence‐related head injuries. At present, lived experience accounts from Indigenous women are absent, which results in incomplete understandings and inadequate responses that have detrimental impacts on them and their families. The aim of this study was to gain insight into Indigenous women's personal and family perspectives regarding violence‐related traumatic brain injury (TBI), including impacts on life, as well as decision‐making processes about healthcare access and engagement.MethodsPurposeful sampling was used to complete semi‐structured interviews with 18 Indigenous women living in regional and remote Australia who had experienced TBI from family violence. The data from these interviews were augmented by data from interviews and focus groups with 28 community members, including family members or carers of Indigenous women living with TBI from family violence.ResultsThree themes were conceptualised based on the data and research aims: interweaving of the past and the present—ways women experience brain injury; factors that inform decision‐making to access healthcare; and managing everyday changes that result from TBI from family violence. Indigenous women described living with a range of symptoms following repeated head injuries including problems with memory, cognition and concentration. A range of strategies to manage long‐term symptoms of TBI were used by Indigenous women and when they did seek healthcare, Indigenous women were required to navigate a range of barriers.ConclusionsThe findings identify a range of gaps in healthcare and housing supports for Indigenous women with TBI from violence, highlighting the significant investment needed to develop responsive and appropriate pathways of care in regional and remote areas. A range of suggestions are discussed including development of a specialised workforce who can provide apppropriate follow‐up support, co‐designed concussion clinics and educational resources. TBI must also be a key aspect of policy and practice for services working with Indigenous women who have experienced violence to ensure appropriate responses are provided.Public or Patient ContributionIndigenous women shared their views and experiences of TBI from family violence as well as decision‐making about accessing healthcare and managing TBI symptoms. As such, study participants provided public contributions to the research.