Learning across the life course: A trans-education approach to develop Indigenous intercultural potential in healthcare

Abstract

Indigenous peoples of Australia experience significant inequalities in a range of public systems, including healthcare. A recognised contributor to disparate outcomes within healthcare is an interculturally uninformed healthcare workforce who can often be unconscious of what is required to ensure effective service provision for Indigenous patients, families and communities. Dissonant and reactive intercultural education and training pathways have long been implemented to address this workforce issue – to little avail. Considering the tenets of effective intercultural development – including life-long exposure and immersion, and regular, ongoing self-reflection – it is little surprise that dissonant, stand-alone education and training has proved to be ineffective in changing attitudes, behaviours and approaches to engaging with and treating Indigenous patients and their families. To address this, a trans-educational framework that centres critical consciousness and spans education stages from primary through to post-graduate education is proposed. Such a framework can provide sweeping benefits to health students and professionals, as well as general society more broadly. A trans-education approach would directly address patient-reported experience measures and transcend the health sector to aid in addressing deep-rooted social issues impacting Indigenous communities, such as racism, implicit bias and social exclusion.