Community development and empowerment - a review of interventions to improve aboriginal health

Abstract

The question of where to start addressing social determinants of health in Indigenous settings remains a real issue for practitioners in the field' (Tsey et al. 2003). This paper contributes to the development of a research agenda on the social determinants of health by focusing on interventions that have engaged Aboriginal communities in tackling social inequalities. A review of published literature was conducted in order to explore the limits and potential for community development interventions to contribute to improved Aboriginal health. The objectives of the review were to: identify community development interventions to improve and maintain health and wellbeing in Aboriginal settings that have been documented or evaluated; explore and define the theoretical underpinnings of 'community development' as it is described in the literature; describe identified interventions including how community development principles are conceptualised. challenges faced and lessons learned, particularly those relating to factors critical to their success and sustainability; and identify appropriate methodologies for evaluating community development interventions in Aboriginal settings.