Researchers at Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital (RBWH) are partnering with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to better understand the experiences of people living with serious infections and the care they receive. 

Through culturally safe yarning circles, participants will share their experiences of illness, treatment, recovery and navigating the healthcare system. These insights will help identify where care is working well, where barriers exist and what changes are needed to better support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. 

The findings will inform practical recommendations to improve infection prevention, treatment and recovery, ensuring healthcare services are more culturally responsive and better meet the needs of the communities they serve.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples experience higher rates of infection and are more likely to experience serious complications than other Australians. 

While the medical impacts of these illnesses are well understood, far less is known about people's experiences of seeking care, receiving treatment and recovering from infection. Factors such as access to healthcare, communication, cultural safety and previous experiences with health services can all influence when people seek treatment and how well they recover. 

This project recognises that improving health outcomes begins by listening to the people most affected. 

Working in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, researchers will use yarning circles - a culturally appropriate approach to sharing stories and experiences - to understand the barriers people face, the supports that make a difference and the changes they believe are needed.

The long-term goal is to help shape healthcare that is more culturally safe, respectful and responsive, encouraging earlier access to care, stronger engagement with treatment and better recovery from infection. By placing community voices at the centre of service improvement, the project aims to reduce health inequities and improve outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.