Codesigning culturally safe oral health care with First Nations Kidney Warriors experiencing kidney disease in South Australia.

• Published in: BMC Oral Health
• Main Authors: Kelly, Janet, Owen, Kelli, Tyrell, Kate, Clemente, Kelly, Steffens, Margie, Sinclair, Nari, Reynolds, Sylvia, Allan, Wade
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: BioMed Central 2024
• Subjects: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander; Collaboration; Decolonisation; First Nations; Kidney health; Oral health; Participatory action research
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12903-024-04617-8; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39080614

This paper describes how First Nations Kidney Warriors (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living with kidney disease), dental hygienists, kidney health care professionals, an Aboriginal hostel accommodation manager and researchers co-designed an approach to improve oral health in South Australia. Kidney Warriors have strong connection to Country, Community and family that underpins health, wellbeing and approaches to research. However, significant colonisation, racism and marginalisation have impacted Kidney Warriors' social, cultural and financial determinants of health, leading to increased chronic conditions including kidney disease. Access to culturally safe, affordable and responsive oral health care is vital but challenging for First Nations Peoples undergoing dialysis and kidney transplantation; Australian oral health care is generally provided privately, in metropolitan centres, by professionals who may hold unconscious bias about First Nations Peoples and incorrect assumptions regarding equal access to care.