Nearly $200,000 has been awarded to The University of Western Australia for a research project that will develop a tool to more effectively measure mental health and wellbeing in the Aboriginal community of Mullewa.
The research project called Tharlbarra Maga: Developing a Strong Head, Strong Mind Measure received funding from Healthway’s 2023 Targeted Research Round, which called for research projects that focused on new and innovative ways to measure health behaviours.
Chief Investigator Dr Charmaine Green from the Western Australian Centre for Rural Health (WACRH) at The University of Western Australia said the funding will support the considerable formative work that has already been undertaken in Mullewa.
“We currently don’t have culturally appropriate tools to be able to measure the impact we are making on the local Aboriginal community’s mental health, social and emotional wellbeing,” she said.
“This research project will provide an alternative to Western mental health tools and measures, which are often disliked and not appropriate for Aboriginal people as they do not reflect their cultural beliefs and understandings of wellbeing.
“This research project will take two years to complete, the tools that will be developed are likely to be interactive, story and picture based, using local idioms and local artists.”
Healthway CEO Colin Smith said Healthway looked forward to the outcomes of Dr Green’s work, as it will address a gap by providing culturally and locally relevant tools to measure mental health and wellbeing.
“This research project will involve extensive consultation with Aboriginal co-researchers and Mullewa community members to better understand the Mullewa mental health story.
“Once culturally appropriate tools are developed, they will be shared with the wider community to improve our understanding of community mental health in Mullewa and help shape the delivery of more effective health programs.
“The project can also provide a blue-print for other Aboriginal communities to develop similar, locally appropriate tools.”
Healthway’s 2023 Targeted Research Round has supported four research projects worth nearly $800,000 to address gaps in measuring health behaviours and inform future policy and process. The successful projects include:
• Dr Charmaine Green, WACRH, The University of Western Australia - Tharlbarra Maga: Developing a Strong Head, Strong Mind Measure- $199, 640
• Dr Emma Carlin, University of Western Australia - Measuring and supporting Aboriginal social and emotional wellbeing within primary healthcare - $199, 690
• Associate Professor Michael Livingston, Curtin University - Measuring alcohol risk, information needs and pathways using an AI chatbot - $198,748
• Professor Peter Gething, Curtin University – Smart Walking and Cycling: Active Travel to School Simulator - $197,876.
For more information about Healthway’s funding programs visit www.healthway.wa.gov.au.