<em>Soifua Maloloina</em> (healthy living for Samoans): providing Samoans with equitable and appropriate health services in an urban Australian setting — Agentur Pty Ltd
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Soifua Maloloina (healthy living for Samoans): providing Samoans with equitable and appropriate health services in an urban Australian setting (40)

Kym Perkins 1 , Lemalu Felise Tautalasoo 2 , Ranandy Stanley 2 , Lote Scanlan-Savelio 2
  1. Metro South Health, Queensland Health, Logan Central, QLD, Australia
  2. Voice of Samoan People Incorporated, Logan Central, QLD, Australia

Background

Australia’s Samoan communities have some of the highest mortality rates of all migrant populations. Consequently, Queensland’s Metro South Health (MSH) has identified the local Samoan community as a priority group and partnered with them to decrease the incidence of preventable lifestyle-related chronic diseases. The project addresses health inequities facing migrant Samoans and adopts WHO’s Rio Political Declaration (2011) areas for action; focusing on governance, reorienting the health sector and collaboration.

Methods

Baseline data on Samoans’ diets were collected using a validated tool as part of a cross-sectional study. A culturally appropriate intervention was developed based on needs assessment findings, using the strengths-based approach. The project included a range of social marketing, education, health service improvement and policy strategies to address health equity issues. The intervention was developed by Samoans, using bi-cultural language to encourage positive health behaviours and delivered in churches and other Samoan-friendly spaces.

Results/Discussions

Baseline results indicate Samoans in Logan eat significantly less vegetables and more takeaway foods than other Queenslanders, Australians and Samoans in New Zealand. Findings confirmed the influence of social determinants on dietary habits, particularly food security and income. The project’s use of active community participation and community-driven implementation has ensured the ownership and uptake of strategies. Post-implementation evaluation indicates positive changes in dietary habits.  Although focussing on prevention, the project developed a greater responsiveness of the health system to meet the needs of the Samoan community through cultural awareness training of hospital staff and the development of community-endorsed and culturally-appropriate education materials for Logan Hospital clients.

Conclusion/Implications

The strong partnership of Soifua Maloloina has enabled the success and sustainability of this project. The intervention strategies addressed the social determinants of health and empowered the community to actively improve their health and well-being. This project’s principles and methodology could be applied to other priority groups in Australia.

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