Abstracts of theses and treatises
Ariotti LJ (1997) 'The newly planted tree': an exploration of Anangu perceptions of disability. Unpublished Master of Science thesis, Flinders University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia.
The aim of this thesis is to explore how Anangu perceive disability. The original proposal was to achieve this aim by researching only with people who had an amputation. However, it became obvious, early in the field work, that this might not be possible. Therefore, while retaining the original aim, I broadened the focus to include Anangu who have any type of impairment or disability.
The purpose of the research is to improve the quality and appropriateness of services for people with disabilities who live in remote communities. We will accomplish this by equipping service providers with more accurate information about the perceptions that Anangu have about disability and associated realities. A Rural Health Support, Education and Training (RHSET) grant has partially funded the project.
Ten remote communities in the cross border region of South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory are the locations for the study. It is a collaborative venture involving an Aboriginal co-worker, people with disabilities, their family and community members, the workers of the Disability Support Project (DSP) and the Commonwealth Rehabilitation Service (CRS).
The epistemological assumptions underpinning the thesis are those of constructivism, namely, that all meaningful reality emerges from our engagement with our world and, in the case of this research, that the interactions of participants and researcher constantly construct and reconstruct reality overall, and disability, in particular. Diane Ingkatji, the co-researcher and I gathered and analysed descriptive ethnographic data using qualitative techniques. These included conversations with and participant observation of a large group of people living in the communities in the cross border region. We interviewed 53 people about their perceived disability. In so doing we assessed their suitability for entry into a tertiary rehabilitation program offered by the Commonwealth Rehabilitation Service.
Follow-up conversations with these people occurred between four and ten times. Six people volunteered to provide a more in-depth examination of impairment and disability. Diane and I recorded these interviews on audio tapes. Eighty people attended a workshop initiated and run by Anangu for people with disabilities, their families and other community members. These people spent two days discussing the needs of and ways to help people who have impairments or disabilities. The proceedings were audio and video taped, transcribed and then the data analysed using a computer program, Ethnograph4.
The results are discussed using three broad headings:
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exploring the experience of disability;
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exploring the understanding of disability;
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exploring the needs of people with disabilities.
The participants outline many specific characteristics of disability. All these are the associated realities that combine in the ongoing construction of disability. This construction is occurring in the ever-changing and sometimes tragic historical context of colonisation.
For the Anangu, this means that dealing with disability is primarily an issue of regaining and retaining control of the care of their family members who have severe disabilities. It also means that the Anangu control the type and provision of services offered by other agencies.
The thesis concludes with suggestions about the ways that the information can help in the delivery of better services to Anangu.
For further information on this subject look in the Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet Bibliography or return to the theses page.
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