Group antenatal care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women: An acceptability study.

Background: Good quality antenatal care is essential to improve the perinatal outcomes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women in Australia. Group antenatal care (GAC) is an innovative model which places clinical assessment, education and social support into a group setting. Previous studies have found GAC to be associated with improved perinatal outcomes, particularly for vulnerable populations, and high satisfaction levels among group members. No implementations of GAC, or evaluations of its acceptability, for an Indigenous population in Australia have been previously conducted.

Aim: To explore the perceptions of a group of Indigenous health workers (n=5) in a health service in Far North Queensland, Australia, towards the prospective acceptability of GAC as an additional choice of model of care for their Indigenous women clients.

Methods: This qualitative acceptability study employed a descriptive/exploratory methodology. Data collection was by semi structured interview. Data analysis was guided by a theoretical framework of acceptability and conducted following a process of iterative categorisation.

Findings: No overall precluding factors were identified to render the model unacceptable for Indigenous women in this locality. Some features of the model would not suit all women. Indigenous health workers were interested in increased involvement with antenatal care and participation in a GAC model.

Conclusion: A foundation of acceptability exists upon which the implementation of a GAC model could offer benefits to Indigenous women in this health service. The positive response of the Indigenous health workers to the concept of GAC endorsed the potential of this model to contribute to the provision of culturally appropriate and effective antenatal care within mainstream services.