Pharmacy student education helping to improve
Indigenous medication management and health

The health of Indigenous Australians remains appalling (ABS/AIHW 1999). The causes of this situation are multifactorial, however one contributing factor is poor medication compliance within Indigenous populations (Mobbs 1991, Murray, 2003, Hamrosi 2004).

In 2004, as one element of a partnership building process between the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Sydney and Mid West Area Health Service (MWAHS), the pharmacy students enrolled in the second year of the Bachelor of Pharmacy (Rural) on the Orange campus of the University undertook a unit of study entitled "Health & Cultural Issues in Rural Australia". This unit was designed to assist them to have better understanding of Indigenous health issues. Through cultural awareness training, information sessions, communication workshops and an excursion the students were encouraged to adopt communication strategies and to design information packages that were culturally appropriate for Aboriginal Health Workers (AHWs) and the Indigenous community. They also learnt the importance of the AHW's role in assisting pharmacists and doctors to deliver health messages to the Indigenous community, particularly with respect to medication management. The AHW training packages prepared and presented by the students were outstanding and the MWAHS AHWs who attended their presentations were favourably impressed. The MWAHS Aboriginal health co-ordinator wrote: "I would have no hesitation in utilising any or all of the packages presented and if yesterday was an indication of the quality of pharmacists that hopefully one day may be working in our communities, we can only see progression and improvement in Aboriginal Health."