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Print FriendlyA couple of years ago the little country town of Bingara in northern NSW made headlines when it advertised nationwide for a doctor. Television advertisements showing Bingara’s considerable natural assets, its proximity to other towns and the custom built doctor’s house were flashed across people’s living rooms.
The message was simple – our community needs a doctor and we are prepared to go to any lengths to get one. It is a scenario that rural towns across Australia know only too well.
A new Commonwealth Government-funded research program in Queensland to develop a better process of addressing priority public health concerns, may provide some answers to the dilemma faced by rural communities frustrated about their health and well-being (1).
The project aims to build community capacity to deal with health issues. In the first phase, community members are asked to take part in critical reference groups to identify the health issues for the region. A community plan is then drawn up and money allocated to implement the plan. This might include a health chest or grants scheme for the community to utilise to address health care issues.
“In terms of the health issues, women are very concerned about how the men are coping with mentally tough financial circumstances. There is also grief about children going away to school, university or work –they know once their children go away they will not come back,” coordinator Jane Gregg said.
Many of the women say they need first-aid and emergency response training and on-line access to information and further training courses. There is strong support for an on-line local support network.
Di Gibson, who lives on a 65,000 acre property between Longreach and Winton, knows the value of some friendly advice at the tips of her fingers. Her two year old son Jack, has chronic eating problems which are mainly behavioural, brought on by a severe reflux problem that required surgery earlier this year. Jack is underweight and, according to Di, “lives on fresh air and water, as he associates eating with the pain he experienced as a baby with severe reflux.” His food has to be pureed and fed to him in tiny regular portions.
Di logs onto the Internet up to five times a day to collect her mail from women in the ‘Mothers of Reflux Children’ and ‘Parents of Children with Reflux Surgery’ support networks. These women are all grappling with similar issues and problems and can give you advice or just say – it’s all right, what Jack is doing is normal. It’s just a such a relief.”
The stress has been acute for Di and her husband. Daily family life has almost disintegrated and the once social Di now prefers to stay at home with Jack, where he is settled, rather than drive 120 kilometres on dirt roads to the nearest town. Di said the emotional and psychological support provided by the on-line support groups has been her lifeline.
References
1. Queensland Public Health Services (1999), Community Public Health Planning in Rural and Remote Areas Project,
Useful links
Australian Women’s Health Network |
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Gilmore Centre for Rural Health |