Cultural Competence in Health ― A Review of the Evidence

Dr Janya McCalman is Associate Professor of Indigenous health research at Central Queensland University where she co-leads the research in Resilience for Aboriginal Health and Wellbeing Program with Associate Professor Roxanne Bainbridge. Her multi-method research with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders partners over the last 15 years has spanned mental health, youth resilience, maternal and child health, health services and implementation research. She has published more than 45 peer reviewed papers and one book. Her PhD was conferred with a Deans Excellence Award and she currently holds a 4 year fellowship from Australia’s National Health and Medical Research Council. Janya comes from New Zealand and now lives in northern Australia.

Dr Crystal Jongen is a qualified Social Worker with a background in Psychology who has worked in direct practice with diverse client groups, including Indigenous Australians, and asylum seekers and refugees. She has been undertaking research in the field of Indigenous health, wellbeing and empowerment for the past three years, collaborating on various research projects to increase knowledge and evidence base to address in key areas of Indigenous health and wellbeing. Crystal’s practice, whether in direct client and community work or research work, is informed by critical perspectives with a focus on social justice and community empowerment. Of Dutch and Australian parents, Crystal lives in Australia but maintains close ties to The Netherlands.

Dr Roxanne Bainbridge is Associate Professor of Indigenous health research at Central Queensland University. Roxanne’s interest is in improving the integrity and quality of research evidence as a contribution to the health and prosperity of Indigenous Australians. She has published 35 academic papers including 7 systematic reviews. She served as Editor of the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health and is a member of Lowitja Institute’s national committee on Community Capability and the Social Determinants of Health. She holds a 4 year Fellowship from Australia’s National Health and Medical Research Council and previously held 2 awards from the Australian Research Council. Roxanne is a Gungarri woman from Queensland, Australia.

Dr Anton Clifford is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Public Health, University of Queensland (UQ) where he teaches in Indigenous health. He has high level experience in undertaking research in Aboriginal healthcare and community settings. He is former Manager of Research & Evaluation at the Institute for Urban Indigenous Health, a regional Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation. He has published more than 20 papers including: systematic reviews of cultural competence and Indigenous health; dissemination; intervention; and measurement research. Anton recently completed a 3 year early career research fellowship with the Australian Research Council. Of British and Basotho parents and raised in an Aboriginal family, he now lives in Queensland, Australia.