Felton-Busch, Catrina, and Larkins, Sarah (2019) Remote dwelling Aboriginal Australian women and birthing: a critical review of literature. Women and Birth, 32 (1). pp. 5-15.

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Abstract

Objective: The aim of this literature review is to critically analyse the policy documents informing maternity services policy and scholarly literature on the birthing experiences (including the provision of maternity services) of Aboriginal Australian women from remote communities from an Indigenous standpoint.

Method: Policy documents and scholarly literature were critically analysed to identify who the authors were, their background, approaches and perspectives; and emergent themes. A further analysis of the literature drew on Fairclough's ideas on discourse, power and hegemony.

Findings: A critical discourse analysis of this literature exposed how these texts are ideologically shaped to give voice (and power) to the medical fraternity, maternity care services practitioners and policy makers (whose knowledge is valued) while simultaneously silencing the voices of Aboriginal Australians that pose a challenge to that power.

Conclusion: This critical review of current literature highlights the importance of ongoing critique of maternity services policy and practice discourse necessary to combat western medical hegemony that maintains the disenfranchisement of Aboriginal Australians.

Item ID:	63045
Item Type:	Article (Research - C1)
ISSN:	1878-1799
Copyright Information:	© 2018 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved
Date Deposited:	06 May 2020 01:20
FoR Codes:	45 INDIGENOUS STUDIES > 4504 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and wellbeing > 450418 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander remote health @ 100%
SEO Codes:	92 HEALTH > 9203 Indigenous Health > 920301 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health - Determinants of Health @ 60% 92 HEALTH > 9205 Specific Population Health (excl. Indigenous Health) > 920506 Rural Health @ 40%
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