Culturally safe medical hub stops men 'walking out the door'
There can be many barriers to someone seeking medical help, including location, language and cultural sensitivities.
This is particularly so for Indigenous men living in northern Western Australia.
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare data shows men are less likely to see a GP than women, and one-in-five men do not visit a doctor at all.
In Kununurra, a remote town 3,000km north of Perth, a dedicated Men's Hub opened earlier this year to break down the barriers that stop Indigenous men from accessing timely care.
The hub, which offers walk-in GP appointments and social, emotional and addiction support, is operated by Ord Valley Aboriginal Health Service (OVAHS).
Caleb Edelsten and Shaun Cox say OVAHS' Men's Hub has seen a growing number of new and returning patients. (ABC Kimberley: Giulia Bertoglio)
OVAHS chief operating officer Caleb Edelsten said the centre was opened after the organisation noticed "reduced engagement by male patients".
"Men more broadly engage less with health services," he said.
"But they're more likely to have a higher mortality rate related to preventable diseases."
Mr Edelsten said since the centre opened, about 180 men had used it and many returned for follow-ups.
Chronic conditions, chronic avoidance
The Institute's data also shows Indigenous men are 2.3 times more likely to experience disease and have significantly higher rates of chronic and acute conditions, such as kidney diseases, diabetes and mental and substance use disorders.
Kununurra's Dr Milo Murphy urged men to present to the GP earlier.
Dr Milo Murphy says Aboriginal men are less likely to engage with health services, but more likely to have chronic diseases. (ABC Kimberley: Giulia Bertoglio)
"There's going to be less complications down the road," he said.
Dr Murphy said he had seen new patients over the past month for a check-up or "men's business," a term used to refer to STI checks.
"These are people who haven't been to OVHAS or to a health service before," he said.
"So it's the first time they've actually sought help because I would assume they feel comfortable going to a service which only caters for men."
Dr Murphy says late diagnosis and missed appointments can produce poorer health outcomes. (ABC Kimberley: Giulia Bertoglio)
Culturally sensitive care
Men's hub manager Shaun Cox, who is also an Aboriginal Health Practitioner, said it was important to create a safe environment.
"The first thing they see is blokes in the reception, which makes it easier for them to come in and more relaxed, " he said.
Shaun Cox says Aboriginal men face significant barriers in accessing healthcare services. (ABC Kimberley: Giulia Bertoglio)
Mr Cox said cultural laws, which prevented Aboriginal men from speaking with and being near some female family members, made it difficult for men to attend the clinic for appointments.
"Blokes come in and the mother-in-law is sitting there, and they just walk straight back out,"
he said.
"We are all Aboriginal men."
As a field officer, Indigenous man Michael Merrison, known as Tucker, helps local men get to appointments.
Michael Merrison or "Tucker" says he loves his job as a field officer, helping to get local men to the clinic. (ABC Kimberley: Giulia Bertoglio)
"We go and go; there was one patient… 15 times we had to go there," he said, explaining how it can take a few attempts to reach patients.
But Mr Merrison said trust could make a big difference in improving health outcomes.
"As soon as you pull up, they say, 'OVAHS is here, Oh, Tucker is here'. So you build up a relationship," he said.
Reaching more men
Gija man Peter Brandy is one of the patients at the Men's Hub.
OVAHS Men's Hub patient Peter Brandy says he is hopeful Aboriginal men can have better health and wellbeing outcomes with better support. (ABC Kimberley: Giulia Bertoglio)
He remembers growing up on a cattle station where you could "have a bad cold and struggle with it for six weeks".
Mr Brandy said things had improved for Aboriginal men and the Men's Hub was part of that change.
"Having a yarn is one of the best medicines,"
he said.
Meanwhile Mr Edelsten said OVAHS would like to offer more GP appointments in the future if funding allowed.
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