Effectiveness of the uptake and implementation of an Aboriginal Australian empowerment program in the context of public health training In Papua New Guinea

An initial collaboration between Australian and Papua New Guinea (PNG) researchers established the suitability of the Aboriginal Australian Family Wellbeing empowerment program (FWB) in University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG) public health training. This study seeks to determine the effectiveness of program uptake and implementation by the PNG partners. A total of 30 students in the UPNG participated in 40 hours of FWB. Qualitative workshop evaluations were compared with those of the initial study. Quantitative pre and post surveys measured students' initial and subsequent sense of wellbeing in three areas. Local uptake and implementation were effective: UPNG partners from the initial pilot facilitated the FWB program in their own right and achieved similar results. Students found the FWB content and delivery highly relevant and empowering. They reported enhanced capacity to improve their own wellbeing and help others to do the same. Quantitative results showed minor improvements, or deterioration, in reported wellbeing, arguably because post-intervention data were not collected immediately after training but rather at different times. Despite this, the study highlights the need for appropriate and well-tested quantitative measures and dedicated research funding to improve the evidence-base for social health interventions such as FWB in the PNG context.