JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are the first peoples of Australia, with continuing cultures that are fundamental to health and wellbeing. Complex socio-cultural, health, and wellbeing inequities stemming from colonization, colonialism, and urbanization have led to high rates of negative mental health and wellbeing for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Improving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health and wellbeing outcomes is a national public health priority. The culturally specific concepts of health and wellbeing, Social and Emotional Wellbeing (SEWB) and the Cultural Determinants of Health (CDH), provide evidence-based domains that support good health and wellbeing. There is a need to increase the availability and accessibility of culturally relevant, strengths-based, self-determined, and community-tailored mental health and wellbeing supports informed by SEWB and the CDH. Utilizing Virtual Reality (VR) as a digital health tool to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health and wellbeing is an under researched and emerging field. This study aims to explore how VR could be utilized to enhance SEWB and CDH outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Objective:

This study protocol overviews a 3-phase mixed-methods co-design approach, outlining the research design that will enable the exploration of how VR could be utilized to enhance SEWB and CDH outcomes for Aboriginal people of Sydney, New South Wales (NSW), Australia. In partnership with Tribal Warrior, an Aboriginal Community Controlled Organization, Studio Gilay, an Aboriginal led animation and storytelling studio, and Phoria, an Australian immersive-storytelling technology company, this study will facilitate the co-design, development, implementation, and evaluation of a VR application designed to enhance SEWB and CDH outcomes for Aboriginal peoples in Sydney, NSW, Australia.

Methods:

Using Indigenist and Participatory Action Research methodologies, purposive sampling will be used to recruit 35 Aboriginal community members to participate in each phase of research. Qualitative data collection will occur in each phase through Yarning Circles. Reflexive thematic analysis will guide qualitative analysis. Phase 3 will involve a quantitative survey, generating evaluation insights into SEWB and CDH outcomes from engagement with the VR application.

Results:

This study will culminate in the development, implementation, and evaluation of a co-designed culturally tailored VR application. Findings from each phase will be published in academic papers, exploring and evaluating how the VR application could be utilized to enhance SEWB and CDH outcomes for Aboriginal peoples.

Conclusions:

Findings from this study have potential implications for improving availability and accessibility to mental health and wellbeing supports for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Utilizing VR technology for culturally specific wellbeing support contributes valuable evidence to the fields of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and wellbeing, public health, digital health, and design-based research.