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Porykali B, Cullen P, Hunter K, Rogers K, Kang M, Young N, Senserrick T, Clapham K, Ivers R. The road beyond licensing: the impact of a driver licensing support program on employment outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. BMC Public Health 2021; 21:2146. [PMID: 34814871 PMCID: PMC8611871 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-021-12218-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background With increasingly tough graduated driver licensing laws in all Australian States and Territories, driver licensing support programs are recognised as being important to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to obtain a driver licence. Such programs appear to improve licensing attainment rates, but few studies have examined the broader impact that these programs can have. This research aims to 1) examine the impact of a New South Wales (NSW) based driver licensing support program (Driving Change) on client employment outcomes; 2) assess the influence of geographical area of program delivery on driver licence attainment. Methods Driving Change was delivered from February 2013 to August 2016 in 4 urban and 7 regional Aboriginal communities of NSW. Clients were followed-up at 6 months or more following contact with the program as part of routine program operations. Descriptive statistics and regression models were used to analyse data. Results From 933 clients contacted 254 agreed to provide feedback, a response rate of 27%. Those that responded were mostly female (57%), aged 24 years and under (72%), unemployed (85%) with secondary education or less (71%) and from a regional area (74%). Adjusted logistic regression indicated that clients who achieved an independent licence were more likely (OR: 2.5, 95% CI: 1.22–5.24, p = 0.011) of reporting a new job or change in job than those who did not attain a licence. Clients from regional areas were more likely (OR: 1.72, 95% CI: 1.27–2.33, p < 0.001) to gain an independent licence than those from urban areas. There was no difference in employment outcomes (OR: 1.2, 95% CI: 0.53–2.52, p = 0.719) for clients from urban compared to regional areas. Conclusion The Driving Change program appears to be effective in improving employment outcomes for those who gained a licence. Clients from regional areas were more likely to gain a licence compared to those in urban settings, and were predominantly young and unemployed, often a hard to reach cohort. Future licensing programs being delivered in regional areas need integrated pathways into employment opportunities to provide holistic services that address the social and economic challenges faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bobby Porykali
- School of Public Health, University of Technology Sydney, 15 Broadway, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia. .,The George Institute for Global Health, Level 5, 1 King Street, Newtown, NSW, 2042, Australia.
| | - Patricia Cullen
- The George Institute for Global Health, Level 5, 1 King Street, Newtown, NSW, 2042, Australia.,School of Population Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia.,Ngarruwan Ngadju, First Peoples Health and Wellbeing Research Centre, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia
| | - Kate Hunter
- The George Institute for Global Health, Level 5, 1 King Street, Newtown, NSW, 2042, Australia.,School of Population Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Kris Rogers
- School of Public Health, University of Technology Sydney, 15 Broadway, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia.,The George Institute for Global Health, Level 5, 1 King Street, Newtown, NSW, 2042, Australia
| | - Melissa Kang
- School of Public Health, University of Technology Sydney, 15 Broadway, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Nareen Young
- School of Public Health, University of Technology Sydney, 15 Broadway, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Teresa Senserrick
- Queensland University of Technology, 130 Victoria Park Road, Kelvin Grove, QLD, 4059, Australia
| | - Kathleen Clapham
- The George Institute for Global Health, Level 5, 1 King Street, Newtown, NSW, 2042, Australia.,Ngarruwan Ngadju, First Peoples Health and Wellbeing Research Centre, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia
| | - Rebecca Ivers
- School of Public Health, University of Technology Sydney, 15 Broadway, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia.,The George Institute for Global Health, Level 5, 1 King Street, Newtown, NSW, 2042, Australia.,School of Population Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
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Cullen P, Clapham K, Lo S, Rogers K, Hunter K, Treacy R, Porykali B, Keay L, Senserrick T, Ivers R. Communities driving change: evaluation of an Aboriginal driver licensing programme in Australia. Health Promot Int 2018; 33:925-937. [PMID: 29106515 DOI: 10.1093/heapro/dax036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The Driving Change programme was developed to facilitate access to licensing in Aboriginal communities in Australia. This process evaluation aimed to explore whether Driving Change was implemented as intended and was addressing the needs of the communities. A mixed methods approach was used, with triangulation of client data (n = 984), semi-structured interviews (n = 18) and client discussion groups (n = 21). Descriptive and regression analyses of quantitative and thematic analysis of qualitative data were drawn together to develop an integrated understanding of implementation barriers and facilitators. The programme reached 984 clients, with the majority from the target age group 16-24 years (56-89%). In multivariate analysis, clients who had supervised driving practice were 2.4 times more likely to attain a licence (95% CI: 1.9-3.1) and clients who received a high level of case management were 1.8 times more likely to progress to attain a licence than those who received low levels of case management (95% CI: 1.3-2.6). Implementation was facilitated by community partnerships and this was attributed to local delivery, Aboriginal leadership, connections with community networks and community ownership of solutions. Driving Change is engaging communities and reaching clients with a high level of need for licensing support. The programme is working with communities, benefiting from the input of cultural values and sharing ownership of local solutions. Community partnerships were critical to successfully supporting clients to overcome challenging barriers to participation. The learnings from this programme are relevant to complex community programme implementation and evaluation, particularly with diverse or hard to reach populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Cullen
- The George Institute for Global Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.,School of Public Health, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, Australia
| | - Kathleen Clapham
- Australian Health Services Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
| | - Serigne Lo
- Melanoma Institute Australia, Wolstencraft, Australia
| | - Kris Rogers
- The George Institute for Global Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Kate Hunter
- The George Institute for Global Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.,The Poche Centre for Indigenous Health, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, Australia
| | - Rebekah Treacy
- The George Institute for Global Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Bobby Porykali
- The George Institute for Global Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Lisa Keay
- The George Institute for Global Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Teresa Senserrick
- Transport and Road Safety Research, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Rebecca Ivers
- The George Institute for Global Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.,Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia
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Clapham K, Hunter K, Cullen P, Helps Y, Senserrick T, Byrne J, Harrison JE, Ivers RQ. Addressing the barriers to driver licensing for Aboriginal people in New South Wales and South Australia. Aust N Z J Public Health 2017; 41:280-286. [PMID: 28245515 DOI: 10.1111/1753-6405.12654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2016] [Revised: 10/01/2016] [Accepted: 11/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Low rates of driver licensing have been linked to increased risk of transport-related injury, and reduced access to health services, employment and educational opportunities in the Aboriginal population. This paper reports on how barriers to obtaining a driver licence are being addressed in four Aboriginal communities in New South Wales and South Australia. METHODS Qualitative data were collected over a four-month period in 2013. Interviews with Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal stakeholders (n=31) and 11 focus groups with Aboriginal participants (n=46) were analysed thematically using a framework approach. RESULTS Factors facilitating licensing included: family support, professional lessons, alternative testing and programs that assist with literacy, fines management, financial assistance and access to a supervising driver. Stakeholders recommended raising awareness of existing services and funding community-based service provision to promote access to licensing. DISCUSSION Facilitating licence participation requires systemic change and long-term investment to ensure interagency collaboration, service use and sustainability of relevant programs, including job search agencies. Implications for public health: The disadvantage faced by Aboriginal people in driver licensing is a fundamental barrier to participation and a social determinant of health. Understanding the factors that promote licensing is crucial to improving access for under-serviced populations; recommendations provide pragmatic solutions to address licensing disadvantage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen Clapham
- Australian Health Services Research Institute, University of Wollongong, New South Wales
| | - Kate Hunter
- The George Institute for Global Health, University of Sydney, New South Wales.,The Poche Centre for Indigenous Health, University of Sydney, New South Wales
| | - Patricia Cullen
- The George Institute for Global Health, University of Sydney, New South Wales
| | | | - Teresa Senserrick
- Transport and Road Safety Research, University of New South Wales, New South Wales
| | - Jake Byrne
- The George Institute for Global Health, University of Sydney, New South Wales
| | | | - Rebecca Q Ivers
- The George Institute for Global Health, University of Sydney, New South Wales.,Flinders University, South Australia
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