Clinicians’ views on cognitive assessment with Aboriginal Australians

Abstract

Background: A shortage of standardised cognitive assessment tools for use with Aboriginal Australians is evident. Clinicians also miss the range of guidelines necessary to inform test selection and interpretation for all Aboriginal clients. This mixed methods study examines clinicians’ confidence, views and current practices when conducting cognitive assessments with Aboriginal Australian clients. Methods: Clinicians were asked about factors that influence their likelihood of using standardised testing in Aboriginal vs non-Indigenous Australian people. Twenty-one health professionals with experience conducting cognitive assessments with Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians participated. Clinicians were presented with a series of different scenarios per the client’s level of education and language of origin via an online survey. Clinicians rated their likelihood and confidence using standardised cognitive assessment for each scenario. Open-ended questions captured clinicians’ views and information about their current clinical practices. Results: Clients’ age, education and language of origin influence the likelihood of clinicians’ use of standardised cognitive assessment measures with Aboriginal people. Overall, clinicians reported feeling only slightly more confident working with non-Indigenous clients than Aboriginal clients. Qualitative data indicate a lack of consistency regarding test selection. Conclusion: Clinicians expressed concerns about the validity of available cognitive assessment tools for use with Aboriginal Australians and the absence of evidence to assist decision-making. Cited barriers included language, educational attainment and cultural factors.