Psychiatric Assessment in Remote Aboriginal Communities

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to describe the psychiatric assessment of Aboriginal patients from remote Aboriginal communities in Central Australia. METHOD: The method consisted of a summary of the experiences gained during a dissertation year placement as senior registrar with the Northern Territory Remote Area Mental Health Team. RESULTS: Remote area Aboriginal psychiatry entails learning a whole new set of skills in terms of history taking and the mental state examination, a knowledge of the importance of extended kinship ties and cultural issues, the use of Aboriginal mental health workers as partners in assessing and managing patients via their families and accepting referrals from a wide range of sources. CONCLUSIONS: Working on a service providing psychiatric care to remote area Aboriginal communities can be a deeply rewarding personal and professional experience.