Improving the feedback of housing information to Indigenous communities.

The standard and functionality of housing are key determinants of health in Indigenous community settings. This paper reports on a study of the perceptions of Indigenous Community Housing Organisation (ICHO) staff on feedback they received from the Northern Territory Indigenous Community Housing Survey (ICHS). Data from this study was generated through telephone interviews with 22 staff working within ICHOs in the Northern Territory (NT) in December 2004. A semi-structured, open-ended questionnaire was used to elicit perceptions of the process, content and format of the feedback report and subsequent actions taken. The results showed that multiple approaches to report dissemination are necessary in order to respond to the varied capacity of ICHOs. There may be particular benefits from face-to-face communication on key findings with housing managers. The study identified potential improvements to the format of the report and a range of items that participants felt should be removed or included in future housing survey instruments and reports. Feedback from the housing survey enabled staff within ICHOs to organise and carry out urgent repairs and provided an evidence base when applying for funding. The paper concludes with the proposition that feedback could be improved by using a continuous quality improvement process as a basis for planning and capacity building within ICHOs.