Concordance, an alternative term to 'compliance' in the Aboriginal population

Abstract

BACKGROUND ‘Compliance’ is an important issue for the health of the Aboriginal people. The word implies that patients are not following the doctor’s ‘rules’. Concordance may be a better concept to describe both doctor and patient working together in ‘harmony and agreement’. OBJECTIVE This article describes some of the parameters that affect consultations with Aboriginal patients and how they might be better addressed. DISCUSSION The broader socio-political issues, the ‘ethnocentrism’ of the doctor, the health literacy of the patient, a more ‘patient centred’ model of the doctor-patient interaction, and the support of organisations are some of the variables that can be improved. It is important for general practitioners not to have a pessimistic attitude toward these issues, to identify ways in which the best possible results can be achieved, and to work hard to accomplish them.