Gendered Identities and Caring: Health Intermediaries and Technology in Rural and Remote Queensland

Abstract

Rural and remote communities experience significant hardship in terms of the ready availability of high level emergency health care, access to resources, supportive technology, and high staff turnover, resulting in gaps in both initial service provision and ongoing support. In this context, local people with health knowledge or caring skills can play an important bridging role. Non-clinical health workers, allied and community health, social workers, and other community members may work to fill the provision gaps, providing information and support to community members, in many cases over and above their paid responsibilities. These people can be defined as health intermediaries; they act as mediators between the health system (or lack thereof) and the individual needs of community members, providing information and support in ways that best suit the individual and his or her specific context.