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Case study on social determinats in health
Case study on social determinats in health
Colonization and aboriginal health
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The World Health Organization defines health as “a state of complete, physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” (International Health Conference, 1948) When considering this definition, which has remained unamended since 1948, it is clear that there is a vast interplay of factors that have led to the poor state of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health. Such factors can include employment, income, education, stress, working and living conditions, geography and limited autonomy amongst many more which can be collectively considered the “social determinants of health” (Wilkinson & Marmot, 2003). To consider all of these factors within the cultural and historical context of Aboriginal and Torres Strait islanders should be the goal of all health practitioners when interacting with Indigenous people but for the purposes of practicality this essay must focus health risks that are most closely associated with adverse health outcomes. Attention must be paid to the role social determinants play whenever health information is presented and particularly in relation to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, where an understanding of their pre and post-Colonial history is vital in the provision of health and wellbeing services. By understanding the role of culture, history and social determinants in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health measure can be developed to achieve health equality not just with non-Indigenous Australians but with other indigenous groups around the world.
The vast majority of Indigenous Australian history took place before European settlement; therefore an understanding of the makeup of Australia during the pre-Colonial period is required to comprehend much ...
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National Health and Medical Research Council. (2013). The Australian Immunisation handbook (10th ed.). Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing, Office of Health Protection. Retrieved from http://www.immunise.health.gov.au/internet/immunise/publishing.nsf/Content/Handbook10-home
Reynolds, H. (2000). Why Weren’t We Told?: A Personal Search for the Truth about Our History. Penguin Books.
Turnour, C., McIntyre, P., Menzies, R., & Chiu, C. (2013). Vaccine preventable diseases and vaccination coverage in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, Australia, 2006 to 2010. Communicable Diseases Intelligence Quaterly Report, 37(1). Retrieved from http://www.health.gov.au/internet/publications/publishing.nsf/Content/cda-cdi37suppl.htm
Wilkinson, R. G., & Marmot, M. G. (2003). Social Determinants of Health: The Solid Facts. World Health Organization.
Wakerman J, Tragenza J, Warchivker I (1999) Review of health services in the Kutjungka Region of WA. Perth: Office of Aboriginal Health, Health Department of Western Australia
Reynolds, H. (1990). With The White People: The crucial role of Aborigines in the exploration and development of Australia. Australia: Penguin Books
There are significant health disparities that exist between Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Australians. Being an Indigenous Australian means the person is and identifies as an Indigenous Australian, acknowledges their Indigenous heritage and is accepted as such in the community they live in (Daly, Speedy, & Jackson, 2010). Compared with Non-Indigenous Australians, Aboriginal people die at much younger ages, have more disability and experience a reduced quality of life because of ill health. This difference in health status is why Indigenous Australians health is often described as “Third World health in a First World nation” (Carson, Dunbar, Chenhall, & Bailie, 2007, p.xxi). Aboriginal health care in the present and future should encompass a holistic approach which includes social, emotional, spiritual and cultural wellbeing in order to be culturally suitable to improve Indigenous Health. There are three dimensions of health- physical, social and mental- that all interrelate to determine an individual’s overall health. If one of these dimensions is compromised, it affects how the other two dimensions function, and overall affects an individual’s health status. The social determinants of health are conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age which includes education, economics, social gradient, stress, early life, social inclusion, employment, transport, food, and social supports (Gruis, 2014). The social determinants that are specifically negatively impacting on Indigenous Australians health include poverty, social class, racism, education, employment, country/land and housing (Isaacs, 2014). If these social determinants inequalities are remedied, Indigenous Australians will have the same opportunities as Non-Ind...
Wilkinson, R. M. (2003). Social determinants of health - the solid facts. [S.l.]: World Health Organization.
...an, P., Egerter, S., & Williams, D. R. (2011). The social determinants of health: coming
Many of the inequalities in the health of the Aboriginal people can be attributed to the
The authors describe Indigenous perspectives on health and well-being based on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s historical and cultural backgrounds. In the Indigenous culture, health comprises not just physical and mental health, but emotional well-being, social and environmental factors as well. Moreover, this holistic approach to health is most associated with their cultural and spiritual dimension. For instance, it is important to maintain their physical and cultural connection to traditional lands as well
Wilkinson, R.G. & Marmot, M.G. 2003, Social determinants of health: the solid facts, World Health Organization.
Wilkinson, R. G., & Marmot, M. G. (2003). Social determinants of health: The solid facts.
According to the World Health Organisation (2017) the social determinants of health are defined as the conditions where people are born, grown, work and live, which also includes the health system. The social determinants of health determined populations health’s outcomes and therefore linked with health inequalities (WHO, 2017)
Ever since the foundations of modern Australia were laid; there has been a disparity between the health status of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and rest of the Australian community (Australian human rights commission, n.d.). This essay will discuss how this gap can be traced back to the discriminatory policies enacted by governments towards Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander’s throughout history. Their existing impacts will be examined by considering the social determinants of health. These are the contemporary psycho-social factors which indirectly influence health (Kingsley, Aldous, Townsend, Phillips & Henderson-Wilson, 2009). It will be evaluated how the historic maltreatment of Aboriginal people leads to their existing predicament concerning health.
Social determinants of health have attracted the attention of governments, policy makers and international health organisations over the last three decades (Hankivsky & Christoffersen 2008). This is because social conditions which people are born in, live and work play an important role in their health outcomes (WHO 2015). According to Kibesh (1200) social determinants drive health disparities, disrupts the human developmental process and undermine the quality of life and opportunities for people and families (ref). Thus, several theories have been developed over the years to provide in-depth understanding of the social determinants of health and to reduce health inequalities (Hankivsky & Christoffersen, 2008). However, there is still significant
Department of Health South Australia. (2004). Cultural Respect Framework for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health. Australian Health Ministers’ Advisory Council. Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Working Party
Poor living conditions are a major health determinant throughout the indigenous population. Most Indigenous Australians are known to live in rural parts of Australia which are commonly not close to major cities and services. People living in these areas generally have poorer health than others living in the cities and other parts of Australia. These individuals do not have as much access to health services and good quality housing. In 2006 roughly 14% of indigenous households in Australia were overcrowded unlike 5% of other households (AIHW, 2009a). Overcrowded and poor quality houses are commonly associated with poor physical and mental health between the people living in them. The indigenous are n...
In Australia in the last ten years more then 137 known people have died and many more fallen very ill from contagious and infectious disease. Diseases such as diphtheria; tetanus, pertussis, poliomyelitis, measles, mumps rubella and Haemophilus influenzae, This is a great tragedy considering all these diseases are easily preventable by immunisation.