Background:
Living in a remote area has always been thought to have negative influences on the individual. There are 35 % of the total population in Australia living in rural area(Phillips, 2009).Rural areas in Australia and all over the world are not geographically isolated and disadvantaged only but also culturally and economically deprived which has great consequences on the health status of the population. The main two factors that have a major effect on rural health are socioeconomic status and cultural issues(Beard, Tomaska, Earnest, Summerhayes, & Morgan, 2009).
People living in rural areas are experiencing highly limited excess to health care facilities either because they are not aware of the disease symptoms as a result of low education level or because the treatment is not available for them. In addition, rural population tend to smoke and drink more than others which has an extremely negative impact on their health status demonstrated by higher mortality and morbidity rates than that of the population living in the major cities (Beard et al., 2009). the mortality rate in regional areas of Australia are 1.05-1.15 times, and in remote areas 1.2-1.2 times those in major cities (Phillips, 2009).
Another risk factor that has an impact on the quality of health care delivered to rural population is the lack of sufficient skilled experienced health care providers in remote and regional area of Australia. Health care professionals working in rural areas have to be well trained in emergency and trauma cases as the health care conditions presented in rural areas are different than those in the cities as a result of increased environmental hazardous and injuries(Veitch, 2009). Most health care professionals are ex...
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...les, M., & Taylor, J. (2009). Boundary crossers, communities, and health: Exploring the role of rural health professionals. Health & Place, 15(1), 284-290.
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Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, Vol. 78, No. 2, pp. 113-117 27. No.
Australia is a vast land with a diverse environment and communities isolated by great distances. Its peoples have a diversity of culture, educational and economic circumstances, health needs, services, and social structure. Therefore the welfare issues experienced and the impact these have to lifestyle within Australia’s different populations would also differ in relation to these factors. This is certainly true for Rural Australia.
The 1967 referendum resulted in the change of the Constitution on August 10 of that year, initiating the start of great change for the lives of indigenous people in Australia. The referendum sought to change Sections 51 and 127 of the Constitution. Section 51 stated the Federal Government could make laws for anyone in the nation except aborigines, leaving state governments in charge (Creative Spirits – 1967 Referendum, online, 14/8/15). Section 127 specified that when the population of the Commonwealth was counted, indigenous people were not included (Creative Spirits – 1967 Referendum, online, 14/8/15). According to Faith Bandler, an indigenous civil rights activist, it was important to force the Commonwealth to be responsible for the aborigines
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...
Topic 3: "Outline the social determinants of health in Australia and provide a critical analysis of these determinants. Discuss the current health status comparisons between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians and interventions to remedy these inequalities.”
The purpose of this paper is to illuminate and discuss healthcare vulnerabilities of the elderly rural population in Baker County, Florida and describe how the nursing profession can address these problems. Rural health has been a complex and multifaceted challenge for government and healthcare practitioners. The elderly who live alone in the county suffer from low socioeconomic status, low health literacy rates, declining cognitive and physical health and lack of healthcare facilities. The health status of this vulnerable group is impacted by rural culture and social values, healthcare policy and funding affecting rural healthcare facilities, distance and lack of transportation, and health literacy.
Many of the inequalities in the health of the Aboriginal people can be attributed to the
Since 1788, when the white people first came to Australia, Australian Indigenous people have experienced systematically debases Indigenous culture and people. Due to that reason Indigenous people have profound effects on health and emotional wellbeing (Dudgeon 2010, p. 38). As per Parker (2010, p. 5) Diabetes, renal failure, cardiovascular disease, rheumatic heart disease figure prominently in Aboriginal and Torrens state Islander health issues.
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Because rural environments are not as densely populated as urban ones, public services are not as readily available. This requires people to find other means of getting where they need to go and also effects the way they take care of themselves in regards to health. When asked about how she was effected by the lack of healthcare and transportation, my first interviewee stated that it is a constant struggle for her. She said that because she does not work she cannot afford a car to get around with. She said it makes things especially hard when trying to get groceries. She tries to ride to town with some of her friends whenever possible, but if she cannot find a ride she has to walk where she needs to go. She said the lack of healthcare and transportation was a big problem when her husband had a heart attack. She said they had to bring in the helicopter to get him to the hospital in time and it came with a large bill that she doesn’t know how they are going to be able to pay. The second person I interviewed said that the lack of transportation required him to buy a vehicle. He said it was expensive; however, due to where he lives he has to have a four wheel drive to get down his road. He said that he has to drive over an hour to get him and his family to regular doctor and dentist appointments. Because of the lack of access to
Page, A., Begg, S., Taylor, R., Lopez, D, A. (2007). Global comparative assessments of life expectancy: the impact of migration with reference to Australia. Bulletin of World Health Organisation, 85(6), 474-481.
Edwards, N. C., Etowa, J., Peterson, W. E., & Kennedy, M. A. (2012). Community health