Australia has two different major Indigenous groups which are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, the First Peoples of Australia, and these two different groups have diverse culture, world views and origin with dissimilar experience of colonisation over the past 222 years (Chino et al. 2010). Because of these periods of colonisation, inequalities are substantially existed for health, including infant health, life expectation, chronic and communicable diseases and mental health between Indigenous Australians and non-Indigenous Australians (Calma 2005). Base on this fact, Australian Government targets to improve accessibility of effective healthcare services for Indigenous peoples, aiming to close the gap between Indigenous Australians and non-Indigenous Australians in health (Anderson et al. 2007; Cunningham 2009). To reach better healthcare environment for Indigenous Australians, analysing approaches to health services for Indigenous Australians is imperative, comparing with other countries, especially in New Zealand, Canada and the United states of America where have led to successful health outcomes in their Aboriginal people’s health.
Statistically, 2.4% of total population is the total Aboriginal peoples, consisting with 90% of Aboriginal, 6% of Torres Strait Islander and 4% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander in Australia. 14.5% of total New Zealand population is Maori, 3.3% of total Canadian population is Aboriginals, and less than 1.5% of total USA population is American Indians. Although these four countries have their distinctive culture, legal entitlements and history, they share a similar history of colonisation and poor health and social conditions among minority Aboriginal peoples (Anderson et al. 200...
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...cators of performance development (Cunningham 2009).
To conclude, the high burden of poor health status among Aboriginal peoples is significant in colonised countries like Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States. As this issue is discussed the above, definition of health among Indigenous populations is not merely the absence of disease or illness and is unable to be simply set up by statistics or measurements (Anderson et al. 2007; Cunningham 2009). Improvement of Indigenous health results could be obtained by understanding historical eras to gain current health status of Indigenous Australians (Keleher, Reynolds & Willis 2011). Comparing patterns and trends in different international settings is also compromised, in order to reach positive health outcomes by overcoming limitations of restricted and present healthcare systems (Anderson et al. 2007).
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
In 1968 the Commonwealth Office of Aboriginal Affairs was established and acknowledged health as a major area for development and therefore started providing grants for health programs (NACCHO, History in health from 1967, online, 29/8/15). The office was later named the Department of Aboriginal Affairs in 1972, and it began making direct grants to the new aboriginal medical services opening around the nation (NACCHO, History in health from 1967, online, 29/8/15). In 1973 the Commonwealth Department of Health established an Aboriginal Health Branch in order to provide professional advice to the government (NACCHO, History in health from 1967, online, 29/8/15). Throughout the next several years indigenous health was on the radar of importance in the Government, in 1981 the Commonwealth Government initiated a $50 million five year Aboriginal Public Health Improvement plan (NACCHO, History in health from 1967, online, 29/8/15). Clearly more progress was achieved in the issue of health in the years after the referendum than those between colonisations and
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.”
... To provide Indigenous people with adequate health care, emphasis needs to be placed on understanding indigenous beliefs and the social detriments Indigenous communities are faced with. Applying a suitable model of health to each individual situation will provide the best outcome. This was evident in the case study discussed in the essay. Rodney’s experiences within the medical world ended with a positive and desirable result, but if the appropriate transcultural care was not given, that positive result would have created a negative outcome, which could have been detrimental to Rodney’s future health.
Australian indigenous culture is the world’s oldest surviving culture, dating back sixty-thousand years. Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders have been represented in a myriad of ways through various channels such as poetry, articles, and images, in both fiction and non-fiction. Over the years, they have been portrayed as inferior, oppressed, isolated, principled and admirable. Three such texts that portray them in these ways are poems Circles and Squares and Grade One Primary by Ali Cobby Eckermann, James Packer slams booing; joins three cheers for footballer and the accompanying visual text and Heywire article Family is the most important thing to an islander by Richard Barba. Even though the texts are different as ….. is/are …., while
Indigenous communities suffer the worst health in Australia and are most at risk to many illness’s compared to other Australian’s. “The poor health experienced by Indigenous people reflects the disadvantage they experience, as many Indigenous communities do not have access to quality health care and to clean water.” (Reconciliaction Network, p.1) The specific health concerns for Indigenous Australian’s are the higher rate of diabetes, higher mortality rate with cancers, cardiovascular disease is more common, eye conditions, higher risk of smoking which contributes to other health impacts, ear disease w...
According to Australian indigenous website, healthinfoNet, in 2010-2012 life expectancy of indigenous people were 69 years which is 11 years less than the 80 years expected for the non- indigenous men and women. Moreover, the life expectancy for native women was 73 years, during 2010-2012, which is 9.5 years less than the expectation of 83 years for non-Indigenous women. The reason for decreased health can be due to deficiencies in water supply, sanitation and lack of proper medical services.
Thank you for taking time to read my letter. As a nursing student of University of Technology Sydney, I studied contemporary indigenous subject this semester. In this letter I want to illustrate 3 main social determinants of health that impact indigenous Australian health which I found and analysed during my recently study. And also offer some suggestion that could help the government improve aboriginal Australian mental health conditions in the future.
Aboriginal health is majorly determined by several social factors that are related to their cultural beliefs. Health professionals regularly find it difficult to provide health care to aboriginal people due to the cultural disparity that exists between the conventional and aboriginal cultures, predominantly with regard to systems of health belief (Carson, Dunbar, & Chenhall, 2007). The discrepancy between the aboriginal culture and typical Western customs seems to amplify the difficulties experienced in every cross-cultural setting of health service delivery (Selin & Shapiro, 2003). Most of the social determinants of the aboriginal health are due to their strict belief in superstition and divine intervention.
Australians also are also learning to value the diversity that is present in their history. There is now broad public recognition of the special place of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as Australia’s original inhabitants as opposed to the European settlers in the 17th century. While Indigenous Australians still lack both equality of opportunity and equality of outcome, serious a...
In conclusion the colonisation of Australia and the adoption of discriminatory policies eroded Aboriginal culture and tradition affecting their sense of well-being and thus deteriorated their health. Today these policies are reflected in the social determinants of health as socio-economic disadvantages. They continue to impact contemporary Aboriginal people. In order to improve Aboriginal health outcomes; the impacts of these policies need to be overturned. This can be done by assisting them with improving their socio-economic status in the light of their needs and traditions.
Immigration is an important feature of Australian society. Since 1945, over six million people from 200 countries have come to Australia as new settlers. Migrants have made a major contribution to shaping modern Australia. People born overseas make up almost one quarter of the total population. About its ethics distribution, aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people totaled 410 003 at the last census, nearly 2.2 per cent of the population. Two thirds of the indigenous people live in towns and cities. Many others live in rural and remote areas, and some still have a broadly traditional way of life.(Ning)
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...