Introduction:
The health status of Indigenous Australians today remains far below that of the general population, with a considerable gap in life expectancy of almost 11 years between the two.1 Even in non-remote regions, elderly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are 50% more likely than a similar bracket of the general Australian population, to have a disability or a long-term health condition.1 Communication difficulties due to cultural and linguistic differences between non-indigenous health care providers and the indigenous patients have often been cited as a major barrier to providing better and more effective health-care services. Henceforth, there must be strong communication between the patient and medical practitioner for
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Hence, this will provide the foundation for accurate diagnosis and treatment and an establishment of a caring and therapeutic relationship with the patient.4 This should consist of shared perceptions and feelings regarding the nature of the problem and the outcome. Therefore, appropriate communication should integrate both patient and doctor centred approaches.4,9 However, this is especially hard to achieve within remote areas where a vast percentage of the population are elderly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Furthermore, the indigenous culture’s focus on interpersonal communication and protocols differs significantly from the Western medical model on systematic consultations.5 Henceforth, this barrier is cited to be prevalent and has resulted in poor communication as an ongoing health crisis limiting delivery of effective healthcare services to Indigenous Australians.3,6 Therefore, effective cross-cultural communication skills are crucial to providing culturally-sensitive healthcare to elderly Aboriginal and Torres Strait …show more content…
This is due to the patient would have a far more comprehensive understanding of the situation and information being conveyed to them. Additionally, they can use interpreters or provide the information in writing in the native language of the patient can also increase the quality of communication and consequently the quality of
However, it is important to understand that not all patients have this mentality, but instead they view health through a cultural lens. A particular group of focus in Australia are our Indigenous communities. Who hold the belief that the health of an individual is dependent upon how well they commit to their obligation to society
I learned that Aboriginal seniors in Canada have more health care concerns than non-Aboriginal seniors and their needs are not well understood and were taken for granted by health care providers. I can apply in my nursing practice what I have learned from this topic that I will respect and acknowledge their culture and way of life. In addition to that, I will keep in mind that Aboriginal seniors needs more intensive support than non-aboriginal because of what they experienced at the reserved and residential schools. I want to learn more about their traditional practices
Although the health of some Aboriginal peoples is gradually improving, it is generally still poorer than the health of non-Aboriginal peoples living in Ontario. The Aboriginal Peoples Survey indicates that the most commonly reported chronic health conditions for Aboriginal peoples in Ontario over 15 years of age and living off reserve are: arthritis or rheumatism, high blood pressure, asthma, stomach problems, diabetes, and heart problems. (Noelle Spotton. 2001, page. 20)
Another social determinant of the aboriginal health is the poor compatibility linking the core values of their customary health beliefs and the modern health system. The westernized medical system is mostly interested in the detection and treatment of diseases and illnesses. On the other hand, the traditional aboriginal medication seeks to offer a meaningful justification for illnesses and reacts to the family, personal, and community issues related to the illness (Broome, 2002). This explains why
As health professionals, we must look beyond individual attributes of Indigenous Australians to gain a greater understanding and a possible explanation of why there are such high rates of ill health issues such as alcoholism, depression, abuse, shorter life expectancy and higher prevalence of diseases including diabetes, heart disease and obesity in our indigenous population. Looking at just the individual aspects and the biomedical health model, we don’t get the context of Aboriginal health. This is why we need to explore in further detail what events could have created such inequities in Aboriginal health. Other details that we should consider are the historical and cultural factors such as, ‘terra nullius’, dispossession and social
Inequality in health is one of the most controversial topics within Australian Health Care. Inequality in relation to health is defined as being “differences in health status or in the distribution of health determinants between different population groups” (World Health Organization, 2012). Within Australia inequality affects a wide range of population groups; however Indigenous Australians are most widely affected therefore this paper will focus on how inequality has impacted their health. Research shows that Australia’s Indigenous people suffer from a multitude of social and economic inequalities such as inadequate access to nutritious food and health care, being socially and
As health professionals, we must look beyond individual attributes of Indigenous Australians to gain a greater understanding and a possible explanation of why there are such high rates of ill health issues such as alcoholism, depression, abuse, shorter life expectancy and higher prevalence of diseases including diabetes, heart disease and obesity in our indigenous population. Looking at just the individual aspects and the biomedical health model, we don’t get the context of Aboriginal health. This is why we need to explore in further detail what events could have created such inequities in Aboriginal health. Other details that we should consider are the historical and cultural factors such as, ‘terra nullius’, dispossession and social
This paper will examine the healthcare of Indigenous Australian peoples compared to non-indigenous Australians. The life expectancy gaps between the two are a cause for alarm when statistics show Indigenous Australian peoples die on average 17 years earlier than non-indigenous Australians (Dick 2017). This paper will examine the social determinants of health to explore these factors and what interventions are in place to improve health status and life expectancy gaps for equality. The Federal Government has seen the implementation of the Northern Territory Intervention and the Closing the Gap Initiative. This essay will examine these two strategies and discuss the effectiveness of both policies. It will explain the differences, similarities and look at the success so far to
The inequalities in today’s indigenous communities are still strongly evident. Heard, Khoo & Birrell (2009), argued that while there has been an attempt in narrowing the gap between Indigenous and non Indigenous Australians, a barrier still exists in appropriate health care reaching indigenous people. The Indigenous people believe, health is more than the individual, it is
The substance of this paper will be to discuss the discourse regarding the inequalities facing aboriginal peoples living on reserves in the northwestern corner of Ontario. Inequality is not naturally occurring; poverty is not an innate cultural trait that accumulates at the feet of the marginalized (Schick & St.Denis, 2005, p.304). Stephens, Nettleton and Porter stated in the Lancet (2005) “Aboriginal people in Canada suffer enormous inequalities in health and in accessibility to health
According to Vass, Mitchell, and Dhurrkay (2011), the incidence of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, renal disease, cardiovascular disease and chronic obstructive airway disease among Indigenous Australians is quite significant. In addition, the presence of mental health conditions and infectious diseases such as scabies, skin infections and rheumatic fever has also attributed considerably to the disease burden (Vass, et al, 2011). As a disability support worker, I had the opportunity to look after indigenous clients. With my experience working with them, it shed some light on me with how they value their culture and gave me an insight on their view about health concerning issues. I had my misconceptions about how aboriginal people
There are many strategies that can be put in place to effectively communicate with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Effective communication helps establish safe workplaces and means the person receiving information interprets it exactly how the sender intended it. Strategies include:
The concern of social issue in this study is the disproportionate burden of chronic kidney disease in Indigenous Australians. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander suffer considerably higher rates of chronic kidney disease than the non-Indigenous population in which 11% of those getting treatment for end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) are Indigenous people. On the other hand, the population of Indigenous Australians is only around 3% of the total population in Australia (Anderson, Cunningham, Devitt, & Cass, 2013; Anderson, Devitt, Cunningham, Preece, & Cass, 2008). Therefore, such condition indicates a serious public health problem due to several barriers that affect Indigenous people’s response towards ESKD and its treatments. Living in remote area with poor health facilities creates a constraint for Aboriginal people to receive equitable treatments while renal specialist, renal transplantation and dialysis services tend to be allocated in the urban area (Cass, Cunningham, Snelling, Wang, & Hoy, 2004; Preston-Thomas, Cass, & O 'Rourke, 2007). Patients with ESKD have to attend dialysis treatment three times a week. Hence, Indigenous people who come from a remote area must leave their community to get dialysis medication. Coming from low socio-economic status and education level, Indigenous people also have to face some difficulties to engage with the treatment services. Effective communication between Indigenous people and health providers during the treatment process might
It is known that Australia is a multicultural and multiracial immigrant country. There are lots of people living here with diverse cultural, ethnic, linguistic and religious background. Cultural exchange and collision with different communities has become increasingly frequent as time progresses. There is no doubt that benefit, such as promoting the development of the culture, learning from the other’s strength and offsetting one’s weakness, will come into being by the cultural communication. At the same time, challenges emerge to health care professionals at that moment as well.
One key issue I have learned attending an Indigenous Australian course is the equality between non-Indigenous and Indigenous people within the medical field. To my understanding, equality in the medical field is when every individual has full access to medical treatment as well as being able to be understood by the provider regarding culture. This means that no matter what or where someone who’s identified differently is, should be given full access followed by the same treatment and care as the local people. Specifically speaking, I believe many Indigenous people are not receiving equal access to the medical field. A. Reflect on your personal position; how this has changed or not changed (200 words) Upon arriving to the Sunshine Coast, Australia,