Health Crisis Facing Australi Universal Declaration Of Human Right Article

The health of Aboriginal people in Canada is both a tragedy and a crisis (Aboriginal Affairs and North Development Canada, 2010). Aboriginals have a higher rate of death among aboriginal babies, twice the national average, higher rate of Infectious diseases example gastrointestinal infections to tuberculosis, and chronic and degenerative diseases such as cancer and heart disease are affecting more aboriginal people than they once did (AANDC, 2010). Availability of important medical facility is not enough to accommodate the growing medical needs of Aboriginals. A socioeconomic and cultural issue also hinders the access of aboriginals to access health care in the community.

The Indigenous health workforce (doctors, nurses etc.) remains disproportionately low when compared to the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders that make up the Australian population.

Upholding human rights is essential for ensuring a fair and equitable society. In 1966, Australia and a majority of the world’s nations signed on to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). After the atrocities committed in World War II this seemed like a positive step for ensuring acknowledgement and respect for the rights and freedoms of all people. However, the means of enforcing human rights is not a straightforward process. In response to ratifying the ICCPR, Australia set up the Australian Human Rights Commission. However, after a number of failed attempts, it has not followed through with implementing a

The majority of health issues that the Aboriginal community faces are related directly and indirectly to social, economic, cultural and political areas. Infrastructure, housing, employment, income, environmental and education are connected to the individual and community based effects of health.

“The status of Indigenous health in contemporary Australia is a result of historic factors as well as contemporary socio-economic issues” (Hampton & Toombs, 2013, p. 1).

Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO) acts as the representative of all the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organizations in Victoria (Australia) where it provides guidance on the Aboriginal Health policies. Furthermore, the organization supports local initiatives, but it does not contain any health services. The organization is involved in numerous programs that aimed at promoting member organizations in providing excellent healthcare which may include sexual health, chronic care, maternity and mental health. This article gives an overview of the policies that are made and have an impact on the Aboriginal people’s health and also the impact it has on other people’s health (Fletcher, 2011). Furthermore,

The health plan has six key priority areas addressing the main issues concerning health in Aboriginal Victorians (Victorian

Despite enjoying excellent health and receiving comprehensive and universal healthcare access, Canada has seen continuing healthcare inequality especially among those people living at or below the poverty level and those who are members of the Aboriginal Peoples. The greatest impact of this disparity is evidenced through earlier mortality rates and greater incidences of injury and illness. Nowhere in Canada is this more true than among the Aboriginal Peoples, who, for example, have the highest rate or and risk for Type 2 Diabetes. This risk costs Canada an additional 18 billion dollars CAD every year (Strategic Initiatives and Innovations Directorate, 2011).

The social determinants of health are described as the condition of daily living in which determines the individual’s chances of maintaining optimum health (Department of Health and Human Services 2015). In Australia, the health inequality between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians is noted by the World Health Organization (WHO) to have the largest disparity in the world (Markwick et al. 2014). Statistically, the life expectancy for indigenous Australians who are born in 2010-2012 is estimated to be 10.6 years lower when compared to non-indigenous Australians (Markwick et al. 2014). Social determinants such as employment and social exclusion may contribute to the major difference in the health status between the indigenous and non-indigenous Australians (Markwick et al. 2014). This essay will focus on discussing how having employment and social exclusion has led to the health inequalities between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians, and how indigenous healthcare nurses can address these determinants in the care they provide in the indigenous community setting.

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

Koolin Balit: Victorian Government’s strategic directions for Aboriginal health 2012–2022 « Bibliography « Key resources « Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet. 2018. Koolin Balit: Victorian Government’s strategic directions for Aboriginal health 2012–2022 « Bibliography « Key resources « Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.healthinfonet.ecu.edu.au/key-resources/bibliography/?lid=28385. [Accessed 12 April 2018].

Page 1 The World Health Organisation (World Health Organisation, 2008) states that the indigenous peoples of Australia are one of the most disadvantaged indigenous groups in the developed world. The health of the Indigenous population of Australia is an increasingly pressing issue. Current research and statistics reveals great inequality in many areas of health care and health status between the Aboriginal people and the general population of Australia. Couzos and Murray (2008, p. 29) report that the Indigenous population has “the worst health status of any identifiable group in Australia, and the poorest access to health systems.” This paper will examine the underlying historical contexts and contributing factors that have lead to the

The Canadian healthcare system is currently ranked in the top 11 OECD countries making the Canadian healthcare system one of the best in the world, although like all perfect systems, there are always uncovered flaws within. When examining certain attributes and traits within the system, such as accessibility and the general quality of healthcare performance is considered to be low ranking amongst international practices, thus improvements are needed. More importantly, the Canadian health care system contains many different attributes and qualities differentiating it from any other system in the world. This can be seen when examining the systems’ orientation and design, and service delivery. Health inequalities is another impacting factor on our health care system, this becomes clear when examining Aboriginal people’s health.

Most of the health services are not accessible for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people which is a disadvantage as they are only meant for non-Indigenous people. As, sometimes because most Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people live in remote areas than non-Indigenous people. Therefore, not all the health services are being offered outside cities. Because health services are not culturally suitable “(which means they do not consider Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and the specific needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people)’’. In addition, some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people may find the services too expensive.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health inequity occurs across all health areas and many areas of health continue to get worse. Whilst there have been recent gains, the gap is widening as the health of other Australians improves faster. With the gap between aboriginals growing cancer rates has become a major issue among the indigenous community. The crisis facing Indigenous health has a long and complex history. It continues largely as a result of decades of government inaction and a continuing lack of appropriate medical services.