Socioeconomic And Physical Environment Factors

Social factors that impact on the health of a person of Aboriginal or

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)

As Perry Bellegarde, Chief of the Assembly of First Nations said, Trudeau’s claims finally allow for an optimistic view of the general aboriginal community’s future (Mas, 2015). Indeed, it is promising to witness the government taking action towards addressing issues such as lack of funding in aboriginal education, as it is these issues along with indecent access to fresh produce or to proper entertainment, which most often leads to both physical and mental health problems in First Nation communities. Furthermore, although most of the Canadian population is aware of the health issues faced by aboriginal communities, what seems to be lesser known is that the cause of those issues go far beyond maladaptive genes. Consequently, measures addressing the socioeconomic risk factors, such as access to adequate health services, must be taken as soon as possible.

Indigenous cultures in Australia are characterised by extensive diversity, comprising numerous kinship networks and language groups. These cultural traditions have developed over millennia, showcasing adaptive responses to various environmental contexts. Torres Strait Islanders are separate people with distinct identities and cultures (National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan 2021–2031). Studying the social determinants of health for Indigenous Australian peoples in modules one and two has broadened my understanding of the complexities surrounding Indigenous health disparities. In Australia, the health status of Indigenous peoples is deeply intertwined with various social determinants, influencing their well-being and outcomes.

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.

Aboriginal or first nation people in Canada are the poorest and sickest people in Canada as compared to non-aboriginal Canadians. Half of the children live in poverty, which is more than double the national average. There are 40,00aboriginal children and youth who live in foster care. First nation people suffer from chronic diseases like rickets, diabetes and hypertension. Most of the adults died because of lung cancer, diabetes and alcohol related causes.

Rates of homelessness are four times higher for Aboriginal and ATSI’s, however some Aboriginals do choose to live in public places. This reflects their inequity in relation to the determinants of their living standards and the progress that needs to occurs to support their housing situations. Furthermore, 51% of indigenous households have access to a motor vehicle compared to 85% of non-indigenous that do. Additionally, indigenous children are twice as likely to live in one-parent families and being a child in a one-parent family has been linked with low SES, low education attainment and a lack of support. There are also a range of measurable social and cultural factors that contribute to the inequities experienced by Aboriginals and Australian Torres Strait Islanders.

Carson, B., Dunbar, T., Chenhall, R. D., & Bailie, R. (2007). Social determinants of Indigenous health. Allen & Unwin.

Before we analyse the data of the health indicators and data in Aboriginal communities, we must recognise the sheer diversity of the Aboriginal peoples in Canada - who are so dispersed across the nation. This this severely limits our interpretation of data on Aboriginal communities as, there is little data on Aboriginal people who do not live on Aboriginal reservations in Canada (Cardwell and Wilson: 2005). Furthermore, the data that is often used in empirical studies of indigenous communities often condense complex data – making it exceptionally difficult to paint an accurate picture of disparities in the Aboriginal population of Canada. Health disparities are the indicators of a disproportionate burden of disease on a particular population. Whereas, health inequities point to the underlying causes of the disparities - which are related to social, economic, cultural, and political inequities (Adelson, 2005: 45). For example, the urban non-Aboriginal population in Canada has a higher level of education and income than the aboriginal population (Cardwell and Wilson: 2012). This is inherently important for improving the health of Aboriginal communities. As, Canada’s indigenous population are often recognised as some of the most disadvantaged and impoverished people in Canada, particularly when compared to the non-Aboriginal people.

Socioeconomic factors are associated with education, employment, and income, and each, has a substantial influence on the health of Indigenous Australians. Education, which is inaccessible for many Indigenous people, allows for the greater knowledge of health issues, and the increased understanding of both protective behaviors and risk factors. It is a known fact that with a lack of education or one that is poor, there is a increased risk that there will be less employment opportunities – ultimately leading to little or no income. Hence, the vicious poverty cycle is born. Education enables

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the health status of the American Indian/ Alaskan Native (AI/AN). A comparison and contrast of AI/ANs with the national average regarding the health status such as heart disease and strokes will be presented. Multifactorial barriers limiting health, and the overall factors affecting health within this population are identified. Current health status will be presented including health promotion and disparities among this US population. Primary, secondary, and tertiary health promotions will be discussed along with one approach to promoting health offered.

In order to propogate the knowledge of above determinants and improve health status of Canadians, Health Canada has set up a number of community heath organizations and agencies. The work of these agencies can consist of creating awareness, improving socio-economic status, advocating better working conditions and so on. Unfortunately, many groups such as aboriginal people, recent immigrants and people with disabilities experience challenges in accessing these resources and still cotinue to lead an unhealthy life.

The determinants have a positive or negative effect on the health of individuals and communities (Dudgeon, 2014). Aboriginal health recognizes that social inequalities are associated with health inequality. For example, lack of education, homelessness and low income are clearly associated with ill health and affect human development. This can contribute to chronic stress which impacts on the body's immune system, circulatory system, and metabolic functions resulting in mental health problems (Baum,

What might explain these statistics, or at least serve as correlations, are the determinants of health. If the reader is not familiar with the determinants of health, the World Health Organisation (WHO) provides an explanation of them. In essence, these health determinants are factors that have significant impact upon one’s health. The main determinants for health are: socioeconomic status, where the rich and upper classes tend to be healthier; education, where low education is linked to stress, lower self-esteem and poorer health choices; environment, where purer air, cleaner water, healthier workplaces and better housing contribute to being healthier; health services, where access to services and proper equipment all contribute to health; as well as gender, genetics, culture and social behaviour (WHO, 2016). As there are so health determinants, where essays can be written on one alone, it is not within the scope of this essay to critically analyse each determinant for Indigenous Australians. With this in mind, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2014) documents an extensive list of data for Indigenous health, most of which discusses issues which are out-of-scope for this analysis. What is relevant, however, is outlined next. Across the board, in 2011, the Indigenous population was younger than the non-Indigenous population due to high fertility and mortality rates with those

Canada’s Aboriginal people have been experiencing adverse health outcomes that have been resonating across generations. As a result, Aboriginals are disproportionately suffering more from disabilities, diseases and high rates of mortality than other Canadians. The high rates of HIV, depression and chronic diseases among Aboriginals have been linked to experiences of poverty, unemployment, poor living conditions, and the loss of community ties. Although Aboriginal communities are suffering from a wide variety of health issue, Canadian society has been unable to find adequate solutions. My understanding is that as a society we lack the ability to find suitable solutions because we do not understand the correlations between various socio-economic factors and poor health.