Determinants Of Aboriginal Culture

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.

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

Firstly, a challenge that the nurse may face are the cultural differences in non-verbal communication. For example, “maintaining eye contact during conversation [conveys] respect” in American culture (Potter, 2014, p. 247). However, eye contact is “considered intrusive, threatening, or harmful” in Aboriginal culture (Potter, 2014, p. 247). Whereas patients in Western culture are expressive, Aboriginal patients often control their affect to maintain a calm demeanor (Eliopoulos, 2010, p. 30). Secondly, another challenge that the nurse may face is a language barrier. For instance, the nurse may be unable to communicate with the Aboriginal client in their native language. Alternatively, the Aboriginal client may unable to communicate in a common language with the nurse. Thirdly, a challenge that the nurse may face is the consolidation of traditional Aboriginal and Western healing practices. For instance, Aboriginal culture emphasizes the role of “energy and nature” in the healing process (Potter, 2014, p. 243). However, Western culture has only been recently introduced to this concept (Potter, 2014, p. 243). Whereas Western medicine emphasizes the use of pharmaceutical drugs, traditional Aboriginal medicine “promotes harmony within a community and in the physical and spiritual worlds through sweating and purging,

Teachers in Australia have the responsibility of catering to the learning needs and abilities of the students in their classroom. Additionally they are also responsible for catering to the unique cultural backgrounds of each student, in particular the cultures of Indigenous Australians. The teacher can cater to the diverse and complex Indigenous cultures by creating a learning environment that is based on effective student engagement for Aboriginal students. Studies have shown that Aboriginal students are currently not academically achieving as well as non-Aboriginal students (What Works: Core Issue 5). Closing the academic performance gap is considered a national priority. As a result, the Aboriginal Cultural Standards Framework has been developed to ensure that schools are delivering the best possible education to all students, specifically those who identify as Aboriginal. During term 3, 2017, I completed my final practicum at Baler Primary School in a year 4 classroom. The students in my class came from a diverse range of cultural backgrounds, many of which identified as Aboriginal. Throughout this essay I will use examples from my final practicum at Baler Primary School in South Hedland to discuss how to make learning engaging, accessible and culturally responsive for Aboriginal students.

64). Reflecting one owns practice is the first principle, and it is a critical part for nurses because it is a vital characteristic for achieving professional competence (Mann, Gordon & MacLeod, 2009). While minimising the power gaps between the nurses and the Indigenous patients is the next principle (Atkins, De Lacey & Britton, 2014). An Indigenous client view nurses to have more power more than them, thus acknowledging the Indigenous practices lessen the power imbalance (Durey & Thompson, 2012). Thirdly, in implementing cultural safety it is actually engaging sensitively with the patient to gain understanding of their viewpoint (Atkins, De Lacey & Britton, 2014). Some health care providers lack true engagement to the Indigenous clients in the health care settings (Ware, 2013). For an instance, the use of medical jargons and abbreviations while talking, a culturally safe nurse includes simple language or explanation that the patient can understand easily (Skellet, 2012). Additionally, having an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workers in health care facility can excellently build trust and can promote better engagement among Indigenous client (Hepworth et al,

While many may argue that the Canadian health care system provides equal treatment to every Canadian, evidence shows that this is not the case. There are major discrepancies within the system regarding Indigenous people that need to be addressed including several factors such as: housing issues, stereotypes Aboriginals face and the lack of Aboriginal doctors.

In relation to Aboriginal health, this will require nurses to develop greater awareness of culture and the influences that affect it including racism, colonialism, historical circumstances, and the current political climate in which we live. Nurses working with aboriginal communities need to understand the history, socio-political climate and culture within the specific community (Foster, 2012). Nurses must emphasize the need for solutions that will strengthen cultural identity, identify and promote both existing and traditional sources of strength within First Nations communities, incorporate traditional healing methods, and rely on local control and self-direction by First Nations communities (Mareno & Hart, 2014). In addition to placing a high priority on cultural awareness, nurses should also understand the concept of respect in aboriginal terms and apply respect in all their encounters. Self-awareness of their own beliefs and assumptions are important in order for nurses to have an effective relationship with the community (Foster, 2012). It is important for nurses to reflect on their own cultural knowledge, awareness, skills, and comfort in encounters with a diverse population of

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

To better understand culturally inclusive care the hospital provides, nursing and healthcare practices and policies were identified and examined. An initiative was taken by the hospital in launching an Aboriginal Health Strategy that was designed to further help establish bridges and develop a culturally safe environment for local aboriginal communities on 8 of July 2015 (God, 2015). A major benefit of the program included recruitment of 30 Aboriginal staff, which corresponds to about 4% of the health care facility 's personnel to make certain culturally assured care for Aboriginal patients was achieved (God, 2015).

Aboriginal people within the previously mentioned study called for nonracist healthcare, and policy cognisant of social and historical factors that influence the need for healthcare and the cultural desires of Indigenous patients (1671). Moreover, policies in healthcare have to contend

The 2014 AIHW report on ‘Aboriginal health and welfare emphasizes that the social determinants mentioned above contribute to their poor maintaining of healthy lifestyle choices. For example they have high rates of tobacco use, alcohol consumption, illicit drug use, overweight and obesity, poor nutrition, physical inactivity, exposure to violence and poor housing conditions all of which exemplify the destructive impact that determinants of inequity have in relation to their poor standards of health and living. Data from a number of sources indicate that across a range of socioeconomic and health related indicators the Indigenous population is disadvantaged. Evidence suggests the gaps in access to primary health care and specialist services persist, for geographical, social and cultural reasons, mainstream services are not always accessible to, or are the most appropriate provider of health care for, Indigenous Australians. Due to aboriginals cultural background they may experience difficulty in accessing health facilities and services due to a number of reasons such as cultural beliefs about medical treatment or language difficulty due to English being their 2nd language.

Aboriginals or indigenous Australians are the native people of Australia. Aboriginals were nomadic people who came to Australia about 40,000 – 60,000 years ago from Southeast Asia. Religion is a great part of Aboriginal culture. The essay answers these questions: What do Aboriginals belief? What is a Kinship system? What is Dreaming and Dreamtime? What rituals does Aboriginals have?

Indigenous people are affected by a number of health inequalities that stem from social determinants. There is a direct proven link between the ill-health that Indigenous people have and are experiencing and the health inequalities they face as a result of these social determinants. These health inequalities are classified into three groups that consist of historical, political, social and economic contexts. Macro factors that consist of community infrastructure, resources, systems and capacities; as well as micro factors including health behaviours, physical and social environments. Social determinants effect an extensive array of health dimensions that lead to problematic health complications, health behaviours and poor health management. For instance, living in conditions of low income have been linked to increased illness and disability, which is linked to reduced opportunities to obtain and retain meaningful employment, thus exacerbating poverty (Maddison, 2009, p. 108). There is extensive research and studies that have found individuals and communities that experience disparities in the social determinants of health not only experience a burden of health problems, but they have limited access to resources that could potentially improve these problems (Reading & Wien, 2009, p. 9). How these social determinants impact and also effect on these areas of health for Indigenous people, which produces health problems that lead to conditions and environments that result in