Gibbs Model Of Reflective Essay

“Health inequities are systematic differences in the health status of different population groups” (World Health Organisation 2018). Some common health inequities faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders include; a lower life expectancy, a higher risk of chronic diseases, limited access to health care, a

The Oxfam Shadow Report explained in 2010 that the Australian Government is making improvements on the implementation plan for Indigenous Australians to be a long-term plan to properly tackle the existing disparities in health care systems, and aiming to eliminate sociocultural barriers that may limit good practices and policies to be implemented. (as cited in Durey, 2012) Based on the interview results from this article where indigenous people explained their negative hospital stays, it was evidently proven

The Australian government realized that there is something different about rural health that requires special actions. This realization was the reason for the development of rural health policies. The aim of the policies is to insure ‘equivalent’ access to good health and health care for people in rural places. The implementation of this policies was highly challenged by different factors including political and community reactions and therefore the outcome of the policy is affected also (Farmer & Currie, 2009) .

The aboriginal population in Canada is growing, and it is known that 56% of Aboriginals live on an rural reserve or community (Government of Canada, 2014; NCCAH, 2011). It is important to note that those Aboriginals living on reserves and in communities have a significantly higher rate of health issues than those living in cities (NCCAH, 2011). This stems from the limited access to healthcare that Aboriginal rural areas receive (NCCAH, 2011). The lack of healthcare causes higher numbers in diseases, conditions, and disorders among the Aboriginal people of Canada (NCCAH, 2011).

The poor health position of Indigenous Australians is a contemporary reflection of their historical treatment as Australia’s traditional owners. This treatment has led to Indigenous Australians experiencing social disadvantages, significantly low socio-economic status, dispossession, poverty and powerlessness as a direct result of the institutionalised racism inherent in contemporary Australian society.

The Department of Health (2011, p17) states that “as the distance from major cities and regional centres increases, disease risk factors and levels of illness increase.” The health of Australians in rural and remote locations is generally poorer in comparison to people who live in major Australian cities and towns. There are a number of health concerns for remote communities including the following (Department of Health, 2011, p17):

Lower incomes, lower levels of education and employment, and poorer access to health services are among the social ...good health and wellbeing in rural and remote Australia determinants of poor health for people in rural and remote areas, who are also disadvantaged by a higher prevalence of common risk factors for health, such as higher rates of smoking, greater rates of disability and lower rates of physical activity.

As a country Canada prides itself on Universal health care for everyone equally (Macqueen, 2011). However, there are many discrepancies seen in the health care that Aboriginals and non-aboriginal Canadians receive (Weeks, 2013). As a result, Aboriginals health is deteriorating in nearly every aspect on a much larger scale than the rest of the Canadian population (Weeks, 2013). As reported in the article Aboriginal seniors face more challenges staying healthy, accessing care: report from “The Globe and Mail” aboriginal seniors are struggling accessing health care and staying healthy (Ubelaker, 2013). Aboriginals are much more susceptible to health issues such as chronic diseases, disabilities and infections and are having to travel unethical distances in order to access health centres (Weeks, 2013).

CR and other secondary prevention interventions need to be flexible and adapted to meet the needs, preferences and cultural safety of Indigenous individuals (7). Patient-centred access to health care must be approachable, acceptable, available, affordable and appropriate (7). A drive time of over an hour is a common barrier of access to CR for individuals living rurally and is linked to the lack of referral to and enrolment in CR (7). Approximately 15% of Indigenous Australians live in geographical regions with poor physical access to CR-providing health services (7). A possible solution to this is the utilisation of alternative methods of delivery such as home-based CR via telehealth or mobile health platforms (7). Coordination to ensure continuity of care for Indigenous patients is necessary to address the lack of knowledge of and referral to CR services (7). Partnerships and information flow between health services and referral pathways create integrated networks (7). While metropolitan public hospitals are a major referral pathway for

As a people, our rate of chronic disease is still 2.5 times higher than that of other Australians, and Indigenous people in this country die 15 to 20 years younger than those in mainstream Australia. More than half of

The Aboriginal community includes a number of communities and extended family networks. It is widely acknowledged that past practices have not had a positive effect on Aboriginal people. Current health and welfare policies acknowledge the impact of past policies and seek to work collaboratively for a better future. Best Start promotes collaborative practice.

Bridging the divided gap between the Australian Indigenous and non-Indigenous societies has always been an intense debate across multiply decades no matter the topic at hand. With incredible access to a wide category of health services today, this is not always the case for remotely rural country and outback towns Australia wide, especially childbearing women acquiring antenatal, birthing and postnatal care. This essay will endeavour to explore health outcomes between Indigenous Australian women with non-Indigenous Australian Women and both their newborns, as well as the impact of health policies that remotely remove childbearing women from their rural communities to give birth. While analysing and exploring the concept of “birthing on country” and how this may relate to aiding in closing the gap between indigenous and non-indigenous Women and their newborns, while also considering reflecting on how these topics may impact and reflect my own midwifery practice.

Clients with complex needs could be left to navigate the health care system on their own, due to limited resources and over stretched health workforce (Charlesworth, 2015). The World Health Organisation (WHO) has reported that many chronic diseases such as stroke, diabetes and heart disease are preventable, creating a vast potential to develop a primary healthcare approach to address these issues (World Health Organisation, 2013). Studies indicate that Australian indigenous populations are over represented suffering with chronic diseases (Usher, 2011). In rural Indigenous communities, the life expectancy is ten years less than the non-indigenous populations, expressing the inequity of a health system that cannot supply the skill share needed to promote health access or provide comprehensive care to rural areas of Australia (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2016).

It is estimated that Australia is composed of roughly 418,000 - 525,000 Indigenous people (Better Health Channel, 2015), which is a mere 2.5% of the Australian population (Reddust.org.au, 2015). Indigenous life expectancy is averaged to be seventeen years less than those from non-indigenous culture (Aihw.gov.au, 2015). People from aboriginal backgrounds have the highest rate of illness across the country, which most commonly includes, Cardiovascular Disease, Cancer, Diabetes, Respiratory System Diseases, injury and Disability (Better Health Channel, 2015). Indigenous health care facilities do not meet appropriate standards and due to lifestyle habits healthy behaviours often do not result.

“Compared with urban residents, people living in rural communities have shorter life expectancies, higher death rates and higher infant mortality rates.” (Ministry Advisory Council on Rural Health, 2002 p. 1) In relation to shorter life expectancies, Indigenous peoples are three times more likely to have diabetes then non-Aboriginals and there is a higher prevalence of major chronic disease, suicide, smoking and alcohol abuse as well as low incomes and lower levels of education. Considering all these factors, it is especially important that the health care that is needed in these rural, Indigenous communities is easily accessible and affordable. There are many health care barriers that prevent the rural and remote Indigenous Communities from accessing such needed care. Lack of accessibility to health care and lack of resources and health care professionals are two of the main barriers faced today. A holistic balanced approach including mental, physical, emotional and spiritual health is needed to maintain wellbeing and there are many barriers preventing these communities from receiving it.