Turtle Island Community

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

This essay will discuss the first people’s health as a consequential issue to the Australian community and followed by the discussion of various policies that been introduced by the Australian government to fill up health gap between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians. This essay will first analyze the impact of history and colonization on first peoples ' health and then it demonstrates the how different policy eras has affected to creating first peoples health is important, in turn highlighting how health practitioners can help to build a strong relationship within first peoples on a different basis. This essay will close with the important strategies that may improve the health care system of the first peoples in Australia. The history and colonization had a greater impacts on First people’s health in Australia.

Among Aboriginal peoples, there are a number of similar historical and contemporary social determinants that have shaped the health and well-being of individuals, families, communities and nations. Historically, the ancestors of all three Aboriginal groups underwent colonisation and the imposition of colonial institutions, systems, as well as lifestyle disruption. However, distinctions in the origin, form and impact of those social determinants, as well as the distinct peoples involved, must also be considered if health interventions are to be successful. For example, while the mechanisms and impact of colonisation as well as historic and neo-colonialism are similar among all Aboriginal groups. The contemporary outcome of the colonial process

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

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,

Midwifery has been practiced in several communities of the world since time immemorial. A midwife is a trained person, mostly a woman, who assists in the pregnancy, delivery and post-partum care of an infant. In most countries of the world, the act of midwifery has been neglected for more modern and westernized medical practices deemed safer. In the First nations community, midwives have always been an integral part of the health system assisting expecting women during delivery. In the mid nineteenth and twentieth century, midwifery was outlawed in many communities and reserves ‘for the sake of the health of the country’ (Parkland Memorial Hospital School of Nurse Midwifery). With the outlaw of midwifery in First nation reserves, expectant mothers were transported to hospitals and clinics in urban centers for delivery. With this came several new challenges for expectant first nations women and mothers including, ‘increased maternal newborn complications, increased postpartum depression and decreased breast-feeding rates’ (O’Neil et al., 1990, Smith, 2002 and Klein et al., 2002a. The relegation of first nations midwifery has done more harm than good because it makes the birth process more medical, has led to the inflict of new post natal diseases and has led to the neglect of the traditional and spiritual roles in child

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].

Since the 1970’s, many Indigenous communities have established their own independent, community-controlled health services (ACCHs) and an over-arching representatives advocacy body, the National Aboriginal Controlled Community Health Organisation (NACCHO previously NAIHO) was formed in 1975.

The healing hands campaigns ' purpose is to raise public awareness and obtain government and political participation to improve the standards of health amongst indigenous people. The Health Rights Campaign was developed in response to Indigenous calls for urgent action to address the crisis in Indigenous health. This indicates that the campaign and its supporters are working for, and with the indigenous community to address the issues and needs. Throughout the campaign there have been close relationships with indigenous leaders and the community. The campaign has been a means for the community to communicate their aspirations and concerns in relation to health. The campaign has worked in collaboration with the indigenous community in order to achieve its goals. Through community awareness, the media etc the indigenous population is able to get a sense that they are moving forward and having this issue taken seriously. This campaign is not speaking for the indigenous population but representing and being their voice.

The Indian Health Transfer Policy (1989) and the subsequent establishment of the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch of Health Canada are supposed offers by the federal government to First Nations communities to gradually transfer the control of resources for health programs over to the community (Lavoie, et al., 2007). Essentially, however, the continued division of authority over public health “has created a non-system” (Cook, p. 40), a “policy patchwork [that] perpetuates confusion…[and] jurisdictional divide [among dozens of health care systems] at the federal, provincial and First Nation community levels” (Lavoie & Gervais, 2013) that continue to marginalize Aboriginal people in mainstream health-care systems. Documents such as the

This assessed the historical context and expressions of health inequities of indigenous peoples and ethnic and cultural minorities. Literatures have shown that on most accounts, these groups suffer from hugely disparate health outcomes in comparison to non-indigenous or majority societies. The fundamental cause of health inequity is the violation of human rights of minorities and indigenous peoples, and lack of indigenous inclusive-policy to reflect their perceptions of development.

The Canadian health system aims to provide equal health for all and although in recent years, general healthcare services to Aboriginal peoples have improved, Aboriginal peoples still experience poorer health outcomes than non-Aboriginal Canadians (Kowpak & Gillis, 2015). The health challenges faced by Canadian Aboriginal peoples are unique and complex (Richardson, Driedger, Pizzi, Wu, & Moghadas, 2012), especially as an outsider therefore the need to understand Aboriginal health from their perspective. Hence, in community and population health profession, knowledge of Aboriginal health increases the understanding of the underlying causes of health disparity and poor health among Aboriginal peoples. Aboriginal health knowledge is beneficial

These services focus on a culturally safe and inclusive environment, utilising First People as front line health care workers such as nurses, doctors and receptionist’s, providing a collective understanding of First Peoples unique health challenges due to the impacts of invasion and colonisation.