Why Are Aboriginal Health Services Ineffective

Aboriginal health is majorly determined by several social factors that are related to their cultural beliefs. Health professionals regularly find it difficult to provide health care to aboriginal people due to the cultural disparity that exists between the conventional and aboriginal cultures, predominantly with regard to systems of health belief (Carson, Dunbar, & Chenhall, 2007). The discrepancy between the aboriginal culture and typical Western customs seems to amplify the difficulties experienced in every cross-cultural setting of health service delivery (Selin & Shapiro, 2003). Most of the social determinants of the aboriginal health are due to their strict belief in superstition and divine intervention.

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.

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.

This paper will examine the healthcare of Indigenous Australian peoples compared to non-indigenous Australians. The life expectancy gaps between the two are a cause for alarm when statistics show Indigenous Australian peoples die on average 17 years earlier than non-indigenous Australians (Dick 2017). This paper will examine the social determinants of health to explore these factors and what interventions are in place to improve health status and life expectancy gaps for equality. The Federal Government has seen the implementation of the Northern Territory Intervention and the Closing the Gap Initiative. This essay will examine these two strategies and discuss the effectiveness of both policies. It will explain the differences, similarities and look at the success so far to

As health professionals, we must look beyond individual attributes of Indigenous Australians to gain a greater understanding and a possible explanation of why there are such high rates of ill health issues such as alcoholism, depression, abuse, shorter life expectancy and higher prevalence of diseases including diabetes, heart disease and obesity in our indigenous population. Looking at just the individual aspects and the biomedical health model, we don’t get the context of Aboriginal health. This is why we need to explore in further detail what events could have created such inequities in Aboriginal health. Other details that we should consider are the historical and cultural factors such as, ‘terra nullius’, dispossession and social

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,

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).

Indigenous peoples have occupied Australia for more than 60, 000 years, so why are they among the most disadvantaged in our health system? The right to a ‘standard of living adequate for … health and wellbeing’ was established as a basic human right in Article 25.1 of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights (The Universal Declaration of Human Rights). However, it is evident that the standard of health for Indigenous Australians is well below non- indigenous Australians with their average life expectancy being around 20 years younger than the rest of Australia. It is evident that the health of indigenous Australians prior to 1967 was drastically influenced by the European settlement and ever since their health has not been at the same standard as non-indigenous Australians despite recent introductions of health programs, reconciliation between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians cannot be achieved until health standards are equal for both groups.

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

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.

There are several factors responsible for this health disparity. Lack of screening test, and not follow up for disease. Living in the remote area is major barrier that prevent them getting access to the primary health care. There may be possibility that aboriginals can be neglected because of their race. Following culture is anther barrier that prevents the access of health. Lack of knowledge, superstation are very prevalent in the aboriginals. These all factors impact the

The right to live healthy and Improving the health status of the indigenous people is the most challenging aspect of Governments. The gap between the indigenous and non-indigenous people in its peak. Moreover, it has been recognized by both international human rights organizations and Australian authorities. There are some definite factors, which the cause for indigenous health inequality in Australia are mainly such as improper healthcare system and poor health substructure among indigenous people in food, healthy housing & cleanliness etc. One of the other reasons for ineffectiveness of the government policies is that the policies are formed by non-indigenous people rather than including enough people from the concerned community.

Many Indigenous Australians are experiencing poor health than other Australians. Frequently they are dying at much younger ages. A healthy supportive environment gives a protection from physical and mental abuse and opportunities for personal development. As well as education and employment, these are all essential for a longer happy life. The organisation I chose to do my report on an Aboriginal Health Council of South Australia. This is an Aboriginal community controlled organisation in its own rights. The report provides the organisations History their aim and objectives. Also this includes the services they provide to their members and their contact details. By choosing this organisation it will provide me a knowledge how it is serving the indigenous Australians in different ways mainly with health systems.

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).

The health status of Indigenous Australians is significantly lower than that of non-Indigenous Australians, this could be due to a large amount of Australia’s Indigenous population living in either remote rural areas and or in a low social economic areas. In rural remote areas individuals have poorer access to health services and support services, limited access to transport, lower employement options and fewer accomidation options. In addition, to this cultural and spiritual differences may also be a barrier for indigenous Australian’s accessing services within their community.