Colonialism and the Indigenous Australians

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Colonialism in Australia places a detrimental threat to the health of Indigenous Australians. Inherent in colonialism were scientific racisms, institutional racism and structural violence. These factors continues to persist in the fabric of Australian society today and limits the life chances of Indigenous Australians. This essay illuminates colonialism as a major contributor to the social marginalisation and low socioeconomic status experienced by indigenous Australian. An analysis of Aboriginal infant mortality rate, a health indicator highlights the difference between biomedical and sociological approach and the embedded negative impact of social marginalisation and low socioeconomic status on the health of Indigenous Australians. The essay will first explore the significance of Indigenous infant mortality and a biomedical approach to the issue. Contrasts between biomedical and sociological approach will then be examined and demonstrated through the investigation of sociological concepts of social marginalisation and socioeconomic status. Lastly, the sociological knowledge deduced from these concept will be applied to health care practice and a conclusion will be drawn.

Indigenous infant mortality is a health indicator, identification of the most common cause of Indigenous infant mortality indicates the need of sociological approach to the issue. Indigenous infant mortality rate is the number of death of Indigenous children under one year of age per 1,000 live birth. This rate in 2012 is shown to be twice as high as non-Indigenous infant mortality rate (ABS, 2013, para. 1). The most common cause of Indigenous infant mortality are disorders originating in the perinatal period, risk factors include mothers with young age, toba...

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...anguage/our-review-pl#fnl-19
World Health Organisation. (2013). Maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health. Retrieved April 20, 2014, from http://www.who.int/maternal_child_adolescent/topics/maternal/maternal_perinatal/en/
World Health Organisation. (2012). Newborns: reducing mortality. Retrieved April 24, 2014, from http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs333/en/
Australian Human Right Commission. (2007). Social determinants and the health of Indigenous peoples in Australia – a human rights based approach. Retrieved April 20, 2014, from https://www.humanrights.gov.au/news/speeches/social-determinants-and-health-indigenous-peoples-australia-human-rights-based
Creative Spirit. (2013). Aboriginal smoking: a serious health problem. Retrieved April 25, 2014, from http://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/health/aboriginal-smoking-a-serious-health-problem

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