Aboriginal people in Australia account for a very small proportion of the population, have poorer health outcomes due to the colonization of Europeans and government policies which suppressed their lives through all aspects including social, mental and physical. The essay opens with the pre-invasion health of Aborigines and the trauma caused by assimilation policy which affected their culture, way of life, family and belief systems and health. Aboriginal people regard their land as spiritual and their culture dictates that an Aboriginal person needs to know their origins, emphasising the value placed on kin and also demonstrating a strong desire to remain within their own country. Management of the issues of mental illness in Aboriginal people …show more content…
However, it appears that mental illness was likely to have been a major cause of death, and anaemia, arthritis, periodontal disease, and tooth attrition were present in Australian Aboriginal culture prior to European colonization of Australia but was, most likely, a relatively rare occurrence (Healey, 2014). They did not suffer from smallpox, measles, influenza, tuberculosis, scarlet fever, venereal syphilis and gonorrhoea, diseases that were common in 18th century Europe but were introduced by non-Aboriginals which they had no resistance to fight with the deadly viruses (Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet, 2014). The epidemic caused considerable loss of lives among Aboriginal population and totally undermined …show more content…
The drastic change in the physical environment affected their social, economic and political environment. The land alienation disrupted the social/spiritual structure of group which depressed the population. Food shortages soon became a problem and Aboriginals were close to starvation which physically and mentally affected their health. In addition to the impacts of introduced diseases and conflict, the spread of non-Aborigines undermined the ability of Aboriginal people to lead healthy lives by devaluing their culture, destroying their traditional food base, separating families, and dispossessing whole communities. This loss of autonomy undermined social vitality, which, in turn, affected the capacity to meet challenges, including health challenges; a cycle of dispossession, demoralisation, and poor health was established (Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet,
Not only did sickness kill many people, but the foreigners that came to Australia killed locals. Western Aranda says “when the whites arrived there were 250 languages” along with 450 different dialects there was a total of 700 languages and now there is only 70 languages left. Luckily now there are radios that play the aboriginal’s
Another issue which commonly affects the Aboriginal population, inhibiting the experience of good health, is culture clash which consistently lead to social exclusion and societal assimilation. Urquhart (2009) identifies social exclusion as the fourth of ten social determinants of health and is often a result of culture clash. It is very important to recognise that culture clash is a cultural issue which gives rise to certain discrepancies that highly influence Aboriginal health. These discrepancies are complex and interspersed factors such as ethnocentrism, segregation and oppression, which all result in the social exclusion and societal assimilation of Aboriginals. Ethnocentrism is described as the tendency to view one’s own culture as superior to all other cultures (Cooper, 2012). Crisp and Taylor (2008) endow that “All people are inclined towards ethnocentrism” and this was reiterated by the Storti (2012) who stated that “Not only is judging natural, it is essential to function effectively in society”. Although, whilst it is a common issue, ethnocentrism becomes a problem when it is exhibited by people whom hold a position of power and who also have the ability to overrule those with lesser power (Crisp & Taylor, 2008). Ethnocentrism is an important factor because it has the potential to develop into such social exclusions as segregation and oppression, especially when it is exhibited by people who hold such positions of power as community or Government leaders. Such was the case when the Aboriginal population began to raise at the beginning of the 20th century (Crisp & Taylor, 2008). The Government powers, influenced by ethnocentrism, developed the policy of segregation which ultimately impacted on many facets of Aborigina...
Advanced knowledge of Aboriginal Health policy and issues at the level and national level including understanding successful measures around Closing the Gap in Aboriginal Health inequality. My desire to work in the aboriginal field begins since I was very young. That is why at 16 years of my age I started to be even more interested in understanding all the issues related to the aborigines of this country. Over time, I looked that all my knowledge be trained at health level basis to help to improve the Aboriginal quality of life standards.
The 1967 referendum resulted in the change of the Constitution on August 10 of that year, initiating the start of great change for the lives of indigenous people in Australia. The referendum sought to change Sections 51 and 127 of the Constitution. Section 51 stated the Federal Government could make laws for anyone in the nation except aborigines, leaving state governments in charge (Creative Spirits – 1967 Referendum, online, 14/8/15). Section 127 specified that when the population of the Commonwealth was counted, indigenous people were not included (Creative Spirits – 1967 Referendum, online, 14/8/15). According to Faith Bandler, an indigenous civil rights activist, it was important to force the Commonwealth to be responsible for the aborigines
Discussion Ancient Aboriginals were the first people to set foot on the Australian continent, over 40,000 years or more before colonization (Eckermann, 2010). They survived by hunting and gathering their food, worshipping the land to protect its resources, and ensuring their survival. The aboriginal community has adapted to the environment, building a strong framework of social, cultural, and spiritual beliefs (Eckermann, 2010). Colonisation of Australia began in 1788, when Englishman Captain Cook claimed the land as an empty, uninhabited, continent giving it the classification Terra Nullius and leaving it open to colonization. Eckermann (2010), stated that the English failed to recognise the aboriginal tribes as civilized, co-inhibiters of the land, feeling they had no right to a claim.
Indigenous Australian’s health has been a focal point and topic of interest for many members of the government and policy markers. The reasoning for why this topic has been of popular interest for the government and policy makers is due to the startling and atrocious lack of health that Indigenous Australian’s suffer. Indigenous Australian’s are disadvantaged in the Australian healthcare system and have the poorest health out of all Australians. “Between 2004 and 2008, 66% of Indigenous deaths occurred before the age of 65 compared with 20% of non-Indigenous deaths.” (Red Dust, p.1) Indigenous Australian’s experience this major disadvantage and neglect in the Australian society due to the poor health care system and policies that haven’t been able to solve the issue. This essay will explore the significant and negative impact on the Indigenous communities and how policy decisions have impacted and continue to impact the Indigenous communities. This essay will also outline why there have been significant policy shifts over time, the current issues in delivering services to Indigenous Australian’s and why these issues have emerged.
According to Australian indigenous website, healthinfoNet, in 2010-2012 life expectancy of indigenous people were 69 years which is 11 years less than the 80 years expected for the non- indigenous men and women. Moreover, the life expectancy for native women was 73 years, during 2010-2012, which is 9.5 years less than the expectation of 83 years for non-Indigenous women. The reason for decreased health can be due to deficiencies in water supply, sanitation and lack of proper medical services.
The period termed the “cultural transition” that happened soon after Aboriginal peoples made contact with the colonizers, was when they were initially stripped of their cultural authority and social power. Once Aboriginal peoples realized they had minimal control over the devastating events, they began to display behavioural patterns of helplessness and giving up (Wesley-Esquimaux & Smolewski, 2004). These behaviours of helplessness led to many of the Aboriginal peoples choosing to withdraw socially, reduce their cultural and spiritual activities, and engage in repetitive cycles of conflict. The continued acts of conflict in turn led to profound psychological problems (drug addiction, sexual abuse, alcoho...
...s health has been an issue since past and is still an issue upto now. In conclusion appropriate action needs to be taken in order to help indigenous Australians to improve the health of individuals thereby making the society a better place for all.
Australia had been imperialized by the British for their natural resources, and had used the aboriginal people there as well. They took their land, their people’s lives and their way of life, for Britain’s own gain. The aboriginal population has gone down due to these events, but with the help of organizations like NACCHO, and Oxfam Australia, the aborigines are able to make an attempt to regrow their population. They will also, try to keep hold as well as reteach their cultural beliefs.
0.8% of the overall Federal health expenditure in 2009 which was spent on Aboriginal health. The overall wellbeing of an individual is more than just being free from disease. It is about their social, emotional, spiritual, physiological as well as the physical prosperity. Indigenous health issues are all around us, but we don’t recognise because it doesn’t affect us, but this issue is a concern to Indigenous Australia and also to modern day Catholics in Australia The statistics relating to Indigenous health is inexcusable, life expectancy is at an all time low, higher hospilatisation for avoidable diseases, alerting rates of deaths from diabetes and kidney disease. This issue is bigger than we all think, for example 13% of Indigenous homes
In conclusion the colonisation of Australia and the adoption of discriminatory policies eroded Aboriginal culture and tradition affecting their sense of well-being and thus deteriorated their health. Today these policies are reflected in the social determinants of health as socio-economic disadvantages. They continue to impact contemporary Aboriginal people. In order to improve Aboriginal health outcomes; the impacts of these policies need to be overturned. This can be done by assisting them with improving their socio-economic status in the light of their needs and traditions.
Land management was one of the most crucial factors of Indigenous Australian’s survival. Before European landing, Aboriginals were hardworking farmers, growing crops that range from yams and wheat to fruits and berries. Hunting and food collecting also contributed to Aboriginal’s diet.
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have been the first nations, which represented the whole Australian population, for centuries. However, the continuous European colonization has severely affected these peoples and, over the decades, their unique values and cultures, which enriched the life of Australian nation and communities, were not respected and discriminated by numerous restrictive policies. As a result, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have turned into the voiceless minority of the Australian population. Fortunately, in recent years, these issues became the concern of the Australian government, promoting a slight improvement in the well being of native Australians. Nowadays, there are numerous social work
Overall the colonization of Australian is a major health determinant for Indigenous Australians in many ways. Many Indigenous Australians are still being affected by the invasion and are trying to live life in a new way to what they are accustomed to. The colonization led to many deaths, diseases, wars, violence and lifestyle changes which will all continue to make life difficult for the Indigenous.