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Indigenous people eassy
Essay about aboriginal people health
Essay about aboriginal people health
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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people comprise the Indigenous native population of Australia. These cultures date back 50 000 years and are believed to be the longest surviving cultures in the world. The extensive survival rates of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community are primarily due to their ability to adapt to changes in their surroundings due to their close affinity with the land (Hampton, R., Toombs, M. 2013, p. 1). Currently, the health status of Indigenous Australians remains far below that of the general population. It has been noted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics that the life expectancy of an Indigenous male is estimated at 10.6 years lower than that of a non-Indigenous man, with similar figures for the female gender (ABS, 2010). It is believed that there is an indisputable connection between the impact of Colonial History and the current health status of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and this paper aims to cover the various contributing factors as to why this is the case. Historical and Contemporary Factors: Prior to colonisation, Indigenous Australians were in control of their own health care, they lived fit, healthy lives due to their ‘hunter gatherer lifestyle’ and maintained balanced and nutritional diets (Aboriginal Heritage Office, 2007). …show more content…
On arrival in Australia, the European’s declared the land as ‘Terra Nullius’ (belonging to no one) claiming it as their own and selling it off to other settlers who were migrating. The annexation often involved forced removal or dispossession of Aboriginal Peoples from traditional lands via compelling means such as massacres, poisonings and murder (Hampton, R., Toombs, M. 2013, p. 33). Along with this, colonisation introduced several
In 1788 when the European settlers “colonised” Australia, the Australian land was known as “terra nullius” which means “land belonging to no-one”. This decision set the stage for the problems and disadvantages faced by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people for 216 years. The protection policy was meant to disperse tribes and force Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people off their traditional land so the “white Australian’s” could have more control. The protection policy enforced by the British colonies drove the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander onto reserves.
Since 1788, when the white people first came to Australia, Australian Indigenous people have experienced systematically debases Indigenous culture and people. Due to that reason Indigenous people have profound effects on health and emotional wellbeing (Dudgeon 2010, p. 38). As per Parker (2010, p. 5) Diabetes, renal failure, cardiovascular disease, rheumatic heart disease figure prominently in Aboriginal and Torrens state Islander health issues.
Cox, L., & Taua, C. (2016). Australia: Colonisation and the Current Population Context. In Jarvis , C., Forbes , H., & Watt , E. (Eds.), Jarvis’s physical examination and health assessment (pp.38-59). Chatswood, NSW: Mosby.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders continue to have the worst health out of all Australian population groups, with an extremely low life expectancy compared to that of a white Australian which is, on average, 10 years higher. An alarmingly large proportion of aboriginals are dying prematurely with 81% dying before 75, with many of these deaths being diseases linked to a high sugar diet.
Even though the Europeans were tasked with making friends with the Traditional Landowners in a fair and respectful manner, this did not happen. Many of the original European Colonists kidnapped and killed the Indigenous Australians, stole land, and completely disregarded their beliefs / culture. Terra Nullius is the term used to describe land which is deemed “unclaimed” and can be taken by anyone. During the 18th century, the only way Britain could take control over land was if it met one of 3 criteria…
There are many disparities when looking at the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community in comparison to the Australian population, as Indigenous Australians equal to about 2.5% of Australians population this is viewed as a major gap Disparities are very evident with regards to lower life expectancy and inequalities in health status, these disparities stem from high rates of behavioural risk factors and socio-economic status. These factors can influence their high rates of chronic diseases compared to non- Indigenous Australians.Cardiovascular disease is a major burden among Indigenous Australians and in data from 2002 was classified as one of the top leading causes of mortality among the Indigenous community, making up to 27% of all deaths in Indigenous (Australians Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2008, p. ix). Age of onset was not clear as it can occur at any age, however it was developed at an earlier age among Indigenous Australians with risk increasing as they got older (see Appendix B) (Australians Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2008, p.14). The gender distribution shows that in both Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians there was a greater number of Cardiovascular disease in women, this disparity was mainly due to the higher number of rheumatic heart disease and heart failure in females (Australians
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people are the original inhabitants of Australia, and have lived here for more than 40,000 years, some believe even more, before European settlement, when they were free to enjoy and practice their culture without limitation or judgement.
This is one of the cruel and most hurtful examples of the racism taken part in Australia, post colonisation. According to Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, there has been little progress in aboriginal demographics. Despite Australia having one of the ‘best’ healthcare and welfare schemes in the world, these are not evident in aboriginal education and health outcomes. The indigenous population has a relatively young age structure. In 2006, the median age was 21 years, compared
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
As hunter-gatherers, the land use of indigenous people was different from the European way of land use. The British colonisers used this as pretence in taking the land of indigenous people calling it terra nullius. As mighty was right in colonialism, the British settlers used this ideological discourse and genocide to extinguish all indigenous rights to land and other resources. These actions involved multiple deliberate killings and a series of genocidal massacres. As killing escalated, racial justification did too; colonial officers said, “Disgrace would it be the human race to call them men”. Colonial terrorism in Australia involved the destruction of an essential foundation of the lifestyles of indigenous people in economic, political, social cultural, biological, physical, religious, and moral
The poor outcomes for Indigenous have been identified as being caused by socioeconomic and environment disadvantage, inadequate education, underemployment, racial prejudice, high risk health related behaviours and lack of accessibility to services. The unemployment rate for Indigenous Australians has always been significantly higher than their Non-Indigenous counterparts. For example, in 2016 it was 4.2 times higher than the rate non-indigenous people. Unemployed people have a higher risk of death and have more illness and disability than those of a similar age who are employed (AIHW 2016). This can contribute to Indigenous Australians having a life expectancy of around 10 years less than non-indigenous Australians between 2008-12.
Thus equitable access to health care system, community participation, health promotion and Intersectoral collaboration is lacking in Aboriginal society in rural and remote areas, therefore leading to a high rate of poverty and mental illness. Hence, it is important to promote primary health care principles and practices in rural and remote areas to prevent and cure diseases and help reduce poverty rate in Aboriginal society and diminish mental health problems. McMurray and Clendon (2014) emphasised that culture brings people together and “cultural exclusiveness divides citizens by race… affiliation” (pg398). Bowers (2013) emphasised that spiritual and emotional poverty gets passed on through “generations and affects entire communities.”
Health and wellbeing are key aspects for every child including Indigenous children and it influences Indigenous children’s learning, development and physical health. There is one core factor that contributes to Indigenous children’s health and wellbeing. For instance, low socio economic status is one of the main issues that associated with poor health of Indigenous families (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2013) because the family may not have enough currency to spend on healthy food, which brings a lack of nutrition to Indigenous students. As the lecturer, Linda Bonney (Lecture, 2017) indicated that Aboriginal children in Australia aged less than four years experience malnutrition at 29.6 times the rate for non-Aboriginal children. Likewise, Indigenous
Australia is a developed, or ‘first world’, country with a generally high standard of living. But the health status of Indigenous Australians falls far below that of other Australians. Today, Indigenous Australians suffer the worst health status of any identifiable group in Australia: such health status that would not be tolerated if it affected all Australians (Saggers, 2007; Smith, 2007; Thomson, Burns, Hardy, Krom, & Stumpers, 2007). Indigenous infant mortality rates are 10-15 percent, compared to 0.5% for the rest of Australians (ABS, 2007). Life expectancy for Indigenous Australians currently falls short of the rest of
The Indigenous Peoples Movement works to acquire legal protection and works to raise awareness towards the indigenous peoples’ causes globally. Indigenous peoples are generally defined as individuals who belong to a highly conservative, culturally and linguistically different non-dominant social group,—distinct from the modernly dominant society—hoping to maintain that separation with the superior culture. In addition, their cultures and traditional practices have been harmed over the centuries—complications arising from the European colonial era; still, many negative affections remain influencing their economic situations in the modern century. Indigenous peoples, who have been pushed into poor economic statuses due to the expansions of the