The ‘Korin Korin Balit-Djak’ is a health, wellbeing and safety strategic plan targeted towards Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health outcomes (Department of Families, Fairness and Housing, 2016). The plan presents a seminal document outlining a comprehensive approach to ameliorating the health disparities experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples within Victoria, Australia. The purpose of the Korin Korin Balit-Djak can be broken down into two parts: first, it presents a framework through which the Department of Health, in collaboration with Aboriginal communities, community organisations, government entities, and mainstream service providers, endeavours to enhance the health, wellbeing, and safety of Aboriginal individuals …show more content…
By focusing on strengths, such as cultural identity, community connections, and traditional knowledge, interventions can be more effective and sustainable. For example, programs that incorporate traditional Indigenous games, dances, and outdoor activities can make physical activity more enjoyable and relevant for community members. Additionally, involving Aboriginal leaders, Elders, and community organisations in the design and implementation of programs ensures that they are culturally safe, respectful, and responsive to the needs and preferences of Indigenous peoples. Social and community networks, as defined by Dahlgren and Whitehead (1991), encompass the relationships and networks within communities that influence health outcomes. In the context of physical activity, these networks are pivotal in shaping behaviours and providing support for engagement (Dahlgren, G., & Whitehead, M., 1991). For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, strong social and community networks are vital components of cultural identity and
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.
The reason for this report was to explain the steps that were taken to create and implement this action plan and the outcomes. My three actions were established to help carry out my vision of bringing together the two sides by creating equality and harmony. First I wanted to create a better understanding of Aboriginal history, culture and their people within my family and friendship groups. I tackled this by talking not only in-person but also over social media about the past struggles of Aboriginal people and reduce the stigma and misconceptions that surround Aboriginal people. The second action was to restore trust between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians by involving friends and family in public and activities and events that are related to learning more about what gaps need closing and coming together. My third action plan was to eradicate racism and as a way to contribute to this cause long term, I signed up to be a Constitutional Recognition Campaigner through ANTAR. As this campaign is about changing the Australian constitution to include Aboriginal people and also to remove sections that have to power to stop Aboriginal people from voting and sections that give the Australian governmen...
There are significant health disparities that exist between Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Australians. Being an Indigenous Australian means the person is and identifies as an Indigenous Australian, acknowledges their Indigenous heritage and is accepted as such in the community they live in (Daly, Speedy, & Jackson, 2010). Compared with Non-Indigenous Australians, Aboriginal people die at much younger ages, have more disability and experience a reduced quality of life because of ill health. This difference in health status is why Indigenous Australians health is often described as “Third World health in a First World nation” (Carson, Dunbar, Chenhall, & Bailie, 2007, p.xxi). Aboriginal health care in the present and future should encompass a holistic approach which includes social, emotional, spiritual and cultural wellbeing in order to be culturally suitable to improve Indigenous Health. There are three dimensions of health- physical, social and mental- that all interrelate to determine an individual’s overall health. If one of these dimensions is compromised, it affects how the other two dimensions function, and overall affects an individual’s health status. The social determinants of health are conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age which includes education, economics, social gradient, stress, early life, social inclusion, employment, transport, food, and social supports (Gruis, 2014). The social determinants that are specifically negatively impacting on Indigenous Australians health include poverty, social class, racism, education, employment, country/land and housing (Isaacs, 2014). If these social determinants inequalities are remedied, Indigenous Australians will have the same opportunities as Non-Ind...
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders have some of the worst health outcomes in comparison to any other indigenous community in the world (AIHW, 2011). According to United Nations official Anand Grover, Aboriginal health conditions are even worse than some Third World countries (Arup & Sharp, 2009), which is astonishing, considering Australia is one of the worlds wealthiest countries. Thoroughly identifying the causes and analysing every aspect behind poor health of indigenous Australians, and Australian health in general, is near impossible due to the complexity and abundant layers of this issue. Even within the category of social determinants, it is hard to distinguish just one factor, due to so many which interrelate and correspond with each other. The aim of this essay is to firstly identify and analyse components of the social determinants of health that impact the wellbeing of Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders, and demonstrate how they overlap with each other. By analysing the inequalities in health of Aboriginal and non-indigenous Australians, positive health interventions will then be addressed. Racism and the consequences it has on Indigenous health and wellbeing will be discussed, followed by an analysis of how and why social class and status is considered a determining factor when studying the health of the Aboriginal population. The issue relating ...
Poor living conditions are a major health determinant throughout the indigenous population. Most Indigenous Australians are known to live in rural parts of Australia which are commonly not close to major cities and services. People living in these areas generally have poorer health than others living in the cities and other parts of Australia. These individuals do not have as much access to health services and good quality housing. In 2006 roughly 14% of indigenous households in Australia were overcrowded unlike 5% of other households (AIHW, 2009a). Overcrowded and poor quality houses are commonly associated with poor physical and mental health between the people living in them. The indigenous are n...
Healthcare systems are microcosms of the larger society in which they exist. Where there is structural violence or cultural violence in the larger society, so will there be evidence of systematic inequities in the institutions of these societies. The healthcare system in Australia is one example—from a plethora of similarly situated healthcare systems—in which the color of a patient’s skin or the race of his parents may determine the quality of medical received. Life expectancy and infant mortality rates are vastly different for non-Aboriginal, Aboriginal, and Torres Strait Islanders residing in Australia. The life expectancy of Aboriginal men is 21 years shorter than for non-Aboriginal men in Australia. For women, the difference is 19 years. The infant mortality rate of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander male infants is 6.8% and the infant mortality rate for female infants is 6.7%. For non-Aboriginal infants, the infant mortality rates are 1% for male infants and 0.8% for female infants. Further, the Aboriginal population is subject to a wide-range of diseases that do not exhibit comparatively high incidence rates in non-Aboriginal Australians.
The purpose of this paper is to articulate an Indigenous health and wellness concern such as youth education and how to affects Indigenous populations. Youth education has been a prominent social determinant of health with many people who are from Indigenous backgrounds. Children are moulded into their own beings at a young age and having an influential education from the start is key to a successful person and living a fulfilled life. The reason I have chosen this topic is because it became of great interest to me how Indigenous education is not prominently looked upon.
As mentioned above there are so many factors included social and emotional issues affecting Aboriginal and Torrens state Islander health. The major four factors I would like to discuss here are as follows:
Minore, B., Boone, M., Katt, M., Kinch, P., & Birch, S. (2004). Addressing the realties of health care in northern aboriginal communities through participatory action research. Journal Of Interprofessional Care, 18(4), 360-368. doi:10.1080/13561820400011784
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.
Thank you for taking time to read my letter. As a nursing student of University of Technology Sydney, I studied contemporary indigenous subject this semester. In this letter I want to illustrate 3 main social determinants of health that impact indigenous Australian health which I found and analysed during my recently study. And also offer some suggestion that could help the government improve aboriginal Australian mental health conditions in the future.
The first factor that has an impact on the health of Indigenous people is their access to health services. Health services include health care provided by general medical practitioners, nurses, and allied health professionals. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) (2008), Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have lower level of access to health services compared to other Australians. Distance may be one of the reasons that Indigenous Australian have difficulties to get to the facilities they want. Compared to the general population, the percentage of having medical facilities, including hospital, Aboriginal primary health care and other community health center, located in the discrete indigenous communities was only 7%, while in general population, the percentage was 35% (ABS 2006). Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities face many different kinds of transport challenges as well. In 2008, 43% of Indigenous adults lived in an area in which the local transport was not available (HAMAC 2012, p. 99). That affects people’s access to health facilities as well. People may not get the treatment they need when take location and tra...
For Aboriginal and Torres Strait peoples, social and emotional wellbeing (SEWB) is holistic and requires a balance of connections with family and kinship ties, community, culture, spirituality, body, mind, emotions, land, and sea (Gee et al., 2014; Sutherland & Adams, 2019). When all connections are established, individuals and communities can be “strong, proud, happy and healthy” and have the resources needed to adapt to challenges (Healing Foundation, 2015). Strong community governance is one factor that has a positive impact on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, SEWB (Gee et al., 2014). A community with strong governance has a strong sense of leadership and has the resources and capacities needed to develop solutions to problems
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.
Department of Health South Australia. (2004). Cultural Respect Framework for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health. Australian Health Ministers’ Advisory Council. Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Working Party