Chronic Diseases in Aboriginal Communities

The provided document discusses the prevalence of chronic diseases among Aboriginal Australians, including depression and anxiety. It emphasizes the need for culturally sensitive approaches to address these issues, focusing on community-led initiatives and social determinants of health. The report references various studies and research papers to support its findings.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander Peoples' Health

Table of Contents
TITLE: ............................................................................................................................................1
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY ..................................................................................................................................1
CONCLUSION ..............................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES ...............................................................................................................................7

TITLE:
Context of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples' Health.
INTRODUCTION
A chronic condition is consisting to be a human health condition or disease which is
relentless or otherwise long lasting in its impacts or a disease or illness that arises with time.
Basically chronic diseases involve arthritis, asthma, cancer, diabetes, COPD and various viral
diseases like hepatitis C and HIV or AIDS. The overview of Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander signifies to render a comprehensive evaluation of the most recent indicators of the health
and current health status of Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (Altman and
Taylor, 2018). the indigenous people in Australia are known as Australia's Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander people. The primary part of this section render information in regards of
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, population and different measures of the health
status of population. This report contents the study about the chronic health condition which is
experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The influence of demographic,
social and cultural factors on the health issue of people will be discussed in detailed. Furthermore
the effectiveness of a contemporary health care strategy in relation to the chronic health
condition will also discussed.
MAIN BODY
Chronic disease is considered to be the major contributors to the morality gap among
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and other Australians. Around 80 percent of the mortality
gap for people aged 3 to 74 years is due to chronic diseases, analysed in terms of significant year
of life lost. The potential presenters are heart diseases, diabetes, liver diseases, chronic lower
respiratory disease, cerebrovascular diseases and cancer (Wilks and Wilson, 2015). Chronic
diseases are determined as the most leading cause of illness, disability and death in Australia,
analysed for around 90 percent of the death in 2011. the advent of this chronic diseases consist
success in reducing the infection and infant deaths in between the duration of late 19th and early
20th century. In the modern era people follow different life style which is based on their culture
and norms. The changing life style and ageing population, chronic disease has become
progressively common and now arise most of the burden of ill health (Australian Institute of
Health, 2012).
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Various diseases and health conditions can be categorised in between the wide heading
of endless infection or chronic diseases. They basically co-excise with each other and share basic
hazard and risk factors that are increasingly being viewed as acting together to analyse the health
status of people. There is incredible potential for coordinating anticipation and care or treating
chosen interminable diseases together, to keep individuals solid and strong for as long as could
reasonably be expected (Thomas, 2012). The issue of chronic diseases are significantly analyses
in 4 major groups which are as cardiovascular diseases, cancers, chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease and diabetes, with some common behavioural conflicts and risk factors such as smoking,
physical inactivity, poor nutrition and harmful use of alcohol. These 4 group of diseases
chronicle for three quarters for all chronic disease deaths. Along with deaths of people do not
fully address the influence of chronic disease. Basically it is noted that the issues related with
mental health are not an essential cause of death, but they do arise potential ill health and
disability in the Australian population. In Australia and other developed countries, health
diseases and death which are arises through the chronic diseases is now becoming widespread in
most developing geographical areas, like wise the increasing level of income, falling food prices
and developing urbanisation, that assist to global changes in the human's diet, overweight,
obesity and physical inactivity. The global chronic issues or illness ‘pandemic’ which was the
subject of a high-level United Nations gathering in 2011, which is known for a 25% diminution
by 2025 in mortality from chronic diseases in between the age group of 30 to 70, the changes in
this age group are common as in this age people are focused on spending luxury life and they
consume high level of alcohol and smoke (Geia, Hayes and Usher, 2013). This health disease has
a huge influence on the humans personal as well as social life, Because of its personal, social and
economic influence, handling chronic disease and its causes is the biggest health challenge that is
faced by people in Australia. A growing perceptive which many of these diseases occurs from
similar underlying origin, have similar features, and share a number of prevention, management
and treatment strategies, as well as potential and developing costs, is challenging us to transform
the way in which an individual respond to chronic disease.
Indigenous health refers to the physical, culture, social and emotional well-being of
Aboriginal and the Torres Strait Islander people. The local Australian people experience poorer
health than other Australians, are dying at much younger ages. The local Australian are
consistently more likely than non-indigenous people to have metabolism issues, mental health
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issues, cardiovascular issues, diabetes and chronic kidney disease. The demographic social and
cultural factors have a direct influence on the heath issues that are related with chronic diseases,
these elements are described as below:
In the demographic factor, the evaluated inhabitant Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
population of Australia as at 30 June 2011 was around 669,881 individuals who belongs from
Australia itself. Utilizing population projections for 2014, Local Australian people speak to 3%
of the Australian population, along with this the fact varies through region to region as well as
local area to area—from 30% of the people of the Northern Territory to 0.9% of the number of
inhabitants in Victoria.
At the stage when the data are determined as an extent of the local population in
Australia, the anticipated or reliable outcome for 2014 demonstrate that, 31% of all Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander people groups lived in NSW, 29% lived in Qld, 13% in WA and 10%
in the NT.
In 2011, around 79% of local Australian people lived in territorial and metropolitan
regions. On the other side, 14% of Indigenous Australians lived in extremely distant area or
regions, they made up a huge extent of Australians living in exceptionally remote territories
(45%). The age structure of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population is mainly
younger than the non-indigenous population (Gould, Bittoun and Clarke, 2015). In the year of
2011, the median age group for local Australian people was 22 years and it is significantly
compared with the age group of 38 for non-local Australians. It is crucial that the concern is on
evaluating the improvement of health for aboriginal and Torres strait Islander peoples around
their life Spain. It is essential to take demographic composition into proper action as to make
appropriate planning for resources and services which are offered to Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander peoples. The issue of chronic disease is majorly found in each age group as in the
geographical area of Australia indigenous people are mainly affected with various issues like
alcohol and smoke as people from teenagers and adults are consuming unhealthy things like fast
food, alcohol, smoking etc. these type of life style has a direct influence on the health condition
of people.
Social determinants of health represent the social factors and physical conditions of the
environment in which people are born, live, play, work, learn and age. It also known as social
and physical aspect of health, which is impacted on a wide range of health, functioning and
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quality of life results. Improving the health status of local people in Australia is a long lasting
challenge for the governments in Australia. The significant gap in health status among local and
non local Australians remains unacceptably large (Sun and Buys, 2016). It has been evaluated as
a human rights which is eliminated by United Nations Committees and it is majorly
acknowledged by the Australian Government. Social determinants encompass that the population
health and inequality is analysed through the many interrelated social factors. The essential
element of indigenous health inequality in Australia involve the deficiency of equal access to
fundamental health care and the lower standard of health infrastructure in local communities like
food, healthy housing, sanitation etc. and it is significantly compared to the other Australians.
Social factors can have initiated the onset of the pathology and in this path serve as a direct
influence for a number of chronic diseases (Jorm and Kitchener, 2011). In society people are
very much influenced with each other and willing to do things that are doing by other people. In
the modern business environment people do believe in living a luxury live and they are concern
on consuming non healthy items like alcohol, smoke etc. these has direct influence on the health
condition of people.
The impact of culture is vast as it affects the perception of health, illness and death,
beliefs in regards to the causes of illness, approaches to health promotion and how diseases and
pain are handled or experienced, where patients needs help and the kind of treatment patients
prefer. The cultural impact involves historical, geographical and familial determinant which
impacted the assessment and the process of intervention. Culture is consist to be a pattern of
ideas, custom's and behaviours which is shared by an individual or society.
Culture and language variances and financial status interface with and contribute to a low
health literacy, it is basically characterized as the failure to analyse or follow up on therapeutic or
medical directions. Cultures also has a direct influence on the health condition of the people.
Different people follow different culture and their way of living is also based on their culture and
in the modern era people are very much concern on living life in urbanise areas as to gaining
more easy and comfortable life (Langton and Longbottom, 2012). There was a very strong
culture obligation in regards to family that involves providing support for family members. It
was evaluated that a social desire to give family (kinfolk) with nourishment, convenience, or
cash, paying little respect to one's own conditions. wide members (both local and non local
citizen) remarked that this social commitment to family affected upon the health conduction of
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people. This arises because they were frequently supporting a huge network of individuals
(because of the connection framework), in this manner setting psychosocial and physical
demands upon individual resources.
In the sector of health and social care various strategies are applied as to developing the
health condition of people. The contemporary health care environment represents the
opportunities for the nurse executives leadership which is family and patient centred, and
fulfilling the desires of nurses and their subordinates and this create value in providing safe
quality care which is fiscally responsible and based on evidence. The present area of the study is
concerned on the strategy areas of systemness, people, performance and advancement and offers
tactics and strategies to helps the nurses to move in integrated delivery systems form the
essential entity based services to a system approach where the nursing leadership team and entity
manager of nursing officers are evaluated as the essential contributors to system success.
In the geographical area of Australia local people remain the least healthy sub population.
The death rate is comparatively higher than the death rate of non local people. In Australia the
admission rate of indigenous males and females are comparatively high than the non-indigenous
people in each age group. Cardiovascular disease is consisting to be the major issue in Australian
people. In this deaths are twice as high and respiratory issues, deaths are seven times more
common through hospitalisation more than three times higher. Aboriginal people evaluated that
ill-health is arises by numerous factors involving physical, social and spiritual and which
treatment comprehend all three aspects. In specific Aboriginal cause encompasses four basic
explanations for ill-health involving loss of a huge substance through the body (soul-loss) and
subdivision of a foreign and harmful substance into the body (spirit intrusion or possession). The
major reason for chronic issue in Australia is the high consumption rate of alcohol and smoke. In
Australia people are significantly follow wrong path way to live their life they are regularly
consuming high rate of alcohol which has a direct influence on the health condition of
indigenous people in Australia. As per my opinion people needs to follow proper diet hart as to
living conformable and stress of life (Muller, 2014). It is evaluated that inequalities in health
condition among Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Victorians, most notably in the generality of
depression and anxiety, and the social components of health (psychosocial risk factors, SES, and
social capital etc.). This has evince for evidence-based policy improvement and may inform the
progress of public health interventions.
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CONCLUSION
From the above given report it has been concluded that chronic diseases are consist to be
the major issues which has a direct influence on the living of an individual, society and culture.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander defines to an individuals of aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander and are accepted by the community or culture in which they live. In Australia the rate of
chronic diseases in local citizens are high as compared to the non-indigenous people. It is
required for people to maintain their diet as to living a good and comfortable life style.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Altman, J. and Taylor, J., 2018. The 1994 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Survey:
Findings and Future Prospects. Canberra, ACT: Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy
Research, Research School of Social Sciences, College of Arts & Social Sciences, The
Australian National University.
Australian Institute of Health, 2012. Australia's Health 2012: In Brief. AIHW.
Geia, L. K., Hayes, B. and Usher, K., 2013. Yarning/Aboriginal storytelling: towards an
understanding of an Indigenous perspective and its implications for research practice.
Contemporary nurse. 46(1). pp.13-17.
Gould, G. S., Bittoun, R. and Clarke, M. J., 2015. A pragmatic guide for smoking cessation
counselling and the initiation of nicotine replacement therapy for pregnant Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander smokers. Journal of Smoking Cessation. 10(2). pp.96-105.
Jorm, A. F. and Kitchener, B. A., 2011. Noting a landmark achievement: mental health first aid
training reaches 1% of Australian adults.
Langton, M. and Longbottom, J. eds., 2012. Community futures, legal architecture: foundations
for Indigenous peoples in the global mining boom. Routledge.
Muller, L., 2014. A theory for Indigenous Australian health and human service work. Allen &
Unwin.
Sun, J. and Buys, N., 2016. Effects of community singing program on mental health outcomes of
Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people: a meditative approach.
American Journal of Health Promotion. 30(4). pp.259-263.
Thomas, D., 2012. National trends in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander smoking and quitting,
1994–2008. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health. 36(1). pp.24-29.
Wilks, J. and Wilson, K., 2015. A profile of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander higher
education student population. Australian Universities' Review, The. 57(2). p.17.
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