Poor Housing Problem of the Aboriginal Community

Running head: ABORIGINAL COMMUNITY HOUSING PROBLEMS
POOR HOUSING PROBLEM OF THE ABORIGINAL COMMUNITY
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ABORIGINAL COMMUNITY HOUSING PROBLEM
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Introduction
Shelter and housing are some of the most important living conditions which are
recognized to be fundamental for health. The benefits of having shelter are associated with
various health benefits. The poor housing is associated with less housing availability, the design
of the houses, surroundings, the condition of the housing and the constructions. Australia is very
vast with a number of citizens living out of the towns and cities. The disadvantaged groups such
as the indigenous communities right from colonization face challenges such as poor housing and
lack of better. Isolation of small-sized communities contributes to issues of housing acute in
remote and rural areas (Habibis, 2013).
One of the significant determinants of the poor health status of the Aboriginals
Australians is poor housing. Children are more vulnerable to infections in these living
conditions. Despite the majority of the aboriginal Australians residing in the urban areas, most of
the research on housing and its connection with health issues has been conducted in the remote
areas targeting the remote communities (McNamara, Cassells, Wicks & Vidyattama, 2010). Poor
housing, household overcrowding, and poor hygiene practices directly or indirectly dominate
some of the social and health problems present in the remote Aboriginal communities.
Considering the housing issue and health, this paper addresses this issue by analyzing different
media sources.
The paper aims at addressing some of the associated factors linked to health and poor
housing. A summary of each media item and linking the indigenous approaches and models on
the current debate topics is illustrated, and I will also include my reflection.

ABORIGINAL COMMUNITY HOUSING PROBLEM
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Bardon, J. (2016). Chronic overcrowding in Australia's biggest ever Indigenous housing
program. [online] ABC Radio. Available at:
http://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/pm/chronic-overcrowding-in-australias-
biggest-ever/7582406 [Accessed 8 Oct. 2018].
Summary and Key issues
The article above illustrates the living conditions of the Indigenous communities in the
Northern territories of Australia. It shows how the people still live in chronically overcrowded
homes despite the indigenous housing program (Bardon, 2016). The Indigenous communities in
remote areas live in poor housings conditions. The houses are not properly fixed with some
having rain inside the house when it rains. They like living in their ancestrial lands, but would
like the government to improve the living condition of the houses. A two-bedroom house hosts
more than 28 adults and children. They use shared showers making it difficult to prepare for
schools or work in the morning. They are concerned about their living conditions and when
cleaning the houses, they find cockroaches and ants coming out of the walls posing critical health
issues on themselves (Bardon, 2016).
The houses are too overcrowded putting more concerns of their lifestyles. The federal
territory government has built new houses to cub the issue, but they are not enough to reduce
overcrowding. According to the federal territory government, there is need to address the
housing issues, however the biggest challenge is funding as the funds they have are not enough
to build more houses to address the demand for the housing (Bardon, 2016).
Links to model approaches and current debates

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The characteristics of the aboriginal families being larger and lack sufficient affordable
homes to accommodate them is widely noticed. Andersen, Williamson, Fernando, Redman and
Vincent, (2016) add that, in the urban areas the aboriginal families are expected to host the
extended families who visit in search of better services. Households suffer from sufficient space,
basic amenities, and privacy. The children have no space to sleep, play or do their homework.
The environment turns out to be stressful, problematic and determinant of health. The poor
housing conditions of the already overcrowded housings are characterised with poor insulations,
leading problems such as damp, leaking rooves, faulty plumbing, moulds, broken amenities and
poor temperature control. The poor housing conditions are associated with negative effects on
physical health, emotional and social well-being of the Aboriginal families.
According to Andersen et al., (2016), houses characterised by overcrowding affects the
health of the community members. The poor living conditions are key drivers to communicable
diseases such as gastroenteritis, skin infections or namely cold. Asthma and respiratory diseases
are associated with moulds and dampness. The injuries posed by faulty household fixtures are
also concerns. The emotional and social wellbeing are associated with stress leading to
depression and other mental disorders (Lyons & Janca, 2012) adds that the Aboriginal children
not only face challenges at homes, but also face a lot of bullying in schools and givent the living
conditions, they end up suffering from anxiety, depression and psychosis disorders. The children
and elderly living with chronic diseases are severely affected in these living conditions.
Overcrowding is problems which cause lots of strains on couple and family relationships,
affecting their emotional wellbeing.
Personal Reflection