Aboriginal Health Issues and Statistics

This assignment delves into the complex health challenges facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia. It examines relevant statistics from sources like the Australian Bureau of Statistics and the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, highlighting key issues such as mortality rates, disease prevalence, and access to healthcare. The assignment also explores social determinants of health that contribute to these disparities, drawing upon works by experts like Marmot and Vos. Students are tasked with analyzing this data and understanding the factors driving the Indigenous health gap.

Running Head; Learning influence on Health culture of Indigenous persons
UNIVERSITY:
STUDENT DETAILS
NAME
ID
COURSE UNIT
TASK
Learning influence on Torres Strainght Islander and Aboriginal health state

2

Reflection on indigenous Australian population health status
Introduction
Australians enjoy general good health; however there are some few disparities which
hamper good health across the board. The health difference of the diverse populations of
Australian has incorporated disparities in terms of occurrence of death and disease, the
expectancy of life and the overall health of the population towards , health care services,
(ABS, 2014). Healthy inequity as described by WHO refers to attributable health variations
on health outcome of the people. Thus health inequity refers to the general difference in
health attributable environment conditions outside control of individuals, (AIHW, 2013).
The Aboriginal National Healthy Strategy has defined health equity among the
indigenous population of Australian as not only the physical well being of individuals but
also the social , emotional and cultural well being of the whole community as a whole. In
Australia, health inequity between the aboriginal and Torres Straight Islanders and the non
indigenous people in the overall population has been shown to be highest according to WHO.
Thus the need to focus on the cultural identify and equity among the Australian population.
Cultural context of the Indigenous population of Australia (Aboriginal and
Torres Islander)
The queen Island aboriginal people have been seen to enjoy diverse living cultures.
The community set ups vary in terms of geographical, the socio demographic and economic
distributions which incorporates cultural norms, (Gee et al., 2011).
Torres Strait Islanders have often been called their islands the Torres’s Strait Home.
The natural culture of aboriginal people has seen the islanders benefiting from their diversity
with their own culture by being oppressed and disadvantaged, (ABS, 2016).
The colonization of Australian nation led to emergence of unjust and misguided
polices against Aboriginal and Torres’s Strait Islander people. This has been manifested in
the treatment of the people and discrimination coupled with cultural diversification. This has
led to the fact the indigenous Australians are experiencing substantial worse health and varied
social outcomes compared to other Australians, (Zubrick et al., 2014).
With view of these studies highlighting the health inequities of the torres and islander
people, it has brought difficult aspect as to the focus of health attention. However focus now
has shifted on identifying reliable traditional population statistics which will assist in
planning health care access services.
Health access
Health equity concerns everyone in the community, thus for ensuring that they have
3

the concepts , to maintain good health state. It also refers to people having the right to health
services in the right ways and right places. The health equity practice has majorly focussed on
supporting fair access and fair distribution of resources in alleviating any disadvantaged and
at risks groups in Australia, (NPHP, 2005).
According to Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, (2005), there has been a
significant reason to reduce health equities. This are to reduce the at risk group of the
indigenous people of Australia, the socio economic groups, urban and rural dwellers and
other various groups. Research has shown that vulnerable populations have generally
increased health risks and are affected by the inequities experienced.. isolation based on
gender, ethnicity and colour have been observed to contribute significantly to health
inequities. For example the Australian culture, the social disparities of the indigenous
population has increased the gap of health achievements among the people, (Zhao et al.,
2004).
Thus health inequities are avoidable. They have been observed to be as a result of
societal actions and policy address measures. Equity approach to health has seen focus
shifting to prioritising at risk groups, focussing on health promotion initiatives, advocating
for social inequities and forming partnerships with other organizations, (Hill, Barker
& Vos, 2007).
Health equity access challenges
Australia has been rated as having one of the best health systems worldwide; however
access to information has been a barrier in this course. Many people find it difficult to access
health services. Especially when it comes to specific groups with complex health condition
and use health service frequently in both regional and rural areas. The common group in this
category are the aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples,(ABS, 2004).
Limited access to health care has impacted on quality of health care leading to poor
health outcomes. One factor variable that has impacted negatively includes the availability of
health services. According to Australian Institute of health and welfare, (AIHW) there lower
rates of doctor consultation and higher rates of hospital admissions.
Studies have shown that many people from migrant and refugee backgrounds
experience barriers to access to health services and health service system, (Henderson, 2011;
Queensland Health, 2011). Lack of cultural competency in the health care system, cultural
barriers and low health literacy are factors which influence health services equity.
Thus health call centre shave been championed to ease access to health care
information access without geographical restrictions. Often a common barrier to access to
4

health care is language. To achieve bets health outcomes among the Torres Islander is to
ensure that health provider can communicate and trust the patient effectively. It has been
observed that lack of services and information and cultural appropriate services has hindered
services and information, (Larsen, 2005).
New ideas learnt from the indigenous population of Australia
With completion of the course unit, it is paramount to have learnt that Aboriginal and
Torres’s Strait Islander people are generally not better off from the non indigenous people on
social determinants related to health. From the studies, it is evident that many health services
are not accessible and user friendly for the aboriginal and strait islanders when it comes to
indigenous peoples, (Marmot & CSDH, 2007).
However there are various factors which have seen the rise of accessibility to
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the health care work force, increasing the
number of aboriginal and Torres’s strait islander people working in health care sector.
Designing of health promotion campaigns for the Aboriginal and Torres Islander people,
making appropriate health services available in rural and health services and funding health
services so that they are affordable for aboriginal and Torres Islander who may not afford
them, (Van Doorslaer et al., 2008).
Health issues of Indigenous people
In addressing the health needs of the indigenous people in Australian calls for multi
approach and various approaches which require various initiatives to increase preventive and
curative efforts towards strengthening health services. However despite these efforts, calls
from the health sector alone are not sufficient to mitigate such avenues. There is need to
address the contextual issues which include the social and economic disadvantages of health
that have an impact on poor health status of indigenous people. This is in line with the
broader concept of health and acknowledging that indigenous health of the people concerned
with the overall improvement of physical well being and improving the social, emotional and
cultural well being of the community, (Marmot, 2005).
Thus key policy focus should take centre stage in ensuring that health equity is
addressed. A guiding principle has been the National Aboriginal and Torres Island Health
plan (2012-2023) which is regarded as the community based control and engagement tools. It
states broadly that health issues need to be addressed in a community level.
Primary health networks have played a critical role ensuring health equity is ensured.
Building on this platform it is evidence to observe that primary health networks have played a
critical role in providing holistic approach to social, emotional and cultural well being of the
5

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, (Vos et al., 2009).
Thus with the completion of this course, has portrayed the historical understandings
of health inequalities of the aboriginal and Torres Straight Islanders which is critical in
understanding and gaining awareness to ensure successful engagement of the aboriginal and
Torres Islanders.
Conclusion
Australia indigenous population health status has shown to improve slowly over the
years, however not compared to the general population The main reason for this lower rate of
health care among the non indigenous people are complex but often represent a couple of
challenges such as employment status and other opportunities. In the health sector there is
need for more health advancement program, better identification of health conditions, more
primary health care services and having greater cultural competence of service providers.
Enabling these factors is meant to ensure that long term future for the aboriginal and Torres
islander peoples and strengthening health outcomes avenues. Thus improving the health
culture of the Torres Islander people require long term commitment by Australian
governments. Adoption of closing the gap strategy is geared towards reducing the barriers
which have been occasioned among the Aboriginal and Torres Islander people and the
general Australian population.
6

References
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2016) Australian demographic statistics, Jun 2016.
Retrieved 29 October 2017 from
http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Lookup/3101.0Main+Features1Jun
%202017?OpenDocument
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2016) Australian demographic statistics, Jun 2016.
Retrieved 29 October 2017 from
http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Lookup/3101.0Main+Features1Jun
%202017?OpenDocument
Australian Bureau of Statistics , National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health
Survey 2004–05. , 2006 Canberra Australian Bureau of Statistics ABS cat. no.
4715.0
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2013) Indigenous statistics: quality and
availability. Retrieved 29 October 2017 from
http://www.aihw.gov.au/indigenous-statistics-quality-availability/
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare and Australian Bureau of Statistics , The
Health and Welfare of Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples
2005. , 2005 Canberra Australian Institute of Health and Welfare and Australian
Bureau of Statistics ABS cat. no. 4704.0, AIHW cat. no. IHW14
Gee G, Dudgeon P, Schultz C, Hart A, Kelly K (2014) Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander social and emotional wellbeing. In: Dudgeon P, Milroy H, Walker R,
eds. Working together: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health and
wellbeing principles and practice. 2nd ed. Canberra: Department of The Prime
Minister and Cabinet: 55-68
Hill, K., Barker, B., & Vos, T. (2007). Excess Indigenous mortality: are Indigenous
Australians more severely disadvantaged than other Indigenous populations?.
International Journal of Epidemiology, 36(3), 580-589.
7

Larsen, A. C. (2005). In the public interest: autonomy and resistance to methods of
standardising nurses’ advice and practices from a health call centre in Perth,
Western Australia. Nursing Inquiry, 12(2), 135-143.
Marmot, M., & Commission on Social Determinants of Health. (2007). Achieving
health equity: from root causes to fair outcomes. The Lancet, 370(9593), 1153-
1163.
National Public Health Partnership (2005) The national Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander safety promotion strategy. Canberra: National Public Health Partnership
National Public Health Partnership (2005) The national injury prevention and safety
promotion plan: 2004-2014. Canberra: National Public Health Partnership
Van Doorslaer, E., Clarke, P., Savage, E., & Hall, J. (2008). Horizontal inequities in
Australia's mixed public/private health care system. Health Policy, 86(1), 97-108.
Vos, T., Barker, B., Begg, S., Stanley, L., & Lopez, A. D. (2009). Burden of disease
and injury in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples: the Indigenous health
gap. international Journal of Epidemiology, 38(2), 470-477.
Zhao, Y., Guthridge, S., Magnus, A., & Vos, T. (2004). Burden of disease and injury in
Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal populations in the Northern Territory. Medical
Journal of Australia, 180(10), 498.
Zubrick, S. R., Dudgeon, P., Gee, G., Glaskin, B., Kelly, K., Paradies, Y., ... & Walker,
R. (2010). Social determinants of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social and
emotional wellbeing. Working together: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
mental health and wellbeing principles and practice, 75-90.
8