Improving Healthcare for Aboriginal Women: Accessing Health Services and Facilities

The health crisis amongst the aboriginal women is increasing exponentially, which in turn increases the mortality rate of the aboriginal women. Learn about the health services provided by the Victorian Aboriginal Controlled Health Organization (VACCHO) and ways to access them, including the 'Closing the Gap' framework, Koory maternity services, and traditional healers. Discover how involving family and community, providing transport, and extending clinic hours can improve healthcare for pregnant aboriginal women and other aboriginal women of Torres strait island and the Victorian aboriginal community.

Introduction :
The health crisis amongst the aboriginal women is increasing exponentially
which in turn increases the mortality rate of the aboriginal women.
the risk of breast cancer, the mortality rate of aboriginal , pregnancy
complication is higher in those people. Lack of the transport and access to
the health services worsen the mortality rate. The health services provided
by the Victorian Aboriginal Controlled Health Organization (VACCHO)
take the initiative to mange the issue(Durey et al., 2016).
ISSUE
•one among every five women in the aboriginal community suffers from low
nutritional food and breast cancer.
•fraction of low birth weight babies born to Torres islanders’ mothers has
increased by 13 percent (Panaretto et al., 2014)..
Target audience
•Pregnant aboriginal women and other aboriginal women of Torres strait island,
Victorian aboriginal community.
Health care service and facilities
Durey, A., McEvoy, S., Swift-Otero, V., Taylor, K., Katzenellenbogen, J., &
Bessarab, D. (2016). Improving healthcare for Aboriginal Australians
through effective engagement between community and health
services. BMC health services research, 16(1), 224.
Swain, L., & Barclay, L. (2015). Medication reviews are useful, but the model
needs to be changed: Perspectives of Aboriginal Health Service health
professionals on Home Medicines Reviews. BMC health services
research, 15(1), 366.
Mackenbach, J. P. (2015). Socioeconomic inequalities in health in high-income
countries: the facts and the options: Oxford textbook of global public
health. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Panaretto, K. S., Wenitong, M., Button, S., & Ring, I. T. (2014). Aboriginal
community controlled health services: leading the way in primary
care. The Medical Journal of Australia, 200(11), 649-652.
Way of accessing the health services
• Involvement of family and community in the
health services.
• Mental health nurses and peer workers for
cognitive therapy
• Trained non-indigenous staffs for patient
centric care(Durey et al., 2016). .
• Providing transport for going to the clinical
centers(Swain & Barclay, 2015).
• extended opening hours of the clinics
• Electronic health records
•“Closing the gap” frame work.
•koory maternity services
•In -home support
• Healthy for life
• Australian hearing services
• competent gynecologist
•availability of absolute care
•available food provision(Durey et al., 2016).
• cognitive behavioral therapy, trauma informed therapy
•Traditional healers.
Figure : aboriginal women
Sources: (Swain & Barclay, 2015).
Figure : health services to the
aboriginals
Source: (Mackenbach, 2015).Figure: mother and newly born