Contemporary Indigenous Health and Wellbeing Discussion 2022

CONTEMPORARY INDIGENOUS HEALTH AND WELLBEING
1. Introduction
Australian policymakers have been concerned about the long-standing health inequality
between non-indigenous and indigenous groups in Australia. While Australia's overall health
is improving, the indigenous population remains well below the non-indigenous population
stage. Since 2006, the "close the gap" campaign has coordinated most indigenous and non-
indigenous health organisations, human rights organisations and NGOs in Australia to narrow
the inequalities of health and life expectancy for the indigenous populations of Australia. The
aim of this campaign is to ensure that any indigenous baby born in this country, by 2030 has
a comparable open door to a long, sound and happy life as other Australian children
(Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet, 2014). The Government of Australia's initiative is to
close the gap.
2. Discussion
2.1 Different morbidity and mortality rates have been well recorded and continue between
Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians despite devoted public financing over the years to
tackle the problem (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2014). The word Aboriginal is
the most important word used in the Health Department of Western Australia (WA) by
describing the Local Indigenous Population (Ww2.health.wa.gov.au, 2014). Among
Aboriginal Australians, life expectancy is about ten years less than other Australians
(Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2014). In 2008–2012, 15 per cent of Indigenous
fatalities were attributable to internal causes of death in comparison with 6.1 per cent of non-
Indigenous fatalities. During this era, 61 fatalities per 100,000 population were caused by
external causes among indigenous populations. Suicide (4.8% of all deaths) and accidents
involving transport (3.9%) were the most prevalent internal causes of death for indigenous
individuals (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2014). This is a consequence of a
number of complicated causes, including the adverse consequences of colonization,
dispossession and racism, transgenerational, and socioeconomic causes of reduced levels of
education and jobs and greater levels of imprisonment (Australian Institute of Health and
Welfare, 2014).
Access to mainstream facilities is challenging for Aboriginal people. These include
uncomfortable hospital conditions, absence of transportation, absence of confidence in
mainstream healthcare, the feeling of alienation and inflexible therapy choices. As a result,
there has been a general reluctance to participate (Durey et al., 2016). Research has also
shown that the issue is exacerbated by bad contact between health care suppliers and the
shortage of Aboriginal health services employees (Durey et al., 2016). In order to solve this
situation, health facilities must engage in respectful relationships with local Aboriginal
groups and boost the ability of services to meet the needs of Aboriginal people (Durey et al.,
2016).
To enhance health and life expectancy for Aboriginal peoples, the Council of Australian
Governments (COAG) decided, in 2008, on “Closing the Gap (CtG)” in Indigenous Health
Outcome by funding through National Partnership Agreements (NPA)

(Federalfinancialrelations.gov.au, 2009). Partnerships between public and service suppliers
and the local Aboriginal groups were a key feature of the NPA. The anticipated results were
to improve cooperation among healthcare suppliers and improve the access of Aboriginal
people to health services. Effective involvement with the Aboriginal community is essential
to achieving this (Durey et al. 2016).
Engagement from the Community was defined in different ways. It can imply consultation,
communication, training, involvement, partnership, cooperation and empowerment
depending on the environment (Durey et al., 2016). The Aboriginal Community needs
partnership building and capacity building to be involved in decision-making (Durey et al.,
2016). The obstacle to the participation of Aboriginals in a health promotion program and the
role of enabler were explained in a Queensland research.
The key variables involved acknowledging the significance of indigenous and cultural
understanding, getting acquainted with local indigenous communities and creating a network
of local leaderships (Durey et al., 2016). Not only did these variables help to create
confidence, but they were essential before any action was taken. The achievement of
community involvement also depends on seeing advantages that overrule the cost of
involvement for the Aboriginal community members (Durey et al., 2016). Barriers to
previous interactions with healthcare workers included the adverse effect of a limited notion
of health and a failure to understand cultural differences (Durey et al., 2016).
The metropolitan health services in Western Australia's Department of Health recognized an
effective commitment with the local Aboriginal groups to improve Aboriginal health and
increase access to healthcare. In recent years, the Aboriginal Health Team at the South
Metropolitan Health Service Population Health Unit (PHU) in Perth (SMHS) has created and
developed powerful ties with local Aboriginal groups. The process was strengthened with
financing for Aboriginal health from the aforesaid Council of Australian Governments
(COAG) (Nacchocommunique.com, 2015). This financing has been used to support a number
of “local Aboriginal health” projects, including the jobs of “Aboriginal health liaison
officers” in local hospitals, a Community-based “Aboriginal diabetes education” and
“Aboriginal maternity program” (Durey et al., 2016).
2.2 Appreciating the historic causes of ongoing health inequalities between the health of
Aboriginal peoples and the Torres Strait Islands is critical if we are to be aware of and plan
ahead with Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islanders. In comparison with the remainder
of the population from Australia, Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders are poor.
There is no equal opportunity for indigenous peoples to become just as safe as indigenous
Australians (Markwick et al., 2014). Compared to other non-Indigenous individuals,
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders are at higher danger of exposure to behavioural and
environmental health risks because of their comparative socioeconomic disadvantage.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders experience health inequalities due to systemic
discrimination. The Aboriginal population has not historically had the same chance as non-
Indigenous individuals of Torres and Strait Islander (Markwick et al., 2014).
This is due to the inaccessibility of mainstream facilities and less accessibility to medical
facilities in certain Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander groups, including primary health
care and insufficient provision of health infrastructure. According to the “Aboriginal Medical
Services” guidelines, the Aboriginal liaison officer (ALO) has notified the community nurse