Deconstruction Essay on Indigenous Health

Running head: DECONSTRUCTION ESSAY ON INDIGENOUS HEALTH
DECONSTRUCTION ESSAY ON INDIGENOUS HEALTH
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Name of the university:
Author note

DECONSTRUCTION ESSAY ON INDIGENOUS HEALTH
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Question: Why don’t Aboriginal people take an interest in their own health?
Words/terminology:
The terminology in the question is Aboriginal people do not take an interest in health.
The question is referring to the reluctance of the aboriginal individuals for taking care of their
health. These terminologies are coming from a wider situation where significant literature
highlighted the poor health status of the aboriginal individuals compared to the population live in
the metropolitan counterpart of Australia. Here “Aboriginal people” is referred to the individuals
belong to the Torres Strait island with different cultural background, values, and belief. Hence,
the “Aboriginal people” is signified here (McQuillan, 2017). On the other hand, “do not take an
interest in health” referred to the reluctance of these population. Therefore, “do not take an
interest in health” is signifier here as it reflects the attributes of the aboriginal individuals
(McQuillan, 2017). These are the unconscious worldview, non-indigenous individuals reflected
through this question by specifying the differences in the cultural, values, history and social
construction. While this question was raised by non-individuals Australian regarding the health
status of Aboriginal Australians, this question reflects assumptions, stereotypes and hidden
message.
Assumptions:

DECONSTRUCTION ESSAY ON INDIGENOUS HEALTH
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In this current context, assumptions are made by the Non -indigenous Australians
regarding the health status of aboriginal individuals. As discussed above, the common
assumption, in this case, is the reluctance of the Aboriginal individuals for maintaining better
health and wellbeing rather than the inability of maintaining better health and wellbeing. Nelson
(2018), highlighted that a few decades ago, due to cultural barriers and language barriers, non-
indigenous individuals failed to gather an in-depth understanding of the health conditions of the
aboriginals and underlying reason behind poor health status and associated high mortality rate
which further resulted in the assumption. Hence, the source of the knowledge is the power non-
indigenous population holds against the non-indigenous population, mainstream media. Due to
discrimination, white privilege and political as well as social oppression, the actual knowledge is
being ignored over the decade (Stocker, Collard & Rooney, 2016).
Now considering the assumption, while these assumptions reflect the privilege of the
non-indigenous individuals for the ability to maintain better health and wellbeing, root of this
assumption is also indigenous history and documented literature. Markwick et al. (2019),
reported a noteworthy gap in between Indigenous as well as non-Indigenous individuals in
Australia. They have poorer health, greater mortality, lower literacy, and higher overcrowding.
Australian Institute of health and welfare reported that compared to compared with non-
Indigenous Australians, Aboriginals are 2.7 times as likely to experience high psychological
distress such as anxiety and depression and 1.7 times more likely to have a disabling health
condition (Www.aihw.gov.au, 2019). Australian Institute of health and welfare also highlighted
that indigenous Australians are approximately 5 times more likely to suffer from chronic
diseases such as ischemic heart disease (22%), diabetes mellitus ( 12%), cardiovascular disease