Disability Assignment 2022

Running head: DISABILITY
Disability
Name of the student:
Name of the University:
Author’s note

1DISABILITY
People living in rural and remote areas of Australia suffer greater health disparity because
of poor health and welfare outcomes compared to other population group. They have high rate of
chronic disease and poor access to health care services. One of the chronic issue facing
Australians living in remote region is the high rate of suicide in this population group. According
to Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2017) report, the rate of suicide is 1.7 times higher
for people living in remote and very remote areas compared to those living in major cities. This
essays aims to identify the factor behind such difference in suicide rates in rural and remote
Australians and identify the impact of certain determinants of health factor on lives of people
living in remote communities The essay critically analyses health data to evaluate incidence
levels of suicide and discusses the role of one Australian health organization in taking steps to
address this disparity in the Australian population.
The burden of death due to suicide is a major public health burden for Australian rural
communities. The mortality rate in Australia has increased with remoteness. For example, the
mortality rate due remoteness was 1.3 times higher for people living in remote areas compared to
those living in major cities. The aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander group are the groups who
are most likely to live outside metropolitan areas and so difference in mortality in mortality rate
for this group has been found compared to non-indigenous Australians (Australian Institute of
Health and Welfare, 2017). In the year 2017, 165 deaths due to suicide was recorded for
indigenous Australian. In addition, the comparison of statistics related to suicide in indigenous
and non-indigenous population group revealed that intentional self-harm related death was
higher for indigenous Australians (5%) compared to non-indigenous Australians (2%)
(Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2018). The above statistics shows how rural and remote

2DISABILITY
communities of Australia are more exposed to risk of suicide and self intentional harm related
death compared to non-indigenous population group living in urban areas.
There are many structural and socioeconomic factors that is regarded as some of the
cause behind high suicide rates in Australian communities living in rural and remote areas.
Several structural factors like unemployment, poor access to mental health services and exposure
to traumatic or stressful life have been found to be the contributing factors behind poor mental
health and suicide risk in this group. For example, Australian people living in rural areas often
experience unique conditions that expose them to risk of mental health problems and suicide.
The problem is also compounded due to poor access to mental health service as many emergency
mental health problems remain unaddressed in the group further increasing the risk of suicide
(Thomas, Wakerman & Humphreys, 2015). McNamara et al. (2018) argues that indigenous
group mostly live in rural areas and they suffer from socioeconomic disadvantage due to
unemployment. It exposes them to multiple psychological stressors and poor access to culturally
appropriate care, poor overall health and suicides. Kim and Cho (2017) supports that
unemployed males higher risk of suicide compared to females as unemployment has tremendous
implications on anxiety, social exclusion, self-efficacy and well-being. Hence, it can be said that
multiple complex and interrelated factor heighten the risk of suicidal behaviour and self-harm in
communities living in urban and rural areas.
Rural and remote communities have poor access to health and social services and they
are more likely to be exposed to situations that place them at greater risk of suicide. As explained
by Helbich et al. (2017), one of the explanation for high risk of suicidal behaviour in rural and
remote areas include remoteness, less intimate contact with family and friends, social isolation
and increased risk of suicidal behaviour. The factors relating to high psychological distress is