Gap in Health Status: Addressing Social Determinants of Health for Aboriginal Patients

Running head: GAP IN HEALTH STATUS
GAP IN HEALTH STATUS
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
Author note:

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GAP IN HEALTH STATUS
Introduction:
One of the longstanding challenges that have been identified in the healthcare system of the
nation is gap in the improvement in the health status of the native and non-native people. Researchers
who have conducted statistical studies have indeed stated that gap in the health status between the two
groups of people have always been unacceptably wide (Thomas et al., 2017). United Nations have
therefore intervened in the situation and has identified this issue as one of the human rights concern. The
government of the nation has also acknowledged this. They are also trying their best to overcome the
issue by taking different strategies. There is an estimated gap of about 17 years between the life
expectations between the natives and non-natives (Nicholson et al., 2015). Moreover, the age specific
death rates are also seen to be twice in the natives in comparison to the non-natives. The relative socio-
economic disadvantage that the native face in comparison to that of the non0natives are the main reason
resulting them to have poor quality health. The assignment will mainly reflect on an incident that I have
experienced with the help of Gibbs cycle. It will also show how this situation had helped me to gather
knowledge about the issue effectively.
Gibb reflection cycle:
Description:
When I was on clinical placement in the healthcare organization, I had to attend an aboriginal
patient who was suffering from chest pain. After thorough analysis, I came to know that he smokes
tobacco throughout the day and is highly addicted to this habit. Therefore, I provided him different
therapies like nicotine replacement therapies, referred him to counseling sessions to a substance abuse
counselor so that he can overcome his feelings of smoking, and adhere to the plans prescribed for him.
However, when I discussed the case with my mentor, he criticized my ability; he told me that I had not
provided significance to the social determinants of health that mainly shape the health of the individuals. I

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GAP IN HEALTH STATUS
was very upset that I could not provide the best care to the patient and could not advice the best care
recommendations that would help him to lead better quality lives.
Feelings:
I became quite upset when I came to know that the diagnosis of the patient was not done in the
proper way. I was feeling bad that the interventions that I developed might be costlier for him as he is not
from a non-native background. I was feeling bad that I failed to provide him high quality service that
every patients expect from healthcare professionals. My mentor had criticized me about my approach
stating that I have not developed proper knowledge of treating the aboriginals. I was deeply hurt but it
also motivated me to work much harder and be an expert professional.
Evaluation:
The bad part of the entire event was that I, as a health care professional, failed completely in
providing best care to the native patient. Researchers are of the opinion that every healthcare professional
should first determine the social determinants that are resulting patients from developing habit
(McMurray & Clendon, 2015). Moreover, professionals should only plan interventions that are possible
for patients to achieve (Nicholson et al., 2015). The intervention I prepared may not be possible for the
native patient to achieve, as he might not have the social and economic advantage to fetch the resources.
However, the good part of the incident was that it helped me to understand the importance of considering
the gap in health status of the individuals. It helped me to understand the fact that how social determinants
of health had resulted him in developing this habit of smoking. If I had cared for his social determinants
of health and helped him in maintaining his social determinants of health in addition to the nicotine
replacement therapies, the interventions would have been effective (Registered nurse standards for
practice, 2016). This showed me that I needed to develop knowledge on the social determinants of health
of the aboriginals and understand the gap in health status. Then only I would be able to develop high
quality care plans for them.