2 INDIGENOUS HEALTH Introduction: The health inequalities between Aboriginal and non-Indigenous populations have become a long-standing challenge to mitigate by the government of Australia.Considering the life expectancy of the Australian inhabitants, the indigenous populations have a shorter life expectancy and approximately 70% of the gap in terms of health between these two populations can be enlightened by non-communicable life threatening diseases (Waterworth et al.2016). Social determinants have emerged as the underlying reason behind developing 34% of the health gap between these two populations (Fisheret al. 2019). This paper aims to identify factors that have influenced these disparities amongst the aboriginal population of the Torres Strait Island in the following paragraphs. Discussion: The rationale behind globally experienced health disparities: TheAboriginalpopulationofTorresStraitIslandarethepopulationwiththe socioeconomicdisadvantagethatsubjectedthemtothehighprevalenceofhealth disadvantages compared to non-indigenous Australians. These disadvantages can comprise higher prevalence of disease along with shorter life expectancy. While factors that affect Indigenous health disparities are inadequately understood, social determinants of health are considered as the major reason behind health disparities (Hampton and Toombs 2013). As discussedbyKilcullen,SwinbourneandCadetāJames(2018),indigenousAustralian population of Torres Strait Island experience lack of education, lack of employment, lack of adequate income, and worse quality housing compared to the counterpart of Australia with non-Indigenous Australians. Considering the recent statistics, Australian institute of health and welfare suggested that unemployment rates of non-indigenous population reveal a high disparity, with approximately 18% unemployment for Indigenous individuals compared with
3 INDIGENOUS HEALTH 5% unemployment rate for the non-Indigenous population (Waterworthet al.2016). These daily stress factors related to economic disparities highly associated with poor health behaviours followed by high health disparities. Due to daily stressors and cultural rituals, the populations usually involve in the health risk behaviours.Fisheret al. (2016), suggested that the stress associated with wellbeing may worsen the practice of health behaviours such as smoking and alcohol abuse. These health risk behaviours further lead to health disparities and high prevalence of non-communicable chronic diseases. The national survey suggested that approximately 43.8% of Indigenous Australians are daily smokers whereas 15.7% of Non- Indigenous population Australians are daily smoker (Fisheret al. 2019). In this light of the association between social determinants of health and wellbeing disparities, it is crucial to identify the factors that influence the disparities. Factors that influence social determinates and health disparities: Historical factors and racism are two major reasons behind the social disadvantage of the population that further influence the health disparities. Due to racism and discrimination, Indigenous individuals of Torres Strait Island were forced to live in missions(Waterworthet al.2016). The indigenouspopulationwere forced to leave theirconnectionwith the motherland and the restriction was imposed on the freedom to hunt, socialisation, practice traditional ceremonies. The stolen generation is one most common instance of racism that subjected the population to unresolved trauma followed by high health risk behaviours. As discussed byBest and Fredericks (2018),Stolen Generationswere the children of Torres Strait Islander ancestry of Australia who were separated from families by the Australian Federal as well as State government agencies and church mission so that children can be easily assimilated. Likewise, Segregation, as well as assimilation policies, brought together and in some cases, Aboriginal people were prohibited from communicating in traditional language, practising their culture, and reading aboriginal history, culture and traditions
4 INDIGENOUS HEALTH (Harrison, Burke and Clarke 2018.). The restrictions associated with settlement led to a loss of rights and irreversibly altered social behaviour of Indigenous Australiansā and subjected the population to high social disadvantages (Biles and Biles2020). Approximately 23% of the population largely experience cardiovascular disease, 12% of the population experience diabetes and 9% of the population experience at least one mental illness (Www.aihw.gov.au. 2020). In this context, resolving unresolved trauma, altering social determinants of health through government initiatives can be effective means for altering the gap between health statuses. Conclusion: On a concluding note, it can be said the aboriginal Australians have a lower life expectancy and high health disparities compared to the population lived in the counterpart of Australia. The social determinants of health are considered as the underlying factors behind high disparities. Indigenous Australian population had experienced lack of education, lack of employment, lack of adequate income, compared to the counterpart of Australia with non- Indigenous Australians. The daily stressor further leads to health behaviours. Altering social determinants of health through government initiatives can be effective means for altering the gap between health statuses.
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5 INDIGENOUS HEALTH References: Best, O., and Fredericks, B. 2018. Yatdjuligin: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nursing and midwifery care (2nd ed.). Cambridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press Biles, B., & Biles, J. (Eds.).(2020) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' health and wellbeing. Docklands, Victoria : Oxford University Press Fisher, M., Battams, S., Mcdermott, D., Baum, F. and Macdougall, C., 2019. How the social determinants of Indigenous health became policy reality for Australia's National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan.Journal of Social Policy,48(1), pp.169-189. Fisher, M., Baum, F. E., MacDougall, C., Newman, L., and McDermott, D. 2016. To what extent do Australian health policy documents address social determinants of health and health equity?.Journal of Social Policy,45(3), 545-564. Hampton, R., and Toombs, M. (Eds.). 2013. Indigenous Australians and health: The wombat in the room. South Melbourne, Victoria: Oxford University Press. E-book: https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/acu/detail.action?docID=1986010) Harrison, N., Burke,J. andClarke, I., 2018. Stolengenerations:teachingabout the experiences of trauma.Knowledge Cultures,6(2), pp.51-63. Kilcullen, M., Swinbourne, A. and CadetāJames, Y., 2018. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanderhealthandwellbeing:Socialemotionalwellbeingandstrengthsābased psychology.Clinical Psychologist,22(1), pp.16-26. Waterworth, P., Pescud, M., Braham, R., Dimmock, J. and Rosenberg, M., 2015. Factors influencing the health behaviour of indigenous Australians: Perspectives from support people.PloS one,10(11), p.e0142323.
6 INDIGENOUS HEALTH Www.aihw.gov.au. (2020). Australia's health 2018: in brief, All is not equal - Australian InstituteofHealthandWelfare.Retrieved12March2020,from https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/australias-health/australias-health-2018-in-brief/contents/ all-is-not-equal