Depth Analysis Of Closing The Gap

Running head: INDIGENOUS HEALTH AND WELLBEING
Introduction:
The health imbalances between Indigenous Australian population and non-Indigenous
Australians are well documented in the literature. There is a mountain of evidence present in the
literature which reported that Indigenous Australians are subjected to greater amount morbidity,
mortality and disability compared to the non-indigenous Australian due to disparities in access to
the health care, discrimination, and poverty (Www.humanrights.gov.au 2019). Hence, to reduce
the high discrepancy in opportunities between these two populations, closing the gap policy has
been designed. Close the Gap is considered as a social justice campaign which desires to achieve
health equality between indigenous and the non-indigenous Australian population. Hence, the
paper intended to provide an in-depth analysis of Closing the Gap" policy with the assistance of
a case study where 57 years old lady has type 2 Diabetes and discharged home with a leg ulcer
and prescribed for daily dressings. She was a part-time primary school teacher but due to her
mobility issues has now retired. This paper will discuss the importance of closing the gap
strategy, long term effect of diabetes, impact, and benefit of CGT on the social determinants, the
role of AMS and ALO in following paraphrases.
Discussion:
Closing the gap and significance:
Closing the Gap is a government policy which intended to lower the gap between
Indigenous Australian and the non – indigenous Australian in terms of life expectancy, access to
health care, educational opportunities and the employment opportunities (Fisher et al. 2016). It is

INDIGENOUS HEALTH AND WELLBEING1
a form of formal commitments that were made by state and territory governments of Australia to
address all issues of Torres Strait islander within 25 years (Healthinfonet.ecu.edu.au 2019).
Closing the gap was design in after evaluation of the social justice report 2005 as well as
the close the gap justice campaign where mental and physical health challenges were
documented (Www.humanrights.gov.au 2019). The morbidity rate was 15% high than non-
indigenous population (Healthinfonet.ecu.edu.au 2019). 64% of the total burden of disease in this
community due to chronic disease. Indigenous adults are 1.6 times as likely to be overweight
compared to non-Indigenous Australians (Www.naccho.org.au 2019). Hence, in March 2008,
the Australian government and indigenous population people agreed to work together for
achieving health equality by the year 2030 (Cashman et al. 2016). The major significance of
closing the gap strategy is that this policy aimed to reduce life expectancy by the year 2031, child
mortality by 2018, education by 2018, access to the health care by 2020 and gap in employment
in 2018 (Healthinfonet.ecu.edu.au 2019). Consequently, the population would be able to seek
health care services, they will have improved life expectancy and reduced rate of chronic
diseases. The barriers of the closing gap include a shortage of health care staffs working in the
rural area and lack of indigenous staffs to work in the area.
Three social determinants of health impact on the diabetic population:
The case study highlighted that the patient had diabetes type 2 and have experienced leg
ulcer which requires dressing. She is a widow, currently living by herself in her own home. Judy
has always worked part-time as a primary school teacher but due to her mobility issues has now
retired. Here unemployment and associated poverty are two social determinants of health which
may have long term impact on the patient (Doyle 2015). Moreover, she have no personal
transport such as car and relies on public transport. She lives 10km from the closest health care

INDIGENOUS HEALTH AND WELLBEING2
facility. In this case, the third-social determinants of health are lack of access to health care.
The closing gap the strategies can address these three social determinants of health by 2030
(Fisher et al. 2016). The closing the gap provide an opportunity to
intensive employment services to Indigenous job seekers. In this case, after registration, she may
have an opportunity to work as a part-time teacher. Moreover, to address the poverty, the policy
provided financial facilities to the aboriginal individuals who live alone and in this case,
the patient may receive financial support from the government (Finizio 2018). To address the
access to health care, closing the gap provides access through increase inequitable distribution of
Community control of primary health care services such as proper housing, water, and sanitation.
The policy also offers transportation.
Discuss the potential benefits and impact of being registered:
Aboriginal and Torres trait islanders who are living with chronic disease have right to
use the low cost or free pharmaceutical benefits scheme (PBS) medicines through closing the gap
(Ferguson et al. 2018). In this context, registration in the closing the gap policy will address all
of the issues experienced by the patient.
Considering the strategy for unemployment, employment opportunity such as work as a
teacher in the nearby community will address the issues associated with poverty and improve her
wellbeing. Fisher et al. (2016), highlighted the impact of employment is that she would be able
to feel empowered and independent where she had to depend on her son before. She would be
able to seek desired medical services at a low cost through proper transportation and even able to
buy her transport (Smith et al. 2016). Considering the strategy for poverty, she would be able to