Social Determinants: Colonisation

Running head: SOCIAL DETERMINANTS: COLONISATION
SOCIAL DETERMINANTS: COLONISATION
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author note:

1SOCIAL DETERMINANTS: COLONISATION
Introduction
The following paper will demonstrate an example which will highlight the existence of
health disparities among a community or population group after colonization. Colonisation refers
to the practice with which a absolute or partial control is established over a nation followed by its
occupancy with settlers and its resultant economic exploitation (Paradies, 2016). Indigenous
populations residing in Australia, is a key example reflecting the effects of colonization which
will be addressed in the following sections.
Discussion
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations of Australia are considered as the first
people of the nation, who possess a rich cultural history and engage in a variety of religious,
healthcare and spiritual practices. Further such populations were heavily dependent on the
natural resources of the nation for their lifestyle, food and housing needs (Azzopardi et al.,
2018). Upon colonization, not only were such populations deprived of these essential resources
but were also forced to alter their intrinsic ethnic practices and follow those exerted by
mainstream colonial populations (Walter, 2016). Further present day non-Indigenous populations
are unaware of the unique cultural and linguistic practices followed by these communities further
resulting in increased health inaccessibility, health inequality and high levels of morbidity,
mortality and disease occurrences among Indigenous communities. Further, such communities,
due to their strong ties to their native lands, reside in remote locations which have negligible
accessibility or available healthcare services (Priest et al., 2016). The role of the existing