Koolin Balit Health Plan: Aboriginal Health in Victoria Report

This report provides an overview of the Koolin Balit health plan, a comprehensive strategy implemented in Victoria to address health disparities within the Aboriginal community. The report examines the plan's objectives, priorities, and risk factors, focusing on the determinants of health, including social, biological, and environmental factors. It analyzes the impact of these determinants on the health outcomes of Aboriginal people, with a particular emphasis on issues such as infant mortality, alcohol consumption, smoking rates, and access to healthcare. The report evaluates the plan's strategies for improving health awareness, promoting healthy lifestyles, and reducing health inequalities. It also discusses the importance of addressing social and environmental factors to achieve better health outcomes. Finally, the report concludes with recommendations for enhancing the effectiveness of the Koolin Balit plan in improving the overall health and well-being of Aboriginal communities in Victoria. The report also highlights the significance of early interventions, community engagement, and culturally sensitive healthcare practices.

Understanding Health

TABLE OF CONTENTS
A) INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................................1
B Overview of Koolin Balit plan and determinants of health and influences to population..1
C Describing the priority are and the two risk groups............................................................2
(D) Evaluate the three relevant determinants of health..........................................................3
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6

A) INTRODUCTION
To have the adequate healthy environment there is need to adopt several changes in the
life style as well as make individual aware with health issues. In the present report there will be
discussion based on Koolin Balit health plan which in turn focusing to solve main health related
issues which are segmented as per age group of such individuals. Thus, this foundation functions
over improving the health and awareness in aboriginal residential area. The motive is to fill the
gap between life expectancy for Aboriginal community in Victoria as well as reduce difference
in health outcomes between other citizens and such tribal groups which are mainly relevant with
the issues like Infant Mortality rates, Birthweight and morbidity (Jatkar, Anjou and Taylor, 2017.
pp.96-97). However, in terms with childhood plans of this organisation which are mainly
focusing over educational standard at such areas as well as increasing the nutritional diet of such
people.
B Overview of Koolin Balit plan and determinants of health and influences to population
In terms of improving the aboriginal health in Victoria Koolin Balit is the comprehensive
strategies which in turn facilitated various strategic plans for each age group as well as take
essential steps to over come such health gap. Hence, the motive is to enhance the aboriginal
people's health as well as improves the educational level of them (Koolin Balit: Aboriginal
health strategy, 2017). However, the plan was created by Victorian government which in turn
helps in improving the health and well-being of aboriginal people.
Objectives:
 Life expectancy gap between aboriginal and other citizens in Australia must be closed.
 In terms of infant mortality rate, birthweight and morbidity which be balance and there is
no such difference between other population ad this groups. Enhancement of services and outcome access for aboriginal people.
Priorities:
 For the infant health and care there is main priority for a healthy state to life
 For children's below age of 14 must be prioritised under healthy childhood segmentation
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 In terms of improving better life style and bringing motives to adults in the society
regarding health and educational career which comes under a healthy transition to
adulthood segmentation. In order to care for the elders and the people belongs to old age group were facilitated
with the adequate health and well-being facilities.
Risk factors:
 The main risk are the increment in the numbers of smokers and obese adults in the
aboriginal group which are need to be reduced as well as educated with the health
benefits.
 Reduction in the alcohol consumption by aboriginal people which in turn affect in
increment of emergency departments (Genat and et.al., 2017. pp.236-242).
 Increase awareness in population in terms with their risky drinking level such high risk
which are need to be controlled and examined by the populations. Increment in the viral and oral diseases such as Tooth decay and Gum diseases in adults
or young generations.
Determinant of Health:
 Increment in the health awareness in aboriginal group such as Mental health and access to
the range of health as well as facilitating the support services.
 Facilitating the medical centres such as hospitals, clinics and nursing home which in turn
facilitate the adequate health benefits to them.
 Improvements in the health coordination as well as educating aboriginal people to
overcome any serious disease.
C Describing the priority are and the two risk groups
In consideration with making the improvements and awareness in the life style as well as
health issues in the locality of aboriginal population there is need to overcome the main priority
is that:
Healthy transition to adulthood:
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In consideration with McLachlan, Shafiei and Forster, (2017) this segmentation of the
people there is need to plan action against lowering down the alcohol consumptions as we;ll as
smokers in aboriginal populations. There is need to organise workshop and educational tour
which in turn describe the risky factors to such community as well as increment in their social
well-being. However, apart from health issues Koolin Balit plan will be effective is they make
such changes in the continuation as well as promoting the healthy environment to such
populations. Thus, such operations will be done by providing them the adequate informations as
well as giving them the adequate treatment to over come such bad habits. However, there has
been two risk factors which are need to be considered by the Victorian government in
consideration with making the adequate improvements such as:
 Increase in the consumption of Alcohol and the numbers of smokers in such locality.
 Lower life expectancy rate as people are unaware with health benefits as well as poor
career awareness.
(D) Evaluate the three relevant determinants of health
The three determinants of health are as follows:
1. Social factor-
The social factor in determining health of aboriginal people is main concern of
healthcare. The main social factor that breast feeding rates should be increased so that aboriginal
babies may get healthy nutrition. It is quite important for mothers to deed their child as it
contains health benefits to new born baby. It is very much beneficial for babies to gain healthy
nutrition. Another social factor is that smoking habits by mothers during pregnancy. During
pregnancy, if mother smokes then it is very dangerous for the child in mother's tomb. It will
cause complexions during child birth (Baggott, 2015). Also, it will cause weakness and diseases
to child which can be dangerous to health of new born child.
As such, smoking rates during pregnancy by mothers should be decreased so that
aboriginal children are born healthy and fit. Smoking is very bad habit as it destroys baby's
health too full extent. These factors should be resolved so that aboriginal people may gain health
benefit and remain fit. They should be able to understand the essence of healthy life.
2. Biological factor-
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The biological factor in health of aboriginal people can be highlighted such as stress has
now been linked to cardiovascular disease. This has caused aboriginal people as they are more
prone to mental problems. The healthcare should be able to provide support to them so that they
can be released free from repercussions of mental problems on health. Aboriginal people be able
to understand the benefit of health and should reach in to healthcare for their treatment in the
best possible way which will provide them healthy life (Mattocks and et.al, 2014. pp .50-57 ).
The rate of aboriginal people leaving the hospital without complying with the doctor's
advice should be also be lower down. It should be understood by the people that health is very
vital and they should approach to doctor so that they can get healthy as soon as possible. For this,
aboriginal people should reach out to doctor and abide by their advice and do not leave without
their appropriate guidance. The aboriginal peoples should understand that health is important and
they should get the advice from doctors so that they may get healthy and remain fit. Another
factor is that chronic conditions of people may be reduced so that they may be able to get the
treatment on time and they can get healthy and remain fit throughout their life. The
hospitalisation rates related to chronic rates must be reduced too much extent (Maller, 2015.
pp .52-66).
3. Environmental factor-
The environmental factor can be such as septic systems. Waste water treatment are used
by almost population of aboriginal people. As a result, they get unhealthy by using waste water
and this affects their health in negative way. Sewage system that are not operating correctly
creates health risk. Therefore, proper sewage system must be constructed so that health risk can
bed minimised in aboriginal people.
Another environmental factor is radon. Radon is colourless and odourless gas that poses
health risk to humans as it can be found inside homes and other buildings. Radon is main reason
that causes lung cancer among people. As such, homes can be tested and strict measures can be
taken to reduce amount of radon. Next factor is indoor air. Clean indoor air is vital to health.
Indoor air pollutants can cause asthma and allergic reactions among the people. Also, it causes
various types of cancer. As such, measures should be taken by aboriginal people to remain
healthy and fit. Another factor is purity of drinking water needs to be of top quality (Rao and
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Clarke, 2017. pp. 1641-1648). It is important because main health related problems are caused by
drinking water which is unfit for people.
CONCLUSION
Hereby it can be concluded that health of people is very much important. The diseases
can be minimise by proper guidance from the doctors and treatment can be done in effective
manner. The health of people belongs to them only and they need to understand the benefit of it.
Mothers should not smoke during pregnancy as it harms the infant in tomb. Also, breast feeding
should be encouraged so that babies get full nutrition. The environmental and biological factors
should also be kept in mind as health risk can be minimised by overcoming these factors. It will
lead to healthy life of aboriginal people.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Baggott, R., 2015. Understanding health policy. Policy press.
Genat, B., Browne, J., Thorpe, S. and MacDonald, C., 2017. Sectoral system capacity
development in health promotion: evaluation of an Aboriginal nutrition program. Health
Promotion Journal of Australia. 27(3). pp.236-242.
Jatkar, U., Anjou, M. D. and Taylor, H. R., 2017. Grampians—Closing the Gap in Indigenous
eye health. Med J Aust. 206(2). pp.96-97.
Maller, C. J., 2015. Understanding health through social practices: performance and materiality
in everyday life.Sociology of health & illness. 37(1). pp .52-66.
Mattocks, K. M. and et.al, 2014. Understanding health-care needs of sexual and gender minority
veterans: how targeted research and policy can improve health. LGBT health. 1(1).
pp .50-57.
McLachlan, H. L., Shafiei, T. and Forster, D. A., 2017. Breastfeeding initiation for Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander women in Victoria: analysis of routinely collected population-
based data. Women and Birth.
Rao, A. R. and Clarke, D., 2017. An open-source framework for the interactive exploration of
Big Data: Applications in understanding health care. In Neural Networks (IJCNN),
2017 International Joint Conference on (pp. 1641-1648). IEEE.
Online
Koolin Balit: Aboriginal health strategy. 2017. [Online]. Available through
:<https://www2.health.vic.gov.au/about/health-strategies/aboriginal-health/koolin-balit>.
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