Personal Reflection: Health Inequalities & Indigenous Australians

This reflective journal explores the author's evolving understanding of health inequalities experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in Australia. Initially surprised by the extent of these disparities in a developed nation, the author reflects on the historical context, including colonization and systemic discrimination, which contribute to limited access to quality healthcare and increased incidences of non-communicable diseases. The journal examines the influence of social determinants, cultural perspectives on health, and personal biases, leading to a commitment to advocate for equitable healthcare access and challenge personal preconceptions. The reflection concludes with an action plan focused on acquiring more information and promoting culturally sensitive approaches to healthcare for Indigenous Australians. Desklib provides a platform for students to access similar papers and solved assignments.

Running head: Health Inequalities 1
Health Inequalities
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Health Inequalities 2
The health inequalities between the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community and
other communities challenged my thinking in the first module. In the introductory part of this
course, the World Health Organization statistics indicated that the indigeneious community is
the largest group in the world with the highest health inequalities. For instance, the health
inequalities range from life expectancy (Bates, Hankivsky, & Springer, 2009). I least
expected such health inequalities to exist in the 21st century and in a developed country like
Australia.
Description
The Aboriginal people have the largest health inequalities in the World (Bates et al., 2009).
Their life expectancy was approximated to be 10.6 years for males in 2010-2012, and 9.5
years for the females. This was far much lower than their counterparts. Furthermore, the issue
of health inequalities among the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population is a
historical issues that has been in existence for a long and time and can be traced back to the
colonisation of Australia (Markwick, Ansari, Sullivan, Parsons, & McNeil, 2014), and
continued systemic discrimination (Shepherd, Li, & Zubrick, 2012). Health inequalities have
really impacted me and even influenced my thinking. I never thought or imagined that a
developed country like Australia can have some of its population suffer from health
inequalities due to systemic discrimination. I am convinced that I will have to help merge the
gap in the health inequalities at my capacity, even if it means championing for their rights or
providing healthcare services without discrimination whatsoever. The issue of health
inequalities has also impacted the community in that they have limited access to quality
healthcare services and increased incidences of non-communicable diseases.
Feelings

Health Inequalities 3
Before being exposed to the problem of health inequalities among the Australian indigenous
people, I used to think that such an issue predominantly exists in the developing countries
like those in Africa but not in a developed country like Australia and in case such an issue
existed in Australia, then it would not be statistically significant. But after being exposed to
the issue in the first module, I felt that the Australian government has not really done enough
to merge the systemic health inequality gap.
Critical Evaluation
The bad thing with the issue of health inequalities was that it has been around since the
colonisation of Australia. I think that the Australian government should by now at least
solved the issue instead of it increasing to high levels because it has an advanced healthcare
system of a developed country. However, my response to the issue of health inequalities
Australian Indigenous peoples was as a result of limited understanding. This is because I
have come to learn that the issue has been influenced or promoted by the existing social
determinants such as economic status, perceptions of control and chronic stress among others
(Marmot, 2011).
Analysis and Conclusion
My attitude and beliefs regarding the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have been
influenced by their historical and cultural factors. I have learnt that the annihilation of the
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples started with the colonisation of Australia during
which the community was evicted out of their lands and later on segregated into reserves.
Moreover, the extensive destruction of the community and their families was influenced by
the government assimilation policies (Parker & Milroy, 2014). Additionally, the community
believes that diseases are as a result of social and spiritual dysfunction, with the most serious
illness being attributed to supernatural intervention (Senior & Chenhall, 2013). This cultural

Health Inequalities 4
perspective of health significantly differs from the Western medical system upon which the
Australian healthcare system is based upon, thus leading to the existing health inequalities.
Therefore, I now understand that the significant health inequalities among the Australian
Indigenous peoples have greatly been influenced by their history and cultural perspectives of
health.
Action Plan
I have learnt that I make conclusions on critical issues without proper and reliable
information or evidence. I have also learnt that the Aboriginal people have very unique issues
regarding health inequalities which should be approached differently depending on their
perspectives. The current Australian society is majorly made up of the indigenous and non-
indigenous communities with different perspectives on health and an increasing gap in health
inequalities. I can make a positive change because I have realised that without proper
information I can easily criticize the Australian Indigenous people. I also need to learn more
about the education status and lifestyle of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
and its relation with health inequalities.

Health Inequalities 5
References
Bates, L. M., Hankivsky, O., & Springer, K. W. (2009). Gender and health inequities: a
comment on the final report of the WHO commission on the social determinants of
health. Social science & medicine, 69(7), 1002-1004.
Markwick, A., Ansari, Z., Sullivan, M., Parsons, L., & McNeil, J. (2014). Inequalities in the
social determinants of health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People: a cross-
sectional population-based study in the Australian state of Victoria. International
journal for equity in health, 13(1), 91-100.
Marmot, M. (2011). Social determinants and the health of Indigenous Australians. Med J
Aust, 194(10), 512-513.
Parker, R., & Milroy, H. (2014). Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health: An
Overview. Working together: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health
and wellbeing principles and practice. 2nd ed. Canberra: Department of The Prime
Minister and Cabinet (2nd ed.). Barton; Australia, Australian Government Publishing
Service
Senior, K., & Chenhall, R. (2013). Health beliefs and behavior: the practicalities of “looking
after yourself” in an Australian aboriginal community. Medical anthropology
quarterly, 27(2), 155-174.
Shepherd, C. C., Li, J., & Zubrick, S. R. (2012). Social gradients in the health of Indigenous
Australians. American journal of public health, 102(1), 107-117.