Cardiovascular Diseases: Health Promotion for Aboriginal Australians

This report analyzes the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) among Aboriginal Australians, highlighting the disproportionate impact compared to non-Indigenous populations. It examines relevant health promotion initiatives and programs designed to address risk factors such as poor nutrition, smoking, and socioeconomic disparities. The report discusses the application of the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion and the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) standards in delivering effective care, emphasizing the roles of nurses in mediating, enabling, and advocating for improved health outcomes within a culturally sensitive framework. It also explores the importance of multidisciplinary teams, culturally competent communication, and the need for primary healthcare interventions to prevent and manage CVDs in Aboriginal communities. The report concludes by emphasizing the importance of knowledge for future practice in improving Aboriginal health.

Running Head: Health Promotion
Cardiovascular diseases in Aboriginal People of Australia
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Authors Note

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Cardiovascular diseases in Aboriginal People of Australia
Cardiovascular diseases are prevalent among the different aboriginal community of
Australia and Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet reviewed the condition of the
cardiovascular health of indigenous people (healthinfonet.ecu.edu.au. ,2020). The pamphlet
has been selected from the review report –“Review of cardiovascular health among
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people”.
Target Population and the prevalence of health condition
According to Census 2016, 786689 people are considered as Aboriginal or Torres
Strait Islander (www.parliament.nsw.gov.au.2020). Million people in Australia are reported
as affected by cardiovascular disease .Among the Aboriginal people, 12% of the population is
affected by CVD (cardiovascular diseases). In comparison with the non-indigenous
Australians, the aboriginal people are 20% more affected by the CVD. 12 % of total death in
Aboriginal population has been recorded by the occurrence of cardiovascular diseases.
Ischemic heart attacks are two times higher in the aboriginal male and three times higher in
aboriginal; female compared to the non-indigenous people.
Initiatives and programs
Initiatives and programs related to CV diseases are important to improve the tertiary
and primary healthcare setting in remote or rural areas. The pamphlet is focused on
improving nutritional habits and socioeconomic condition of aboriginal people by
overcoming cultural and social barriers to enhance the competency among the population .
Pamphlet promotes to increase awareness of local authorities and people about the national
international health policies for avoiding the risk of CV diseases. The pamphlet is focused to
reduce the prevalence of risk factors among the population (Mbuzi, Fulbrook & Jessup,
2018). The initiatives are focused to manage risk factors for cardiovascular diseases such as
alcohol consumption, pbesity , poor health and obesity, smoking , poor nutrition and social

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Cardiovascular diseases in Aboriginal People of Australia
and emotional well-being of aboriginals. Implementation for the Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander Health Plan 2013-2023 has been suggested for improving the health state of
aboriginal people .The pamphlet has suggested to improve chronic conditions of the CV
diseases by National Chronic Disease Strategy and the National Service Improvement
Frameworks ,Rheumatic Fever Strategy and Cardiac Health Strategies . The report has
shown that the heart foundation of Australia recommended different action and prevention for
better prevention and rehabilitation for the patients. The recommendations were made to
aware the women by the help of campaigns and other forms of promotional
initiatives(healthbulletin.org.au.,2020). Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
cardiac health strategy 2014-2017 and Cardiac rehabilitation and secondary prevention: a
framework for the Northern Territory are some effective intervening strategies which have
been mentioned in the respective report (healthbulletin.org.au.,2020).
Importance of health promotion
Cardiovascular health must be addressed with proper interventions and preventive care
as risk of stroke , heart failure , coronary (ischemic) heart disease, peripheral vascular
disease, rheumatic heart disease (RHD) are some probable condition which can be led by
poor CV health(Sjöholm, Pahkala, Davison, Juonala & Singh, 2018). Additionally
hypertension and high blood cholesterol are involved as the risk factors for the population
with CV diseases. Unfortunately most of the aboriginal people do not address the
cardiovascular diseases in early stage of disease occurrence. Some most prevalent risks
factors (along with hypertension and high blood cholesterol) for cardiovascular disease are
Tobacco smoking, Inactivity, Poor nutritional habit, Overweight and obesity ,Diabetes
(healthinfonet.ecu.edu.au.,2020).Different socioeconomic (unemployment, adverse situation
for living and poor financial state)and psychological factors(feeling of deprived and
discriminated, stress and depression) might be associated with the incidence of poor

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Cardiovascular diseases in Aboriginal People of Australia
cardiovascular condition in the population. Some cultural factors might affect the
cardiovascular health among aboriginal and Torres islander. One of the most prevalent
factors of the poor cardiovascular health in the population is poor and remote healthcare
setting.
Connection of WHO Ottawa Charter and NMBA standards
The Ottawa charter recognizes five areas of the healthcare sectors and promotion by
identifying the determinants for the health conditions in the target population. On the other
hand, NMBA standards and protocols are used for better care provision to the patients.
Nurses can help the patients by creating supportive environment in the hospital settings by
effective communications and maintaining cultural competence in the treatment procedure.
Main three strategies of Ottawa Charter are Advocate, Mediate and Enable which can be
used as intervening strategies (www.who.int. 2020).
Mediate
To mediate the initiatives in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases among the
aboriginal patient , nurses can take help of multidisciplinary teams hic will help them to
manage different related problems. Aboriginal patients with cardiovascular disorders suffer
from hypertension, high blood cholesterol level and obesity. Therefore, according to the
standard 2 of the NMBA standards for registered nurses, involvement of multidisciplinary
team by collaborative practice (2.8 and 2.9) might help a person with a chronic health
condition (www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au.,2020). To prevent heart disease among the
Aboriginal people, multidisciplinary teams will consist cardiologist, nutritionist, physical
therapists, physiotherapists and occupational therapists with mental health professionals.
Enable

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Cardiovascular diseases in Aboriginal People of Australia
Ottawa charter represents enabling a better healthcare approach during the treatment.
The strategy focuses on reducing the difference in health status and giving every one equal
opportunity to get proper healthcare facility. . In standard 2, nurses should respect the dignity
and values of the patient by maintaining culture and diversity. In standard 6, safe and
responsive quality of care has been emphasized to provide better treatment. The Code of
Conducts promotes Cultural practice and respectful relationships in practice, in the principle
2. The principle also covers health status of Aboriginal and Torres Islander. The principle
also covers confidentiality and privacy of the patient and the preventive strategies related to
bullying and harassment with cultural and respectful practice
(www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au., 2020). Aboriginal people face different health
conditions which are produced by their socioeconomic status and diversified cultures.
Therefore nurse must maintain god conducts with the patients in such a way so that they will
not feel discriminated or deprived.
NMBA standards and Codes in primary health care sectors
In primary healthcare sectors, nurses should understand the needs of the patient for
particular health condition. To prevent cardiovascular disease among Aboriginal people
nurses should communicate with the patient effectively. Nurses should evaluate the patient to
give them better person centered care. In an aboriginal community, nurses should
communicate in a familiar manner and if the nurses know the culturally native language of
the community, the patient will feel more comfortable to express themselves. The nurses
should follow the guidelines and directives provided by national health departments
(www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au. 2020). They should emphasize on executing their
duties in the implementation of the long terms treatment goal. The professional behavior
must be maintained among care giver and primary and tertiary care centers. Nurses can

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Cardiovascular diseases in Aboriginal People of Australia
educate and train the nurses and improve health literacy among the patients according to the
NMBA standards of nursing.
Knowledge for future practice
Nurses will help the patient in improving their health condition and asses the
prevalence of the health condition among the Aboriginals. Nurses will improve the
knowledge and quality of care in treating the patient with the help of standards of NMBA
and strategies of Ottawa Charter.

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Cardiovascular diseases in Aboriginal People of Australia
References
healthbulletin.org.au. (2020). Review of cardiovascular health among Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander people. Healthbulletin.org.au. Retrieved 16 March 2020, from
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healthinfonet.ecu.edu.au. (2020). Cardiovascular health among Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander people. Healthinfonet.ecu.edu.au. Retrieved 16 March 2020, from
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Islander+people+%5Bfactsheet%5D&contentid=39403_1.
Mbuzi, V., Fulbrook, P., & Jessup, M. (2018). Effectiveness of programs to promote
cardiovascular health of Indigenous Australians: a systematic review. International
journal for equity in health, 17(1), 153. doi: 10.5694/mja18.00345
Sjöholm, P., Pahkala, K., Davison, B., Juonala, M., & Singh, G. R. (2018). Early life
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https://www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au/documents/default.aspx?
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