Analysis of Factors Contributing to Health Disparities in Australia

This assignment analyzes the factors contributing to health disparities between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) people and non-Indigenous Australians in Australia. It identifies employment, education, and racism as key drivers of these disparities. The paper explains how employment and working hours influence income and health status, with non-Indigenous Australians often having an advantage. It highlights the impact of education attainment on employment opportunities, access to healthy foods, and healthcare. Furthermore, the assignment discusses how racism and discrimination in healthcare facilities and employment limit ATSI people's access to quality healthcare. The factors are presented as interrelated, influencing the social, environmental, and economic factors that shape health choices and overall health outcomes. The assignment references relevant literature to support its arguments.

Running head: Factors contributing to health disparities 1
Factors contributing to health disparities
Name
Institution

Factors contributing to health disparities 2
Factors contributing to health disparities
The ability to achieve good health is highly dependent on understanding the underlying
disparities in health and healthcare system. There exist disparity in health outcomes between the
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) people and non-Indigenous Australians due to
several factors. One factor contributing to disparity is employment and hours worked. According
to Australia’s Health (2018), being employed and working for longer hours leads to higher
income hence positive impact on an individual’s health status. Most non-indigenous Australians
have formal employment hence can seek for medical attention unlike the aboriginals. Another
factor contributing to health disparity is education attainment. Most ATSI people lack education
and can therefore not get better employment opportunities with health-promoting benefits.
Moreover, with better employment comes the ability to purchase healthy foods and health
services. Since most ATSI people have not attained higher education, they are vulnerable to poor
nutrition and unmet medical needs as they cannot afford healthy foods and quality health
services. Australian Indegenious: HealthinfoNet (2018) argues that racism also contributes to
disparity in health outcomes. ATSI being a marginalized group is likely to face discrimination in
healthcare facilities, and employment thereby limiting their chances of accessing quality
healthcare. With such experience most people from the community will shy away from accessing
health services hence the disparity in outcomes. These factors are interrelated in that they all
affect health related quality and utilization. The ability to make healthy choices is influenced by
the social, environmental and economic factors (Best, & Fredericks, 2018). These factors
influence one another since are the drivers of conditions in which people live.

Factors contributing to health disparities 3
References
Australia’s Health (2018). Size and sources of the Indigenous health gap. Australian
Government: Australian Institute of Health and welfare retrieved from
https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/f1d1c24c-2966-4e06-9609-d7a099f6d3af/aihw-aus-
221-chapter-6-7.pdf.aspx
Australian Indegenious: HealthinfoNet (2018). Summary of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
health status 2018, Australian Health Info Net retrieved from
https://healthinfonet.ecu.edu.au/
Best, O., & Fredericks, B.(Eds.). (2018). Yatdjuligin Aborginal and Torres Strait Islander
nursing and midwifery care (2nd ed.) UK: Cambridge University Press. ISBN
9781316642177