Healthcare Needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in Sydney

This report analyzes the specific healthcare needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations in Sydney, Australia. It begins with an overview of the indigenous population in Sydney and presents data on long-term health conditions, such as asthma, hearing problems, and cardiac issues, highlighting that alcoholism is a major contributor to health problems. The report then explores the cultural determinants affecting the health and well-being of indigenous people, emphasizing the significance of connection to land, culture, and ancestry. It concludes by suggesting key strategies for improving healthcare, including fostering connections to culture and supporting community governance, referencing data from various sources to support its findings. The report emphasizes the importance of addressing these determinants to protect and improve the health of indigenous Australians.

Running head: Specific Health care needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait islanders
Specific Health care needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait islanders
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1Specific Health care needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait islanders
Introduction:
As of 2016 City of Sydney community profile, a total of 2417 indigenous Australians
live in Sydney as of 2016. The figure below shows the total population of Indigenous
Australians in Sydney. It also, shows the number of individuals from Aboriginal. Torres
Strait and Mixed Heritages and the kinds of dwellings they live in (Profile.id.com.au, 2016).
Figure 1: Indigenous populations in Sydney (source: Profile.id.com.au, 2016)
According to usstats.abs.gov.au, 10,040 people (or 42% of the Australian population
of Sydney reported one or more long term conditions. The common long term conditions
were Asthma (3810), Hearing problems (2820), Chest problem (2250), Skin problem (2020),
and Cardiac problem (1600), Hypertension (1310). This shows that Asthma is the biggest
morbidity faced by the indigenous populations in Sydney (Ausstats.abs.gov.au, 2018).

2Specific Health care needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait islanders
Figure 2: Figure 1: Long term illness conditions among indigenous Australians (Aboriginals
and Torres Strait islanders) (Source: Ausstats.abs.gov.au, 2018).
The Self Assessment of the health of the indigenous population showed that most
people considered themselves in excellent health (15200), most others in fair or good health
(7900) and a few (890) considered themselves to be in poor health. This showed a negative
relation between the actual numbers of people suffering from long term conditions. Which
can mean that their perceptions towards their own health might not be consistent with their
actual health conditions?
The biggest causes of morbidity and health conditions among 15,590 indigenous
Australians above 13 years showed that the most significant contributor towards health issues
was alcoholism (8180 cases), while the other contributors were drugs and substance abuse
(1820), nutrition or diet (1410), cardiac problems (900) (Ausstats.abs.gov.au, 2018).

3Specific Health care needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait islanders
Figure 3: Main health problems faced by indigenous Australians in Sydney. (Source:
Ausstats.abs.gov.au, 2018)
Different cultural determinants are related to the health and wellbeing of the
indigenous people. These determinants include: their connection to nature, land, culture,
ancestry as well as their history of being forced away from their culture, families and nature.
The former have protective effects while the later has adverse effects
( healthinfonet.ecu.edu.au, 2018). The other protective factors are: kinship, self
determination, community governance and cultural communities (hneccphn.com.au, 2018).
Figure 5: Health protecting factors of indigenous Australians. (Source: hneccphn.com.au,
2018)
In consideration to the determinants of health that affects the wellbeing of the
indigenous Australian population in the Sydney area, it is important that effective care
strategies address these determinants in order to protect the health and wellbeing of these
people. Key strategies can include: a) Improving, supporting and fostering their connection to
land, culture, spirituality and ancestry; b) Ensuring cultural continuity and c) Supporting the
development of kinship and community governance.

4Specific Health care needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait islanders
References:
Ausstats.abs.gov.au. (2018). National Aboriginal and Torres Islander Survey- Sydney
Region. Ausstats.abs.gov.au. Retrieved 28 March 2018, from
http://www.ausstats.abs.gov.au/ausstats/free.nsf/0/33C1DAB87A9CC13DCA257225
0004959E/$File/41960_a
Brand, E., Bond, C. and Shannon, C. (2018). Urban Indigenous Health: Opportunities and
challenges in South East Queensland. [online] Poche.centre.uq.edu.au. Available at:
https://poche.centre.uq.edu.au/files/1007/Opportunities%20and%20challenges%20in
%20SEQ.pdf [Accessed 26 Mar. 2018].
healthinfonet.ecu.edu.au. (2018). Summary of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health «
Health facts « Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet. Healthinfonet.ecu.edu.au.
Retrieved 28 March 2018, from
http://www.healthinfonet.ecu.edu.au/health-facts/summary Hneccphn.com.au.
(2016). Aboriginal Health Profile 2016. Hneccphn.com.au. Retrieved 28 March 2018,
from http://www.hneccphn.com.au/media/13659/final-version-2016-aboriginal-
health-profile.pdf
Profile.id.com.au. (2016). Indigenous population statistics | City of Sydney |
profile.id. Profile.id.com.au. Retrieved 28 March 2018, from
https://profile.id.com.au/sydney/indigenous-keystatistics