Health Inequalities: Examining Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Health

This report explores the significant health inequalities between Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations in Australia. It examines the socio-cultural, socio-economic, and environmental factors contributing to these disparities, including issues related to healthcare access and the impact of historical policies like the assimilation policy. The report analyzes the 'Closing the Gap' policy, assessing its effectiveness in addressing these inequalities, while also highlighting persistent challenges such as disparities in life expectancy, infant mortality, and education. The analysis includes a review of relevant literature and research to provide a comprehensive understanding of the issue. The report concludes by emphasizing the need for continued efforts to address the root causes of health disparities and improve health outcomes for Indigenous Australians. The report also provides a detailed analysis of the government's efforts to address these inequalities.

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HEALTH INEQUALITIES BETWEEN INDIGENOUS AND NON-INDIGENOUS
POPULATIONS
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Introduction
Health inequalities between indigenous and non-indigenous populations in Australia.
The health shortcoming of indigenous individuals in Australia has been recognized for a lengthy
period of time. The whys and wherefores for this underprivileged health prestige are well-
thought-out to be intricate and multi-faceted (McPhail et al. 2015, P. 197).
Nature of the inequalities
Socio-cultural aspects, socio-economic position, environmental aspects, dangerous manners and
access to eminence healthcare are considered the major issues affecting indigenous health. In
spite of this, very diminutive improvement has been made in decreasing the health disparity
amongst indigenous and non-indigenous Australians.
Root cause of the inequality
The exclusion of Indigenous individuals from their natural relatives (particularly that of blood
relatives) as fragment of the ‘assimilation policy’ is a main causative element to the health
prestige gap concerning indigenous and non-indigenous individuals. The superior behavioral and
socio-economic prestige appreciated by indigenous individuals who faced exclusion from their
natural relatives does not develop their health prominence likened to those who did not
experience any exclusion. Strategies to discourse the distress and misery linked with previous
strategies of exclusion are required if the gap in health prominence concerning indigenous and
non-indigenous Australians is to be sealed.
Policy to correct the identified cause of the inequality

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The Australian government in 2008, made an official pledge to deal with indigenous detriment in
Australia, identified as 'Closing the Gap'. The big question however, is, what is meant by the gap.
The gap denotes the immense well-being and life-expectancy disparity concerning indigenous
and non-indigenous Australians (Heral 2012, P. 109). This inequality takes account of;
diminutive life prospect, greater degrees of infant death, shoddier health, and junior levels of
education and occupation.
Has the policy been effective or ineffective?
The Closing Gap policy has led to certain developments, but then again nationwide figures
designate that there is yet a lengthy way to go. The government, in 2017, was subjected to
burden to add an objective to lessen Indigenous sentence degrees. Other capacities where figures
indicate a problematic gap in the experience concerning indigenous and non-indigenous
Australians are juvenile exclusions and communal and domestic violence.

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List of References
Shepherd, C. C. J., Li, J. and Zubrick, S. R. (2012) ‘Social Gradients in the Health of Indigenous
Australians’, American Journal of Public Health, 102(1), pp. 107–117. Available at:
http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=s3h&AN=70465946&site=ehost-live
(Accessed: 16 March 2019).
McPhail, B. K. et al. (2015) ‘“We don’t tell people what to do”: ethical practice and Indigenous health
promotion’, Health Promotion Journal of Australia, 26(3), pp. 195–199. Available at:
http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=s3h&AN=112624074&site=ehost-live
(Accessed: 16 March 2019).