NURS1006 Assignment: Deconstructing Aboriginal Health and Wellbeing

This essay critically deconstructs the question of why Aboriginal peoples are perceived to lack interest in health and wellbeing. It challenges this perception by exploring the historical context of colonization, dispossession, and systemic discrimination faced by Aboriginal communities in Australia. The essay delves into social determinants of health, including poverty, racism, and disparities in healthcare access, highlighting how these factors contribute to poorer health outcomes. It argues that these outcomes are not due to a lack of interest in health but are rather a consequence of socially constructed inequalities and historical injustices. The essay emphasizes the need for government and society to address these systemic issues to ensure equality of opportunity and improved health outcomes for Aboriginal peoples. Desklib offers a range of similar essays and resources for students studying public health and indigenous studies.

Running head: ACADEMIC ESSAY
Academic essay
Name of the student:
Name of the University:
Author’s note

The main aim of this essay is to deconstruct the question ‘Why don’t aboriginals take an
interest in health and well being?’. While deconstructing the questions, the essay critically
analyses the question to understand why non-indigenous people in Australia are asking such
questions? What data or what events have compelled them to ask such questions? It cannot be
called an ignorant question or a question that has come up all of a sudden. Hence, the question
has been deconstructed and critically analyzed by bringing forward more arguments and
exploring in depth the life history of the Aboriginal peoples.
A short overview of the group is that the Aboriginal peoples are regarded as the first
inhabitant of Australia who had to endure intergenerational traumas after the European
settlement. After the British invasion, their land was stolen and the loss of land led to
devastating social and physical impact on Aboriginal peoples (Snyder &Wilson 2015, pp. 181-
189). Currently Aboriginal Peoples are regarded as the most disadvantaged group in Australia
experiencing greater morbidity and mortality compared to Non-Aboriginal peoples (Mitrou et
al. 2014, p.201). Due to the high rate of poor health outcome and lower life expectancy in the
group, there is a speculation that Aboriginal peoples do not take an interest in health and well-
being (Durey &Thompson, 2012)
The question of ‘Why don’t aboriginals take an interest in health and wellbeing?’brings
forward another question. Why some non-Aboriginal Peoples have made this comment against
the Aboriginal peoples? This negative comment has been made because Aboriginal peoples
have huge gap in life expectancy compared to non-indigenous people. For instance life
expectancy gap between the Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal peoples is huge with a gap of 17

2ACADEMIC ESSAY
years. In addition, the age specific death rate is also twice the number in indigenous
Australians compared to non indigenous Australians (Australian Institute of Health and
Welfare (AIHW) 2017). Such alarming health statistics for Aboriginal peoples exist because
Aboriginal Peoples are more prone to health risk behavior than the rest of the
population. By this information, it can be concluded that Aboriginal peoples do not take
an interest in health and well-being. However, this cannot be confirmed. This is because
the information leads to another question which is- What is the reason behind such gap
in health outcome between Aboriginal peoples? Looking at the past history of Aboriginal
peoples and privileges and social opportunities available to them might help to answer
this question.
In response to the question ‘Why don’t aboriginals take an interest in health and
wellbeing?’, it can also be argued that this is seen due to their negative experiences in the
past. Aboriginal peoples have a dark history troubled by invasion, loss of land and forced
settlement. After the invasion of British, either their land was stolen or destroyed (Laidlaw &
Lester 2015, pp. 25-35). Initial invasion also resulted in death and loss of many family members
because of disease and being massacred by British. In the 20th century outright killing and loss
of land forced them to settle in other lands. This resulted in great socioeconomic impact for
Aboriginal peoples. This also gives rise to a question whether indigenous social determinants of
health of health is affected by such experience (Wanganeen 2014, pp.475-492). The answer is
yes because income, housing, employment and medical care are necessary social determinant
of health. However, unemployment issue became a major burden for Aboriginal Peoples in
their life. Compared to non-indigenous group, the unemployment rate for indigenous was

higher by 16% (Australian Bureau of Statistics 2015). Aboriginal Peoples lost all sources that
was necessary for good living such as housing, employment and sense of belonging (Desai 2016,
p.10). Hence, one can defend against the claim of poor interest in health and being in
Aboriginal peoples with evidence from their history of migration and violence.
Even today Aboriginal Peoples are living under extreme poverty struggling to make a
living. They are also troubled by racist attitudes of non-indigenous Australians which prevent
them from achieving their past glory. All these issues in the life of Aboriginal peoples bring
forward a new area to explore the reason for health disparities in the group. Aboriginal peoples
never got the opportunity to think about maintaining health or seeking health care services due
to racist attitude and denial of respect and dignity that they deserved. Aboriginal Peoples have
reported about treated like a crap just because of their race (Goodman et al. 2017, pp.87-94).
Experience of racism was a major barrier for Aboriginal Peoples in getting employment, good
health service as well as housing. On this basis, it can be defended that focusing on nutritional
needs or seeking health care service was not an option for them due to socioeconomic
disadvantage and high rate of unemployment (Gair et al. 2015, pp.32-48). Furthermore,
experiences of inequality and discrimination prevented them from maintaining optimal health.
Hence, many interconnected social factor was a cause of health and social inequality in the
group.
The experience of racism clearly defends the question that has been put forward for the
Aboriginal peoples. All these issues clearly show the reason for poor physical and mental health
in the group. The mental health impacts is huge as Ferdinand, Paradies & Kelaher (2015, p.401)

4ACADEMIC ESSAY
proved that racial discrimination was associated with worse mental health in indigenous group.
Experiences of racial discrimination in shops, universities, employment and government setting
was associated with regular period of psychological distress in indigenous people and remaining
in continuous period of stress resulted in diagnosis of mental illness in Aboriginal Peoples too.
Racism created a number of pathways to ill-health for Aboriginal peoples. For instance, racism
was the reason for poor access to important social resources such as education, employment,
housing and health care. Experiences of discrimination and exposure to violence were a reason
for stress and high rate of depression and anxiety in the Aboriginal Peoples. Stress is also a
contributing factor in obesity and many chronic diseases (Furukawa et al. 2017, pp.1752-1761).
A health survey in 2013 revealed that about 16% Aboriginal peoples experience racial
discrimination and misconduct in public (Australian Government Department of the Prime
Minister and Cabinet 2017). Hence, another question that can arise from this argument is
that ‘Was the society responsible for not providing equal access to health and social
services to Aboriginal peoples? It cannot be denied that racism acted as a major barrier
in their motivation to stay and remain healthy.
The main question can also be further deconstructed by the question -Do
disparities in health care access influences health outcome of Aboriginal peoples?
Evidence suggests poor access to health service contributed to high rate of health issues,
comorbidity and mortality in the group. Remoteness of location, language barrier and high
health care cost drives leads to poor utilization of health care service (Waterworth et al. 2015,).
These are some of the reasons contributing to chronic health issues and poor quality of life in
the group. Aboriginal peoples mostly live in rural and remotes areas and shortage of specialist

medical service is also an issue. Lack of awareness of existing services and the knowledge
regarding maintaining good health are also some of the factors that creates great health
disparities in Aboriginal peoples (Chapman, Smith & Martin 2014, pp.48-58).
The essay critically deconstructed the question regarding why Aboriginal peoples
do not take an interest in health and well-being. The question was deconstructed by
looking at past history, social determinants of health, poverty, experience of racial
discrimination and health disparities in the group. It gave rise to several questions and
several arguments were provided with support from the life experience data of the
Aboriginal peoples. It can be concluded that poor health outcome in the group is not
personally constructed but socially constructed phenomenon due to lack of awareness
and misconception about the Aboriginal culture. The high gap in health outcome
between the indigenous and non-indigenous population is a human right concern. The
government should take the responsibility to provide equality of opportunity to
aboriginals and take positive steps to recognize their right to good health.

6ACADEMIC ESSAY
Reference
Australian Bureau of Statistics 2015, National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Survey
2014-15, Australia ,Viewed 5 December 2017,
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Australian Government Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet 2017, Racism and
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Durey &Thompson, 2012, ‘Reducing the health disparities of Indigenous Australians: time to
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8ACADEMIC ESSAY
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