Strategic Public Relations: Improving Indigenous Health Outcomes

This report provides an overview of public relations strategies concerning Indigenous health in Australia, highlighting significant health inequalities and historical social and cultural challenges faced by Indigenous Australians. It analyzes five articles from various news outlets, examining their angles, pitches, framing, reporting styles, key messages, and agendas. The articles cover critical issues such as housing shortages, rising suicide rates, dental health improvements, mental health priorities, and the impact of healthcare center closures on Indigenous communities. Each article is assessed for its positive, negative, or neutral tone, and its target audience is identified, ranging from policymakers and healthcare organizations to the general public and Indigenous youth. The report references a range of academic and news sources to provide a comprehensive understanding of the public relations landscape surrounding Indigenous health.

UNDERSTANDING PUBLIC
RELATIONS
-Indigenous Health
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Introduction
 Indigenous Health is a significant topic in Australia
 This is mainly because of two reasons:
 Health Inequalities faced by Indigenous Australians
 Historic social and cultural inequalities faced by the Indigenous people
 Higher risk for several diseases among the Indigenous Australians
 Indigenous Health has been considered as one of the most significant
considerations in Australia.
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Article 1: “Aboriginal communities warn housing stalemate
is a mental health risk” Borrello (2018) ABC News.
 Angle: Follow up story angle, local angle, national angle
 Pitch: Influencer Pitch
 Framing: Situational Framing
 Reporting: Audio piece. Primary data reporting.
 Key Message: Housing problems and overcrowding in indigenous communities
can be linked to poor health outcomes as well as the incidence of violence and
suicides in the communities.
 Positive/Negative/Neutral news: Negative
 Agenda: Mobilize the policymakers and stakeholders against funding cuts for
remote housing projects
 Target Audience: Policy makers
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Article 2: “New suicide statistics 'paint a bleak picture”-
Hirini (2018), NITV
 Angle: National Angle
 Pitch: Influencer Pitch, Announcer Pitch
 Framing: News Framing
 Reporting: Primary Data reporting
 Key Message: “The suicide rates among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
have increased by 21% in the last decade”
 Positive/Negative/Neutral news: Negative
 Agenda: to inform the stakeholders and general public of the increase in
suicide incidents among the Indigenous Australian communities.
 Target Audience: Indigenous Australians
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Article 3: “Improving the dental health of Indigenous
Australians”- Smith and Mackenzie (2018), ABC News.
 Angle: Narrative Extender angle
 Pitch: Influencer Pitch
 Framing: Choice Framing, Actions Framing
 Reporting: Interview
 Key Message: “It is vital to take care of dental and oral health since it
influences the overall wellbeing of an individual”
 Positive/Negative/Neutral news: Neutral
 Agenda: Educating people
 Target Audience: Indigenous youth
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Article 4: “Eating disorders, youth and Indigenous mental illness
priorities of $125m government mission”- Aubusson (2018), The
Sydney Morning Herald.
 Angle: national Angle
 Pitch: Announcer Pitch, Trend Pitch
 Framing: News Framing, Responsibility Framing
 Reporting: Narrative Approach
 Key Message: “Eating disorders and mental health issues are priority areas
especially for the Indigenous Australian youth”
 Positive/Negative/Neutral news: Positive and Negative
 Agenda: Increasing awareness
 Target Audience: Indigenous people
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Article 5: “Centre closure leaves health gap”- Capone
(2018), Star Weekly
 Angle: Local Angle
 Pitch: Announcer Pitch, Influencer Pitch
 Framing: Situational Framing
 Reporting: Interviews
 Key Message: “Closure of the local medical health center has adversely
affected the health of the local communities”
 Positive/Negative/Neutral news: Negative
 Agenda: Influencing policy makers and healthcare organizations/providers
 Target Audience: Policy makers and healthcare organizations/providers and
indigenous Australians
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References:
 Aubusson, K. (2018). Eating disorders, youth and Indigenous mental illness priorities of
$125m government mission. Retrieved from https://www.smh.com.au/healthcare/eating-
disorders-youth-and-indigenous-mental-illness-priorities-of-125m-government-mission-
20181009-p508m0.html
 Borrello, E. (2018). Aboriginal communities warn housing stalemate is a mental health risk.
Retrieved from https://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/am/aboriginal-groups-warn-housing-
stalemate-is-a-mental-health-risk/10431840
 Capone, A. (2018). Centre closure leaves health gap - Star Weekly. Retrieved from
http://www.starweekly.com.au/news/centre-closure-leaves-health-gap/
 Hirini, R. (2018). New suicide statistics 'paint a bleak picture'. Retrieved from
https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/nitv/article/2018/10/04/new-suicide-statistics-paint-bleak-picture
 Irving, M., Gwynne, K., Angell, B., Tennant, M., & Blinkhorn, A. (2017). Client perspectives on
an Aboriginal community led oral health service in rural Australia. Australian Journal of Rural
Health, 25(3), 163-168.
 Marmot, M. G. (2017). Dignity, social investment and the Indigenous health gap. Medical
Journal of Australia, 207(1), 20-21.
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References:
 McKenna, B., Fernbacher, S., Furness, T., & Hannon, M. (2015). “Cultural brokerage” and beyond: piloting
the role of an urban Aboriginal Mental Health Liaison Officer. BMC public health, 15(1), 881.
 Mitrou, F., Cooke, M., Lawrence, D., Povah, D., Mobilia, E., Guimond, E., & Zubrick, S. R. (2014). Gaps in
Indigenous disadvantage not closing: a census cohort study of social determinants of health in Australia,
Canada, and New Zealand from 1981–2006. BMC Public Health, 14(1), 201.
 Paradies, Y. (2016). Colonisation, racism and indigenous health. Journal of population research, 33(1), 83-96.
 Rickwood, D. J., Telford, N. R., Parker, A. G., Tanti, C. J., & McGorry, P. D. (2014). Headspace—Australia’s
innovation in youth mental health: who are the clients and why are they presenting. Med J Aust, 200(2),
108-11.
 Sabbioni, D., Feehan, S., Nicholls, C., Soong, W., Rigoli, D., Follett, D., ... & Smith, W. (2018). Providing
culturally informed mental health services to Aboriginal youth: The YouthLink model in Western Australia.
Early intervention in psychiatry.
 Smith, A., & Mackenzie, M. (2018). Improving the dental health of Indigenous Australians. Retrieved from
https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/lifematters/improving-the-dental-health-of-indigenous-
australians/10380828
 Ziersch, A., Walsh, M., Due, C., & Duivesteyn, E. (2017). Exploring the relationship between housing and
health for refugees and asylum seekers in South Australia: a qualitative study. International journal of
environmental research and public health, 14(9), 1036.
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THANK YOU
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