Examining Social and Emotional Well-being and Aboriginal Healthcare

This essay examines the social and emotional well-being (SEWB) of Aboriginal Australians, contrasting it with Western mental health definitions. It highlights the historical and cultural factors influencing Aboriginal perspectives on well-being, emphasizing the impact of discrimination and colonization. The paper analyzes the role of social determinants, including family, community, and cultural practices, in shaping Aboriginal SEWB. It explores healthcare initiatives, including the application of Primary Health Care principles and the involvement of Aboriginal communities in service development. The essay discusses the evolution of healthcare services, the importance of cultural understanding, and the need for Aboriginal involvement in program design to address historical trauma and improve health outcomes. It concludes by emphasizing the interconnectedness of physical, mental, and emotional well-being and the need for ongoing efforts to improve the quality of life for Aboriginal communities in Australia. The essay uses scholarly articles, reports, and government publications to support its arguments, including the importance of Aboriginal Medical Services and the Closing the Gap campaign.

[Social and emotional well-being]
2019

Main purpose of this essay is to examine and identify explanation of SEWB used and applied
in the framework of the Aboriginals in Australia; this definition is completely based on their
perspective and is very different from the definition accepted by the Western mental health
definition. This paper will use scholarly and academic articles based on the proper
identification of the social determiners prevailing in the Aboriginals community and changes
made by the health care associations by applying well-structured framework of SEWB for the
development of health services among Aboriginals communities in Australia (Australian
Human Rights Commission; 2011).
This section will discuss difference between the concept of Social and Emotional Well-Being
(SEWB) among Western mental health association and Aboriginal community as;
Indigenous community includes two main divisions Torres Strait Islander People and
Aboriginal peoples who are assumed to live in the land of Australia from ancient decades but
arrival of Europeans changed their entire life and affected them in a very negative manner of
discrimination (Bennet, 2015). Discrimination with the Aboriginal Community of Australia
was very high hence this affected their cultural, social and emotional factors they define
Social and Emotional Well-being in a very different manner from the Western perspective.
Indigenous community covers approximately 2.5 per cent of the total population in Australia,
but this community have a lower life expectancy and high death rate in the country which is a
very challenging situation (AIHW, 2019).
Social and cultural determiners in the Aboriginals play a very significant role in determining
the mental health and emotional well-being in a community because SEWB framework
include varieties of inter-related factors life, mind, feelings and emotions, relationship and
family living, community environment, culture, belief and social experiences. These factors

after colonisation became very critical and affected their life hence indigenous community
involve the major impacts of those challenges on their SEWB determiners as;
Source: (Dudgeon, Bray, D'Costa, & Walker, 2017)
These factors affect the definition of well-being in the community. The proper definition
given by the Aboriginal for their mental health issue is based on the experiences they faced in
the past. Social discrimination, illegal torcher, inequality in the living and prohibition on
them to take part in education and development program affected the community and they
include these all factors in their life very seriously (Bennet, 2015). According to the faiths of

the Aboriginal community any discrimination that remain in practice for any decades never
get an end and this affects the people of the new generation as well (Dudgeon, Bray, D'Costa,
& Walker, 2017). Hence western definition is incomplete according to the beliefs of the
Aboriginal community because they include many historical and social factors in their health
challenges as faced by them in their past. Situation of female and children in the Aboriginal
community was very critical according to the rules of their culture and they faced many
health issues, but after colonisation situation became worse and lead many challenges related
to their social and cultural living in the country (AHRC, 2019).
Western definition includes detailed framework and issues causing an imbalance in the
healthy living and resisting a person from getting proper health care services, but this
definition seems improper as it avoids the real beliefs of the Aboriginal people and cultural,
emotional and historical challenges faced by them in their ancient life in a serious manner
(Oscar & Little, 2018).
This section will analyse Aboriginals medical health care service initiatives and when they
were aligned with international Primary Health Care guidelines of the World Health
Organisation
World Health Organisation has proper concerns towards Aboriginal development. Primary
Health Care services are defined as basic healthcare facilities available in an appropriate
manner for all human being without discriminating them on the basis their caste, gender,
religions and many more (NIAA, 2018). These PHC services were designed to reach every
person in a very effective manner because basic and healthy living is the right of every
human according to the World Health Organisation. WHO issued guidelines essential to be
followed by the nations to meet their better life expectancy rate and improve the SEWB of
their population, these guidelines in Australia faced many issues with the lowest life

expectancy rates and high death rates of the people of Aboriginal community. Hence the
government of Australia took initiatives to make the changes in the health care services for
the Aboriginal communities (McBain‐Rigg & Veitch, 2011).
Australian Health Association (AHA) made efforts firstly to aware the people for the
importance of better health and healthy living in the community (Kamp, Dunn, Paradies, &
Blair, 2018). These communities are ancient historical store of Australian culture speaking
more than 250 kinds of language these people are important with aim to protect the historical
identity of the community. Many Non-profit Organisation, Profit Organisation and NGO
joined the government to make planning and implementing better health care services in the
area of Aboriginal community (Lambert, et al., 2014).
Traditional belief and cultural practices of the Aboriginal community affect the communities
thinking towards healthcare services, presently Australia has a developed health care system
for the people of Aboriginal community in the present time and they are taking special steps
of concern towards the development of Medicare facilities for the indigenous community.
The Australian government has been taking steps to improve the health service for the
Aboriginals community since 1971-1972 with the establishment of Aboriginal Medical
Services, after the international guidelines issued by the WHO. Australian Government made
plans to fulfil the condition. Establishment of the Australian Health Association AHA was a
great step taken to enhance the knowledge about better health and healthy living in the
Aboriginal community. After that many health campaigns like Closing the Gap: Campaign by
AHA, are running in the country to enhance the living standards and to meet high birth
expectancy rate of aboriginals' community in the country with their effective participation
(AIHW, 2019).

This section of essay is based on identifying the Application of Social and Emotional Well-
Being Framework in the healthcare service for Aboriginal Community in today’s services;
Westerns definition has changed on the basis of ancient Social and Emotional Well-Being
(SEWB) framework according to the Aboriginal community include mental health include
many social, cultural and traditional factors. Hence present health care services are including
their framework according the adaption of Aboriginal community. Organisation in the present
time training the workforce involved in the SEWB framework for development of the health
care facilities according to the Aboriginal definition of idol health. These programs are aimed
to understand the tradition and culture of the community this is helpful to communicate with
Aboriginals easily (Dudgeon, Bray, D'Costa, & Walker, 2017).
AHA in Australia, planning to involve languages majorly spoken by the community in their
health care training services so volunteers and healthcare professional can easily understand
about the health issues and mental challenges faced by Aboriginals and also they can deliver
proper guidance to the people to enhance their knowledge about the treatment and healthy
living. International Basic Guideline Principles are included in the Primary Health Care
Services in SEWB. These guidelines are frim Western Concept of mental health but include
the aboriginal concept as well like;
1. Health as a holistic
2. The right to self-determination
3. The need for cultural understanding
4. The impact of history on trauma and loss
5. Recognition of human rights
6. The impact of racism and stigma
7. Recognition of the centrality of kinship

8. Recognition of cultural diversity
9. Recognition of Aboriginal strengths
These guidelines are measured and applied to involve better involvement of people from the
Aboriginal community as well. Aboriginal health is not only related to physical stability but
they are facing social and emotional discrimination from many decades and this affected their
mental health very deeply (Australian government;, 2015). According Roz Walker, including
the Aboriginals in their development programs very challenging for the government and
NGO's because this community has a very little belief in the other outside of their
community, to involve them in the services, first important thing for the government is to
deal the mental and emotional challenges faced by the community. Negative impact of
historical issues has a great impact on the present as well. Present healthcare systems include
the proper active participation of emotional involvement of Aboriginal communities. Hence
to meet the target of high birth and life expectancy rate in the country and to increase the
health care services government needs involvement of Aboriginals to understand their issues
first and then implement the plans for their development (Bennet, 2015).
This essay on the basis of above discussion concludes that healthy living is not sufficient
without mental and emotional wellness, indigenous communities most suffering community
in Australia and they face physical and mental health issues similarly in their living, many
efforts are needed to improve their living and to attain the better life expectancy in the
country. Access to primary health services is very essential for the community because
availability is not sufficient until it has proper access by the targeted communities.

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