Statistics show that Indigenous people who experience racism and discrimination in a healthcare setting are less likely to access, engage or comply with treatment (Awofeso, 2011). If healthcare practitioners are better educated in the history and colonization it will help change our perception of Indigenous people and be more willing to assist them by providing accessible healthcare. This can be achieved by providing healthcare workers with access to Indigenous cultural education and training opportunities. Training will increase the understanding of the cultural and historic reasons why Indigenous…
I respectfully acknowledge the Elders and custodians of the Yuin nation, past and present, their descendants and kin of the land where I am living, studying and working. This is a warning that this journal may contain images, voices and names of deceased Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Island people. Whilst attending school with two Aboriginal students in my class, I was never exposed to people stereotyping Aboriginal people.…
(2009). Science and Research: Closing the Gaps in Aboriginal Health. Retrieved from http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/sr-sr/pubs/hpr-rpms/bull/2003-5-…
Throughout Canadian history, there always seems to have been a rough patch and mistreatment when it comes to the Aboriginal people. One specific example would be the implementation and operation of Indian Hospitals, a part of Canadian Health Care history some would rather forget and one that many still feel the pain of. In her novel Healing Histories: Stories from Canada's Indian Hospitals, Laurie Meijer Drees collects and documents multiple experiences from within these hospitals. By studying and comparing Marjorie Warke’s story to Marie Dick’s, I will evaluate the similarities and differences, as well as discuss how I can use this information and understanding in the future.…
In Australian history the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders of Australia were not treated with the respect and dignity that they deserve, they have been the protectors of this land for many years before British colonised here, they lived from the land and they had a very strong community based life. After years of demoralising them and taking their basic ways of life away from them, we now have certain policies and procedures in place to bring the equality back. From the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Health Plan 2013-2023 the government is committed to improving health and wellbeing through closing the gap in health outcomes with the wider Australian population. In the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Health…
When working as a nurse it is important to be aware of these problems because it frames how the patient should be treated (Sherwood 2013, p. 28-40). As taking a patient’s history is such an important part of their experience in the healthcare system, it is important we understand and reflect on the history of Indigenous people to help us become more culturally safe in the way we work (Sherwood 2013, p. 28-40). By placing more focus on addressing the health of Indigenous people and their needs it will help the healthcare system become more culturally safe as well as help us improve our nursing practice (Australian Law Reform Commission…
The United Aboriginal Struggle “Get over it!” A statement that has been repeated time and time again, with regards to Indigenous land. It’s a surprise that Aboriginals want their land back after centuries of not owning it. Is it not? Well, no, it is not.…
Language and communication are major barriers when it comes to caring for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, therefore this may influence how I establish a therapeutic relationship with Mrs Akajen (Shahid, Durey, Bessarab, Aoun, & Thompson, 2013). Previous experiences of healthcare can also influence how we establish a nurse-person therapeutic relationship with a person. If Mrs Akajen…
- The racism that arises from these stereotypes has permeated the health care systems in several ways. The first is in the inability to see that Indigenous people continue to suffer from residential schools and the ‘sixties scoop’. Additional and extensive support for these groups is still needed in order to reach an “equal” healthcare system. The second is in the neglect and withholding of health services because of race (Ambtman-Smith Lecture 9). 2.…
Is defined as the land without owners. The British colonization had the belief that the Aboriginal landers could not trade for their lands with them or put a price for it. The Aboriginals thoughts were the first who settle on determined land owns it, and the land is sacred, is where their rituals and ceremonies took place, Land for Aboriginals means everything, their homes, their ancestors, their food, their heritage. Is the name used to refer to the Aboriginal and Torres islander people of Australia originally or by descent.…
The author cites the Canadian Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples and the Australian Royal Commission on Aboriginal Deaths in Custody frequently. The author identifies psychosocial stress as a variable to indigenous health care access inequalities. The author suggests an approach to these issues from a non-biomedical standpoint, asserting that trust, reciprocity, and shared decision making have much better results. Stating that culture is complex and health care providers need to abandon the comfortable checklist and engage the patient, the author expresses distrust of current Australian programs which may relieve some of these issues. Here, the article asserts that political policy must be based around a, « … mix of qualitative studies, audits and surveys, program evaluation, advocacy, quality improvement projects, non-systematic topic reviews and opinion pieces.…
Greatly, a good population of the aboriginals tends to support their counterparts in accessing health related services. Again, the kind of interactions that are carried out in the community where the aboriginals live greatly affects the health of community members in the aboriginal society (Mitrou, et al., 2014). Additionally, poverty is another determinant of health among the aboriginals. This factor comes to play in that, the poor people who live in the society are not in a position to access healthcare facilities while those who are considered to be financially able have the ability to access appropriate health facilities when faced with different health conditions (Dahlgren, & Whitehead, 2016). As a result, being poor or rich in the aboriginal community plays an important role in determining the health of the…
Aboriginals all over the country are not receiving an adequate amount of healthcare compared to white or even ethnic Australians around the country. Aboriginal men and women, according to statistics from the Australian human rights commission, had a 24% passing rate of year 12. Aboriginal women also had an expected lifespan of 65, which is nearly 20 years less than the Australian life expectancy. Those who had their land taken away from them are living in unspeakable conditions and little access to amenities that other people in Australia can get with…
Structural barrier is caused by the deeply entrenched institutional racism and white privilege in the Australian health system. Henry, Houston, and Mooney (2004) described the impacts of colonisation and its consequences to the well-being of Indigenous Australians. Little was done to address the impartiality they experience with the health system in spite of the government being aware of their current situation (Henry, Houston, & Mooney 2004). Conversely, the government’s effort to provide culturally secure services to Aboriginal people does not materialise due to inadequate funding (Henry, Houston, & Mooney 2004). In addition, the idea that the Indigenous Australians are able to cope with the changes within the health system is also a major drawback for them (McBain-Rigg and Veitch, 2011).…
However due to deep seeded discrimination no marginalization the issues surrounding Aboriginal women and violence aren 't addressed to the extent where these differences between the gap of Aboriginal women and non-aboriginal women regarding violence is closed. Social constructural flaws have regulated and cemented the systemic Ideas around aboriginals; racial and gender discrimination…