Acknowledgement
Before we begin information gathering, I would like to acknowledge and pay respect to the traditional owners of the land on which we meet – the Garadjeri, Bardi and Ungarinyin people we meet in the Kimberley Region. It is upon their ancestral lands that the Project of Alive and Kicking Goals is carried on.
As we conduct the research on community suicide prevention program, we are honoured to be able to use the information we gathered from Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australian organisations and research studies, with purpose to promote the development of indigenous communities in the Kimberley area. Together, we acknowledge the contribution of indigenous people to the knowledge all people in this country we share altogether.
Introduction
The health status of Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders is deeply affected by the impacts of colonization, discriminatory policies, transgenerational loss and trauma resulting from stolen generation, missionaries racism, cultural disruption and ongoing socioeconomic disadvantage (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare [AIHW], 2013). In terms of mental health, it is acknowledged that Indigenous Australians have poorer mental health outcomes compared to non-indigenous Australian. The higher prevalence of suicide in the indigenous population indicates the disruption of indigenous society within a contemporary context of social and emotional deprivation (Parker, 2010). In
Approximately 2.5% of the Australian population is made up of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, however these people experience much higher levels of ill-health and premature death rates than the rest of the Australian population. Gathering sufficient information is difficult
Among Aboriginal peoples, there are a number of similar historical and contemporary social determinants that have shaped the health and well-being of individuals, families, communities and nations. Historically, the ancestors of all three Aboriginal groups underwent colonisation and the imposition of colonial institutions, systems, as well as lifestyle disruption. However, distinctions in the origin, form and impact of those social determinants, as well as the distinct peoples involved, must also be considered if health interventions are to be successful. For example, while the mechanisms and impact of colonisation as well as historic and neo-colonialism are similar among all Aboriginal groups. The contemporary outcome of the colonial process
To begin with, a clarification must be made. Although for the purposes of this assessment I will be using the term Indigenous Australians, it is not the most appropriate term to be using, as the technical definition of indigenous is ‘originating or occurring naturally in a particular place; native’ (‘Indigenous’, 1987). The more correct term would be Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander.
Indigenous Australians suffer from higher rates of chronic diseases, mental health disorders, and lower life expectancy compared to non-Indigenous Australians, underscoring the lasting effects of colonisation on their health and
My current research Project focuses on improving physical, social, and psychological health among the indigenous Australians. With active participation in this project i understand indigenous health issues and the causes of morbidity and mortality in indigenous Australians as compared to other Australians. It is important to consider culturally appropriate assessment and intervention focused on indigenous health and well-being. While doing this project i provided emotional support and encourage them to achieve better health outcomes. The regular communication with indigenous Australians I understood the barriers they perceive and opportunities available to them.
Critical factors, highlight why things are as they are and if there are possible alternatives (Germov 2011, p.9). Institutionalized racism is a critical reason for the disadvantages indigenous people face that could be expressed implicitly or explicitly (Larson, 2007). The Indigenous population directly experiencing racism through social and political institutions, is critical and a determining factor for their current state (Larson, 2007). Institutional racism is measured through the socio- economic status of certain minorities (Larson, 2017). Although racism is mostly implicit nowadays, it is still overall evident in the social health and wellbeing of Indigenous Australians today (Jackson 1999).The gap between the health statuses of Indigenous Australians as opposed to non-indigenous people are high (Darren, 2007). There is an estimated gap of 17 years between indigenous and non-indigenous life expectancy in Australia (Darren, 2007). This could be due to the absence of equal public health resources in primarily remote areas (Darren, 2007). There is Lack of Access to safe drinking water, effective sewage systems and healthy housing in indigenous neighborhoods (Darren, 2007). This further impacts Indigenous socially as many of them are subjected to poor living standards due to the inability from the government to provide the
It is well-known that the health issue of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people has been constantly discussed and analysed up to the present. Indigenous Australian experience poorer health outcome compare to other population in Australian, and also they experienced significantly higher rates of mental illness within their communities, and the suicide rate approximately more than double higher than for the general population (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare,2009). The purpose of this essay is to discuss the factor that associated with higher rate of mental illness and suicide behavior regard to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, the concept of cultural, social and emotional well-being that triggers this phenomenon.
Further, low income, unemployment, racism, lack of education further deteriorate their quality-of-life and well-being (Carson, Dunbar, Chenhall, & Bailie, 2007). Therefore “closing the gap” on indigenous disadvantage is crucial for archive equality in life expectancy, health status, education and employment between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians (Black & Richards, 2009).
Thank you for taking time to read my letter. As a nursing student of University of Technology Sydney, I studied contemporary indigenous subject this semester. In this letter I want to illustrate 3 main social determinants of health that impact indigenous Australian health which I found and analysed during my recently study. And also offer some suggestion that could help the government improve aboriginal Australian mental health conditions in the future.
The last contributing reason for this paper which relates to the increase of suicide in Canadian aboriginals is limited access to healthcare, especially mental health and addictions counselling. Barriers to receiving proper health care are due to geographical isolation and shortage of trained professionals in the aboriginal communities. Up to 50% of aboriginal communities are so remote they can only be accessed by air, leaving limited options to seek mental and physical healthcare. (Kirmayer et al., 1993, p. 1572)
The poor health position of Indigenous Australians is a contemporary reflection of their historical treatment as Australia’s traditional owners. This treatment has led to Indigenous Australians experiencing social disadvantages, significantly low socio-economic status, dispossession, poverty and powerlessness as a direct result of the institutionalised racism inherent in contemporary Australian society.
History has unveiled the early contacts of colonization from the Europeans that set motion to cultural oppression and exclusion of the Aboriginal communities (Kirmayer, Tait, Simpson & Simpson, 2009). The introduction of the residential school system was meant to eliminate the indigenous people’s cultural heritage and way of life, creating a historical trauma. As a result, survivors of the residential school system left the majority of the Aboriginal population without a sense of cultural heritage, lack of self-esteem, and depression (Gone, 2010). Aboriginal culture was suppressed, breaking the connection of traditional knowledge from parent to child (Kirmayer, Tait, Simpson & Simpson, 2009). Trans-generational trauma of the Aboriginal people has left psychologically and physically damage towards their own heritage (Gray & Nye, 2001).
The Assimilation policy (1961) has impacted on Indigenous Australians within their physical and mental state and identity present in today’s society. Australia is commonly considered to be free and fair in their culturally diverse societies, but when the Indigenous population is closer looked into, it is clear that from a social and economical view their health needs are disadvantaged compared to non-Indigenous equals. In relation to this, the present Indigenous health is being impacted by disadvantages of education, employment, income and health status. Even urban Indigenous residents are being affected just as much as those residing in remote and rural areas of Australia.
Colonialism in Australia places a detrimental threat to the health of Indigenous Australians. Inherent in colonialism were scientific racisms, institutional racism and structural violence. These factors continues to persist in the fabric of Australian society today and limits the life chances of Indigenous Australians. This essay illuminates colonialism as a major contributor to the social marginalisation and low socioeconomic status experienced by indigenous Australian. An analysis of Aboriginal infant mortality rate, a health indicator highlights the difference between biomedical and sociological approach and the embedded negative impact of social marginalisation and low socioeconomic status on the health of Indigenous Australians. The
Suicide prevention is an important topic to be discussed in academia as suicide has become a big social problem affecting the lives of the individual and the surrounding people. Suicide can be looked as an act of selfishness, consequently leaves perplexity among family and friends, but from a sociological perspective, it is a multifaceted issue. The article from the Current, brought into light how the Indigenous community Canada have higher rates of suicide compared to the general population, especially amongst the youth. The feeling of anomie and experience of racism puts immense stress on aboriginal youths, and this experience is replicated in the sociological imagination of the history and biography of Indigenous people.