Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health - Assignment Example

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Name: Lecturer: Course: Date: Introduction While Australians are among the healthiest populations among the developed nations, indigenous Australians are by far the least healthy of all indigenous populations. The Indigenous Australians also have a lower level of access to culturally appropriate healthcare than non-Indigenous Australians (Birch et al. L 2009). Indeed, current morbidity and mortality statistics indicates that the Aboriginal’s and Torres Strait Islanders’ health is the worst of any population within Australia, which includes groups of the same socio-economic status, as well as non-English speaking populations (Pellekaan & Clague 2005). This briefing analyses evidence from the researches on the demographics and health statuses of the Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders. It includes a summary of the social determinants that have affected their health, as well as some examples of the poor health outcomes they continue to experience. Culturally appropriate primary health care is also clearly defined in the context, in addition to the possible ways in which the culturally competent health care can address health outcomes. The article further explains the manner in which health care helps to close the gap in health outcomes and improve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders health outcomes. Part 1 Aboriginal cultures are dissimilar in varied aspects, consisting of hundreds of language groups and kinship that have adjusted to diverse living conditions over thousands of years. On the other hand, Torres Strait Islanders are different set of individuals with distinct culture and identity (Muecke et al. 2010). Torres Strait Islander cultures and aboriginal cultures are still evolving and dynamic. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the estimated number of people from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander origin, living within Australia, was 517,000 in 2006. Altogether, the indigenous people constitute 2.5 % of the entire Australian population. It is estimated that in 2006, among the indigenous population, 4% (20,100) were of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander origin, 6% (33,300) were only of Torres Strait Islander origin and 90 % (463,700) were of Aboriginal origin (Dudgeon et al 2012). Within the same year, 32% of the Indigenous people lived in urban centers, with 22% living in outer regional areas and 21% within the inner regions. Additionally, 15% lived in extremely remote regions while 9% lived within remote areas. Although most indigenous people live within urban areas, the indigenous population is more widely dispersed throughout Australia than the non-indigenous population, forming a greater percentage of the population in more remote areas and Nothern Australia (Dudgeon et al 2012). The Aboriginal Australians are scattered across the rural and remote regions of Australia. Torres Strait Islanders, on the other hand, live on the mainland in urban and regional locations and the Torres Strait. Of any developed country, Australians are among the healthiest populations and possess access to an excellent health system (Muecke et al. 2010). However, indigenous Australians are by far the least healthy of all indigenous populations. The Indigenous Australians have a lower level of access to culturally appropriate healthcare than non-Indigenous Australians. Current morbidity and mortality data indicates that the Aboriginal’s and Torres Strait Islanders’ health is the worst for any population within Australia, which includes groups of the same socio-economic status, as well as non-English speaking populations. The major causes of excess mortality within the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population include endocrine conditions such as injury, diabetes and poisoning, respiratory disease and diseases of the circulatory system. It is also evident that Torres Strait Islanders and Aboriginal suffer a disproportional impact from both reduced access to environmental health services and increased vulnerability to environmental hazards. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders are more probable to live in conditions perceived to be unacceptable by general standards in Australia. This includes poorly maintained buildings, high housing costs that is proportional to their income, overcrowding and lack of essential environmental health infrastructure like adequate water supplies, appropriate housing and sanitation (Muecke et al. 2010). Over the recent past, the primary focus has been on tackling the health needs of individuals living in remote regions, limiting the problem to accessibility of health services. Even though, this proceeds to be of key importance, nearness to services does not essentially equate with higher access, since extra barriers in using available services exist (Birks et al. 2012). These include poor cultural understanding, communication issues, racism and health service provider practice and attitudes. The accessibility of mainstream health services, which are culturally equipped to offer services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, is among the factors that lead to improved health. Other social determinants that have affected their health include education, good quality housing, employment, community functioning, income and a safe environment (Cordell & Judith 1987; Navarro, 2009). Part 2 Culturally appropriate primary health care, also termed as culturally competence health care, explains the ability of systems to offer care to patients with diverse beliefs, behaviors and values, including adjusting health care delivery to meet the patients’ linguistic, social and cultural needs. As a system, it recognizes the importance of culture, acknowledges the possible impact of cultural differences, integrates the assessment of cross-cultural relations, adapts services to satisfy culturally unique needs and expands cultural knowledge. A culturally appropriate primary health care system acts as an important means of cutting down ethnic and racial inequalities in health care (Birks et al. 2012). Irrespective of the quality of systems and services available, lack of culturally appropriate health care led to poor patient outcomes, increased health inequalities and reduced patient compliance, (Pellekaan & Clague 2005). Besides improving patient satisfaction and care quality, delivering culturally appropriate healthcare contributes to staff retention, promotes the quality of medical outcomes, gets rid of inequalities within the care delivery process and increases job satisfaction. Cultural competency, which directly impacts the manner in which health care is received and delivered, is becoming a suitable tool among healthcare providers since it helps in addressing health outcomes. It tries to manage the complicated differences in the manner in which patients express pain, follow and seek medical advice and take part in their recovery process. At the patient level, the existence of culturally competent employees provides patient confidence, reduces costs connected with different types of medical errors, and builds trust. At the provider level, gradual development in cultural competency can make quality scores better, which are increasingly linked to reimbursement rates. Minimizing ethnic and racial disparities requires culturally competent clinicians and leaders who ensure that cultural competence is inculcated, reinforced and enabled (Tessa et al. 2004). International evidence proposes that as a component of a multi-pronged approach, the provision of a culturally appropriate primary health care for a maintained period is important if the health outcomes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander are to be improved. The culturally appropriate primary health care system helps to bridge the “gap” in health outcomes, by preventing illnesses, expanding clinical care, managing support systems and enhancing early intervention activities (Kulbok et al. 2012). Part 3 Irrespective of social context, culturally appropriate primary health care is informed by the principles of human rights and social justice. Through the delivery of culturally suitable health care, and the application of social justice principles, differences in health outcomes may be cut down. In health care environments, sensitivity, competence behaviors and cultural awareness are vital because even such concepts as suffering, care, illness and health mean differently to various people (Downing et al. 2011). Understanding cultural customs enables nurses to provide better health care, and help avoid misunderstandings within staffs, families, patients and residents. The role of the community nurse in practicing culturally appropriate primary health care includes promoting social justice for everyone. The applied social justice principles guide the decisions of nurses related to the family, patient, other health care professionals and the community. Leadership skills are essential when advocating socially just policies (McMurray & Clendon 2011). Nurses also take part in critical reflection of their beliefs, cultural heritage and values in order to have knowledge of how these issues and qualities can have an effect on culturally congruent nursing care (Birks et al. 2012). Gaining an understanding of the values, traditions, family systems, practices and perspectives of culturally diverse families, individuals, populations and communities they care for, in addition to understanding the complex variables that have an effect on the achievement of well-being and health, are some of the important roles for all nurses. The role of the nurse also includes using cross cultural knowledge, as well as culturally sensitive skills in carrying out culturally appropriate primary health care (McMurray & Clendon 2011). Recognizing the effect of health care policies, resources and delivery systems on their patient populations is an additional role of a nurse. Nurses are expected to assist in advocating and empowering the patients, in addition to advocating the insertion of their patients’ cultural practices and beliefs in every dimension of their health care (Tessa et al. 2004). Nurses are activists in the worldwide effort to make certain multicultural workforce in health care settings. They are educationally prepared to provide and promote culturally appropriate primary health care. The understanding and skills needed in ensuring that nursing care is culturally competent should be added in global health care agendas, which authorize clinical training and formal education, as well as required continuing and ongoing education for all practicing nurses (Pellekaan & Clague 2005). Nurses also have the capability of influencing individuals, systems and groups in attaining positive outcomes of culturally appropriate primary health care for diverse populations. To assist in improving health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, nurses should possess cross communication skills. They should use culturally competent, effective communication with clients, which takes into consideration the client’s cultural values and context, unique health care perceptions and needs and nonverbal and verbal language. It is through transcultural and effective communication with clients that dignity, preservation of human rights and respect are maintained (McMurray & Clendon 2011). Communication failure can be easily interpreted as stereotyping, prejudice or bias and afterwards determine the quality of health care. Nurses must make an effort to understand the health care needs of the patient through effective listening, eye behavior, clarity in linguistic dialog, and attentive body language. Other unique cultural nonverbal communication might include attention to time, distance, provider gender, modesty, space, touch, dress, silence and other unique cultural expressions and patterns (Douglas et al. 2011). Familiarity with cultural settings is important for nurses trying to offer effective culturally competent communication. Environmental and cultural context defines the totality of an experience or event that imparts meaning to people’s interpretations, social interactions and expressions within their particular cultural settings (Cordell & Judith, 1987). If a patient’s cultural values or verbal language are unfamiliar to the nurse, it is imperative to look for a qualified and appropriate interpreter, bearing in mind that social class, gender and cultural values all determine the interpretation procedure. It is vital that the health care system offers resources for interpretation when necessary. Bilingual employees with specific job descriptions are important to aid with interpretation. Interpreters must have knowledge about specific healthcare language, ensure confidentiality and carry out each session in an ethical manner. Using family members, particularly children, as interpreters should be employed with caution as bias in interpretation and privacy issues are possible risks. The nurse should at all times be there during the interpretation process, to advocate the client, observe nonverbal language and help the interpreter where necessary. Care-specific phrases that are clinically important such as “Are you feeling pain”, spoken in the patient’s language displays respect and willingness to value cultural diversity and language (McMurray, A 2010). Conclusion The Indigenous Australians have a lower level of access to culturally appropriate healthcare than non-Indigenous Australians. Lack of culturally appropriate health care led to poor patient outcomes, increased health inequalities and reduced patient compliance, irrespective of the quality of systems and services available. The culturally appropriate primary health care system helps to bridge the “gap” in health outcomes by preventing illnesses, expanding clinical care, managing support systems and enhancing early intervention activities. Culturally appropriate primary health care is informed by the principles of human rights and social justice, irrespective of social context. Through the delivery of culturally suitable health care and the application of social justice principles, differences in health outcomes may be cut down. Reference List Birch, J, Ruttan, L, Muth, T & Baydala, L 2009, Culturally Competent Care for Aboriginal Women: A Case for Culturally Competent Care for Aboriginal Women Giving Birth in Hospital Settings, viewed 4 October 2014, retrieved http://www.naho.ca/jah/english/jah04_02/03_V4_I2_Competent03.pdf Birks, M., Mills, J., Francis, K. & Coyle, M. (2012). Models of health service delivery in remote or isolated areas of Queensland: a multiple case study. Australian Journal of Advanced Nursing 28(1), 25-34 Cordell, J. & Judith, F, (1987). Torres Strait: Cultural Identity and the Sea. 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