are a group among many others such as the homeless that fail to receive adequate health services due to their socioeconomic status. Health literacy is defined by the institute of medicine (2004) as the “ degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions” (page 2). The lack of health literacy amongst aboriginal communities affects their ability to navigate the healthcare system, share their
by the Aboriginal Medical Service Western Sydney: Is the Health of Local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities Improving? Isabella Kristensen The University of Sydney October 2014 Table of Contents ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 4 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 4 INTRODUCTION 5 HISTORY OF INDIGENOUS HEALTH IN AUSTRALIA ABORIGINAL COMMUNITY CONTROLLED HEALTH SERVICES ABORIGINAL MEDICAL SERVICE WESTERN SYDNEY 6 INTRODUCTION AND DEMOGRAPHIC OVERVIEW OF WESTERN SYDNEY HEALTH SERVICES DELIVERY HEALTH INTERVENTION:
SEXUAL HEALTH AMONGST INDIGINOUS AUSTRALIANS In Australia, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people experience sexual health inequalities when compared to the rest of the population. They are over-represented in notifications of sexually transmissible infections and viral hepatitis (Kirby Institute 2013) and have higher rates of teenage pregnancy (Li, Hilder and Sullivan, 2012). Sexual health according to WHO (2002) is not limited to absence of disease and dysfunction, it also refers to a state
faced by the modern health professional in understanding the complexities of providing culturally competent Aboriginal health and rehabilitation care within the Australian primary health care system. Understanding the true complexity of the past impacts of colonialism, the political process and community prejudice effects on the Indigenous health status cannot truly be understood by the western world and health care professionals. This report however, intends to inspire health care professionals to
approximately 250,000 Aboriginals living in Australia . Aboriginal health and education is described by New South Wales Ministry of Health to be not just the physical wellbeing of an individual but the social, emotional and cultural wellbeing of the whole community in which each individual is able to achieve their full potential as a human being . Racism and Paternalism is a challenge that the Aboriginal people face constantly which has had an overall effect on both their health and education. Racism
the staff of the schools. Aboriginal names replaced and languages shunned as being not proper. Stories of abuse not only between teacher and student but also students. Residential schools are somewhat a gray area as the government whishes not to speak of what has happened, while everyday more testimonies from now adults that have experienced life in these school’s pop up everyday. Taking a in-depth look on how these schools functioned and what damaged they cause to aboriginal society’s. Residential
In the 19th century, the Canadian government felt they had the responsibility of educating and guiding all aboriginal individuals into abandoning their traditional beliefs and values (Partridge, 2010). The Canadian government and European settlers viewed the aboriginal culture, beliefs and values as inferior. In Canada, residential schools were established in the 1880s resulting in over 140 schools, funded by the federal government and operated by the churches (CBC News, 2008). At its height around
The government in Australia wanted to separate the Aboriginal people from the pure Australian people. The government put in place the RCAP which stood for The Commission on Aboriginal Peoples. This act stated that "no person involved in Indian affairs doubted for a moment that separation was justified". The government also implemented the Tribal System for which Aborigines
attending the residential schools (Blackburn, 2012, p. 291). The final report released by the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples in 1996 brought national attention to the several forms of abuse that existed in residential schools (Blackburn, 2012, p. 291). The report described the institutions as poorly managed, underfunded, and unsafe with several cases of malnourishment and inadequate health care (Blackburn, 2012, p. 291). The report by the Royal Commission also confirmed what had been speculated
Residential schools were 139 federally run schools that operated between 1831 and 1996. The purpose of residential schools was to teach young First Nations children Canadian customs, such as Christianity and the English language. The Canadian government wanted to rid Canada of “the Indian problem” and believed that teaching children earlier would have a more lasting effect, and would lead the children to, when they grew older, pass on their knowledge to their offsprings. This way, native traditions