A view from Indigenous Australia
H UMANITARIAN E NGINEERING C ONFERENCE 2011
M URNDUCH & E SSO
FOR
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L ARAKIA
C ULTURAL D IVERSITY
K ALKARINGI TO M ABUIAG
C ONNECTION
TO
C OUNTRY & S EAS
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I GILYAWA (K ALAW LAGAW YA & K ALAU K AWAU YA
S TRENGTH THROUGH C ULTURAL K NOWLEDGE
It is also used to call the community together
This translates the coming together of the medical profession and us as Indigenous Peoples
It symbolizes this synchronicity in the common dance towards Indigenous self determination
G URINDJI Heading goes here Text goes here
C OMBINATION OF CULTURES
C ONSTRUCT
OF
H EALTH
W ELLBEING
Interconnectedness Family, Community & Country
Identity & Cultural
Spirituality
Physical
Social
Psychological
M ULTIPLE D IMENSIONS OF A BORIGINAL & TORRES S TRAIT I SLANDER W ELLBEING
Conceptual framework – spiritual, cultural, social, psychological, physical dimensions
Connection to Country or Seas
Spiritual dimension – meaning & purpose in life
Cultural dimension – values, beliefs, respect, kinships and connection to families
Boundaries - Lore
P RACTICING THE A RT & S CIENCE OF M EDICINE
Indigenous Practitioner
Culture
Connectedness to Community
Holistic Framework
Indigenous World View
A USTRALIAN I NDIGENOUS D OCTORS A SSOCIATION
C ULTURE
Practice within Western Scientific framework
Evidence based
Live within three cultures Mainstream, Aboriginal culture & Torres Strait Islander culture
Respect the Traditional Healing Practices, Medicines
INDIGENOUS DOCTORS
Spiritual, Cultural, Emotional, Psychological and Physical
Holistic approach to health
Respect Traditional healing Practices
Trust, Respect and Connection to Community and Country
P RIMARY H EALTH C ARE & A CADEMIA
Community engagement
Health worker
Holistic Framework
Close the Gap
Comprehensive Primary Health Care
Chronic Disease Management
Creating “well – being” amongst our People
Self-Determination & Commitment
Education capacity – increase Indigenous workforce capacity
P ROFILE OF A BORIGINAL P EOPLES ’ & TORRES S TRAIT I SLANDERS
Population of Australia 28/03/2010 – 22,287,135.
Australia Aborginal & Torres Strait Islander 517,000 – 2.5%
Northern Territory – 43%
I NDIGENOUS H EALTH W ORKFORCE
Aboriginal People & Torres Strait Islanders represent 0.9% of the entire workforce
0.8% Nurses
0.6% Dental Workers
0.5% Allied Health Workers
0.3% Doctors
0.1% Pharmacists
P OPULATION P ROFILES
T HE S OCIAL D ETERMINANTS OF H EALTH
Complex historical, social, cultural environmental factors
Poor Accessibility
Culturally Unsafe Environments
Inequalities in health, social, educational and economic outcomes
S OCIAL D ISADVANTAGE
Disruption & denial of culture
Removal from country
Restriction to ceremony and Traditional Practices, Lore
Depletion of Language
Forced removal of Aboriginal People & Torres Strait Islanders
C URRENT P ROFILE OF A BORIGINAL P EOPLE & TORRES S TRAIT I SLANDERS
Indigenous People have the poorest health in Australia
The life expectancy is 17-18 years less than NonIndigenous Australians
In contrast to other Indigenous Peoples – Maori, Hawaiian, Native Indians and Canadian Aboriginal Peoples
C OMMUNITY LIFE
C HRONIC H EALTH P ROBLEMS
Asthma & Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Ischaemic Heart Disease
Renal Disease
Type Two Diabetes
Mental Health
Substance Misuse
A CUTE H EALTH I SSUES
Injury – MVA & Assault
Suicide
Conditions associated with Streptococcal Infections
Acute Rheumatic Heart Fever
Acute Post Streptococcal Glomerulonephritis
Pneumocccal Disease
C OMMUNICABLE & I NFECTIOUS D ISEASES
Tuberculosis
Hansan’s Disease
Rheumatic Heart Disease
Hepatitis
Meningitis
Trachoma
B ARRIERS FOR W ELLBEING
Language
Education
Institutional and Systemic Racism
Poverty
Intergenerational Trauma
High Unemployment
Poor literacy
Accessibility to Health & Education
Poor Housing
CLOSE THE GAP
S ELF D ETERMINATION
Increasing Indigenous work force capacity
Commitment from all jurisdictions & sectors
Working Collaboratively with respectful partnerships
Health, Education & Economic Reform
Social & Justice Equity & Equality
Structural & Systemic Issues
C ONCLUSION
Lets work together to “CLOSE THE GAP” and IMPROVE the life expectancy of Aboriginal People & Torres Strait Islanders.
ALL AUSTRALIANS have EQUITABLE health, social and economic OUTCOMES.
Murnduch & Esso – Thank you
Child aged 12, Thursday Island Croc Festival, July 2007
Child aged 5, Thursday Island Croc Festival, July 2007