Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Perspectives of Health and Wellbeing

Flashcards based on lecture notes about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives of health and wellbeing.

Historical factors affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health

Significant displacement, racism, and deprivation of human rights since the arrival of British colonists in 1788.

National Aboriginal Health Strategy (1989) definition of Aboriginal health

The social, emotional, and cultural wellbeing of the whole community, where each individual can achieve their full potential; a whole-of-life view including the cyclical concept of life-death-life.

Factors influencing Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander perspectives on health and wellbeing

Colonisation and intergenerational trauma, culture and beliefs, language, family, and kinship systems.

Impacts of colonisation and intergenerational trauma

Difficulty attaining employment and education, grief, loss, confusion about identity and belonging, ability to express emotions, and levels of stress and anxiety impacting health literacy and desire to seek help.

Specific historical events and policies affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health

Massacre, violence, disease, slave-labor, death, displacement, loss of land, unemployment, denial of wages, difficulty attaining housing and education, racial discrimination, prejudice, disrespect, and trauma from the Stolen Generations.

Role of culture and beliefs in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health

Resilience, valuing community health, spirituality, and connection to country.

Traditional Aboriginal healing practices

Bush rubs, bush medicines, connection to land, spiritual healing, and involvement in community.

Dreamtime

The 'Spirit World' that accompanies the physical one where Creator Spirits and Ancestors reside; passed from generation to generation through stories, song, dance, and art.

Importance of language

Integral to Aboriginal identity; allows the passing down of cultural knowledge and heritage; central to keeping culture and identity strong.

Kinship

A complex system which connects people through blood, regional language group, culture, and geography.

Responsibility of community in healthcare and raising children

All members of the community, not just biological parents, are responsible for caring for the sick and raising children.

Key findings from 2019 Mission Australia Youth Survey

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people valued culture more highly (47.4% vs 25.3%), were heavily involved in community activities, but also experienced higher rates of distress (31.7% vs 26.7%) and identified discrimination as a major concern (16.8% vs 9.9%).