Community Health Assignment Exploring Strategies Of Building Healthy Communities

Question

Task: how to build healthy community awareness using community health assignment research strategies?

Answer

Introduction
This community health assignment has identified that cancer screening programs are necessary to identify cancer patients and many countries have taken initiatives to address this issue. This community health assignment is focused on the Australian “Aboriginal or indigenous” community to identify different types of cancer patients among the community members. Regarding this context, characteristics of the community, rationale, and the level of cancer effect are going to determine in this study. On the other hand, nursing partnership with this community and strength-based approach will analyse to make a cancer screening concept among the indigenous community.

Part A

Identification of aboriginals and Torres islanders
In this community health assignment, the “Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander” community is chosen to understand their health conditions, proper healthcare services, and their lifestyle. In Australia, 798,400 indigenous Australians are living; the percentage of the indigenous is 3.3% in this country. Among them, 91% of people are aboriginals, 4.8% of people are strait islanders, and 4.0% of individuals belong to the “aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander origin”. It is found that the Australian government or other authorities are effectively managing to facilitate services for all aboriginal and Torres islanders because most of the individuals of this community are not getting proper services from society (Aihw.gov.au, 2022). Due to this reason, unemployment, health issue, economic reduction, housing and many other obstacles occur in this community.

It is found on this community health assignment that many aboriginal people use different languages, ideologies, and knowledge systems and focus on traditional knowledge. By using key information or knowledge systems factors, aboriginals or indigenous are focusing on natural resources, cultural survival factors, and other relatable aspects. Torres islanders prefer to use the names of the island to recognise themselves as outsiders. On the other hand, it is seen that many islanders are born on the mainland of Australia, but it is possible to identify them due to using different names based on their island (Aiatsis.gov.au, 2022).

Key characteristics of the aboriginal community
In Australia, huge cultural differences can be found between non-aboriginals and aboriginals. Cultural lands, law, language barriers, ceremonies or festivals, empathic factors and many other distinguishable features can be found in this country. Contextually, aboriginals or indigenous people are concerned able their cultural facts, celebrating their festivals, maintaining cultural expression, and supporting the strengthening factors among their community. The help of this cultural bonding, they created unity among their community members (Australianstogether.org.au, 2022).

However, it is also found in this community health assignment that a major percentage of aboriginals are deprived of legislative services, social services, and government facilities. Due to this reason, mental issues, suicidal attempts, unemployment and many other issues can be found. This community has faced discrimination, racism, inequality and inequity obstacles in their life, which is not ethical. Healthcare facilities are one of them, which also created barriers in their lives. A lack of healthcare services has increased issues in their life. This community is progressing culturally and maintaining all rules and regulations. Despite these things, they do not get educational facilities, healthcare facilities, and other services, which decrease their lifestyle and financial issues.

Cancer screening procedures among aboriginals and indigenous community identified on this community health assignment
According to Lee et al., (2020), it is important to manage the cancer issues so that the people can lead their life by maintaining healthcare guidelines. Hence, by analysing this paper, it is found that many indigenous women have had breast cancer issues. By implementing cancer screening procedures, new cases of breast cancer issues have been found. Approximately 252,710 new cases occurred in aboriginal women. Among these cases, 40,610 death reports are expected. It is understood that aboriginals do not get proper services from the national authorities; due to this reason, cancer issues and death ratings are gradually increased. Hence, Australian healthcare services must be developed, and ethics or morality should be improved to mitigate cancer issues in the aboriginal community.

On the contrary, Whop et al., (2021) argued that many higher-income colonised states or countries are facing cervical cancer, where Australia, the US, New Zeeland and many other countries are included. According to the “World Health Organisation (WHO)”, many women face cervical cancer that must be eliminated by implementing a cancer screening procedure. In Australia, the cancer issue has increased among indigenous people more than twice as compared to the non-aboriginals; approximately 15.4% per 100,000 women, whereas the non-aboriginals cancer rate is 6.4%. Credibility, trust, education, and proper knowledge are required to enhance the cancer screening procedure, where health workers provide cervical cancer screening facilities for women. However, some behavioural issues have found against Australian non-aboriginals. Due to this reason, cervical cancer elimination becomes difficult for aboriginal women. The “HPV-based” screening procedures and universal standard care are provided in Australia. Apart from that, national coverage data is not available for aboriginal women. On the other hand, a major information gap has occurred even after the transition to HPV screening.

Based on the Queensland healthcare centre, it is seen that 76.8% of aboriginal women have received cancer treatment, which is less than non-aboriginal women are. According to Dasgupta et al., (2020), cervical cancer incident has been decided in Australia since 1991. The “national cervical screening” program implementation was started at that time. In 2017, Queensland hospital records were analysed and found that 47,136 indigenous women were affected by cervical cancer. These women have faced accessibility issues; due to this reason, they faced difficulties in their life. Based on this discussion, it is understood that cervical cancer has a burden in Australia that can be decreased by trying to identify issues. Contextually, direct participation is needed in the cancer screening procedures so that indigenous women can get advanced cancer treatments to address their health issues. In that case, they should be engaged with the localised intervention and community.

Part B
Cancer is one of the most common and deadly diseases among the aboriginal community and the “Torres Strait islanders” as per research performed on this identified on this community health assignment. At least five people are diagnosed with cancer every day in the community, and the mortality rate stands at 40 per cent (Canceraustralia.gov.au, 2022). Therefore, it is extremely necessary for the Australian government to pay close attention to these communities so that they do not suffer from cancer. In this case, various healthcare organisations can recruit nurses in order to oversee the health conditions of aboriginals and “Torres Strait islanders”. One of the most effective methods that can be used in this context is known as the “strength-based approach”.

This approach is used on tis identified on this community health assignment to ascertain that a patient is strengthened both inside and outside. It can be observed that the aboriginal individuals already possess a strong will and ability for resilience (Ristevski et al., 2020). However, this has long been undermined because they have been victims of colonisation, “structural inequity” and “forced removal” from their own land. The trauma is also associated with the community experiencing various kinds of deadly and chronic diseases. On the other hand, deprivation has been a major setback when it comes to the mental strength of the population. Therefore, if someone is diagnosed with cancer, then they automatically assume that the patient will die soon. Therefore, the need to apply a strength-based approach has arrived. This type of approach is highly associated with the positive psychology that is used to explore the inner strength of the patient (Pule et al., 2018).

The strength-based approach is mainly built upon five principles. These are known as “Person/family centred care”, “Empowerment”, “Innate capacities for health and healing”, “Collaborative partnership”, and “Health promotion and healing” (Sun et al., 2019). Therefore, while forming partnerships with the aboriginal and “Torres Strait'' islanders, it is necessary for the nurses to increase their mental capacity to overcome past trauma and help them understand that the world is going through a depressing time in the current situation. Therefore, the Australian government has developed effective healthcare services that can help them overcome any type of disease while being completely respectful and faithful to their culture. Nurses should also demonstrate cases where chronic and fatal diseases have been cured in the past through visual representation. This can also help them form partnerships (Bissett, Gosselink & Van Haren, 2020).

This type of approach is founded on the idea that underpinning abilities and perseverance can be unlocked with perfectly structured support. As most aboriginals already live in rural areas of Australia, it can be assumed that the community has high resiliency and a strong will that has helped them survive even under adverse atmospheres. Therefore, the nurses can help them realise the fact that cancer is nothing compared to what the community has gone through for the past couple of centuries. They can also help them understand that with proper experimentation and healthcare, they will be able to beat cancer in a very short time (Fitzadam et al., 2021). In order to treat a patient, it is necessary for every healthcare practitioner to understand the need to help him or her explore the positive side of him or her, as psychology plays a big part in the process of healing an individual.

Even though cancer screening might be a lengthy process, it is necessary for every community within Australia to go through this so that they can take precautionary measurements. Meanwhile, the “strength-based approach” is a tool that works better if it is used on a particular community rather than on one person. Aboriginal Australians have been victims of racism and land dispossession (Banham et al., 2019). Despite these issues, they have been able to survive and maintain their culture. Therefore, the nurses should be respectful of the culture these aboriginal individuals are from. On the other hand, while the nurses are trying to promote cancer screening, it is important that they pay close attention to the core principles of the cultures of aboriginal and “Torres strait islanders”.

On the other hand, nurses can collaborate with a nearby healthcare centre to arrange campaigns on cancer and the importance of cancer screening. In order to properly understand the importance of cancer screening, the nurses need to gather more information first (Taylor et al., 2021). As the aboriginals and the “Torres Strait” islanders mostly live in rural areas, it might not be possible for them to get access to the internet. Even though the young generation might have access to some of the modern technologies, it is a different story for the older generations. Therefore, nurses can request individuals from the younger generation to help them convey the intended message regarding cancer screening to the older generation. If they learn more about modern technologies and their effect on cancer detection and cure, it will also strengthen their mental health and help them learn new confidence (Chynoweth et al., 2020).

Meanwhile on this community health assignment we also identify that nurses should also explain the importance of tests such as “The PSA test”, “CA-125 test”, and “Alpha-fetoprotein blood test” to the above-mentioned communities. In this process, they might come across several challenges, such as scepticism about the services provided by the Australian government (Mehra et al., 2020). However, with the help of a “strength-based approach”, nurses can emphasise the fact that technology has evolved over the years and if they put their faith in the Australian government and the nurses, they are guaranteed to receive proper healthcare services. Meanwhile, self-care should also be encouraged in the process (Arnaert et al., 2022). Nurses can help them realise that to properly take care of their loved ones; it is necessary for them to heal themselves and have the ability to undergo cancer screening tests and treatments successfully. This can be beneficial in terms of achieving long term benefits.

Conclusion
The above community health assignment has explored the characteristics of the aboriginals who live in Australia. They are strong and resilient but suffer from historical trauma and often feel underpowered. Meanwhile, cancer is a prevalent disease in the community and has a 40% mortality rate. Therefore, it is necessary for them to undergo cancer screening so that they can receive proper treatment from the Australian government. Therefore, this study has also explained how nurses can use the “strength-based approach” to psychologically empower the community and form partnerships with them.

Bibliography
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Dasgupta, P., Aitken, J. F., Condon, J., Garvey, G., Whop, L. J., DeBats, C., & Baade, P. D. (2020). Spatial and temporal variations in cervical cancer screening participation among indigenous and non-indigenous women, Queensland, Australia, 2008–2017. Cancer Epidemiology, 69, 101849.

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Mehra, S., Ghimire, R. H., Mingi, J. J., Hatch, M., Garg, H., Adams, R., & Heraganahally, S. S. (2020). Gender differences in the clinical and polysomnographic characteristics among Australian aboriginal patients with obstructive sleep apnea. Nature and Science of Sleep, 12, 593. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7455593/

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