Healthcare Assignment: Developing New Idea for Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders

Question

Task: To prepare this healthcare assignment, students are required to reflect on their learning and discuss a new idea they have learnt this semester that haschanged the way they understand the experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

2. Students are required to link this reflection to discuss their understanding of how cultural identity andunderstanding influence health equity. This should draw from the definition of health used by CATSINaM definition of Aboriginal health which " means not just the physical well-being of an individual but refers to the social, emotional and cultural well-being of the whole Community in which each individual is able to achieve their full potential as a human being, thereby bringing about the total well-being of their Community. It is a whole-of-life view and includes the cyclical concept of life-death-life "National Aboriginal Health Strategy (1989).

3. Students are required to support their argument by referencing and acknowledging the material / lectures/ reading/ tutorials or other experiences that framed this new learning. 4. Using APA 6 or 7th edition, a minimum of 10 references will be required to support your argument.

Answer

Introduction
Reflection analysis enables becoming more aware of learning and own thinking processes to develop a clear or transparent understanding regarding a topic. In the current healthcare assignment, learning from the module regarding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people has been conducted. By going through the various online learning materials from the module and virtual 'Yarning circle' tutorials along with online activities, there have been various new ideas that have been learned in this semester to understand the ways and experiences of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The reflection process has been conducted using Gibbs cycle of reflection to reveal in step by step manner ways in which cultural identity and influencing health equity affects overall health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Reflection Analysis
Gibbs's cycle of reflection allows a manner of the formative evaluation of learning by initiating by a description of the experience, feelings, then evaluation of the same to draw conclusions and action plan from the same (Adeani et al., 2020).

Description: At the beginning of the module regarding contemporary issues in indigenous health, I had a mindset that everywhere there was talk regarding contemporary challenges faced by indigenous people, which was mainly due to their attitude of being averse to healthcare. Post starting of the online learning modules, I came across various cultural concepts of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (McCallum, and Waller, 2017). Most important amongst these concepts were the different articles that reflected ill-health associated with mental as well as physical aspects of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. I was amazed by reading through the different diseases, rates of suicide, massacre, and other cases associated with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. All the material learning from the weeks revealed that there is a great disparity in the social determinants amongst the indigenous people and other Australians. The second week revealed the tremendous efforts undertaken by the Australian government and other agencies such as the Human Rights Commission to bring their health disparity at par with others in Australia. Historical issues have been tremendous to push back the indigenous people way back from the current times, leading these entire communities of people to live their lives amidst a crisis. Prejudice and disparity have led these people to face racism and inequality deterring their access to health services which can render effectiveness, affordability, and appropriateness (Best, and Fredericks, 2018). From the several initiatives undertaken along with literature evidence, it has emerged as a prominent fact that the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people require a more directed and continuous healthcare approach that can enable closing the gap in the future period.

Cultural importance amongst the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is tremendous and can impact their health as well as overall wellbeing. All the Federal Government policies especially the "Closing the Gap" is aimed at bringing about a bridge or connectedness amongst the indigenous as well as non-indigenous people. There are still present various misconceptions connected to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people amongst health professionals who need changing such that they can perceive problems and challenges associated with the indigenous people in a greater light. By bringing about greater awareness regarding the cultural relevance of the indigenous people it will be possible to connect to them understanding their problems and cater to health care in a better manner (Griffiths et al., 2019). The role and prevalence of cultural safety have tremendous prominence and healthcare professionals need to abide by them to render culturally safe and appropriate care to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. As depicted by the report of the Human Rights Commission, the indigenous people lack behind in several rights and do not get the basic human rights that people in Australia have access to. Hence to improve health outcomes for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, the disparity existing in health need to be tackled, people especially healthcare professionals need to educated in cultural safety and practices such that they can play an important role in bringing about transformation.

Feelings:Thelearnings from the week's module and cases shocked me. It was the development of a new idea on the health perspective of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. It was contrasted with my entire belief. Earlier I felt that the Aboriginal and Torres Strait people not getting enough medical and health care facilities was due to their cultural preservations. They wanted to avoid the new technological advancements and wanted to remain confined within their own cultural beliefs and traditions. However, with the new learning, I feel that I will need to revisit all the concepts I have within me regarding health issues faced by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to have a better understanding of their experiences. Without knowing in-depth the transgenerational trauma experienced by them, it is nearly impossible to tackle their situation or render an appropriate health care intervention in physical or mental wellbeing to them. Most people especially healthcare professionals are either unaware or remain averse to the concept of getting educated regarding the cultural safety of Aboriginal people. I felt with such disparity prevalent amongst the indigenous and non-indigenous people there has to be some point where a transformation is adopted such that the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people can get better healthcare for themselves and their future generations. Cultural safety and having awareness of culture is a very minute concept however has an important role to play in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait people's life as well as well-being. To bring about equity in health and remove all disparities in the future generations, the children must be supported and provided with the right attitude and care such that they have a healthy future. For a healthy future of Australia, the mental along with physical well-being must be maintained. Apart from children of the Aboriginal people, the women also need to be considered and men for the entire health and well-being of the community, in turn, society.

Evaluation: The learning from the week revealed cultural concepts connected to Aboriginal health. As rightly pointed out by CATSINaM Aboriginal health implies a state of physical well-being along with the emotional, social, and cultural well-being of the entire community, where members can achieve their full capacity as a human being. This includes the entire cyclical concept of life-death-life as depicted by the National Aboriginal Health Strategy (1989). Not only the men but women and children also in the Aboriginal communities face tremendous disparities and discrimination in health even till now in Australia. Lack of education, awareness, access to health has deterred their capability to get appropriate health care for men, women, and children (Gee et al., 2014). This is the primary reason for the prevalence of higher death rates, lower rates of mortalities, higher incidence of diseases especially co-morbidities, lower-levels of nutrition, poor-health overall to deal with the diseases. When going through the weekly module of my learning experience, I understood that not only these people have cultural identities, their historical perspectives have detached them from the other societies in Australia, this has mostly impacted the health disparities, education hence overall well-being. So, only efforts to provide them access to health is not enough, it is crucial that they are educated and provided the guidance such that they can access health schemes provided by the Federal Government. Hence tremendous efforts are needed to bring them at par and provide them equal access as well as opportunities such that they experience similar health and wellbeing as against the rest of the Australian population. There need to be regular interventions undertaken to spread awareness of diseases and ways to tackle them such that they can also come into the forefront and play a crucial role in transforming the ways they receive healthcare. As a healthcare professional, I will need to adopt a more direct approach to develop an accommodative healthcare practice to include indigenous people. For a prolonged period, the indigenous people have remained aloof from contemporary approaches, healthcare professionals must teach one another regarding cultural awareness such that each one can develop culturally inclusive practice. The overall condition of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in regards to their health outcomes remains inconclusive and efforts are needed from healthcare professionals such that parity in health can be attained as designated by the Federal Government targets.

Conclusion: Learning regarding contemporary issues that are being faced by the indigenous people is tremendous and they are pilling up along with the presence of historical issues. Therefore, all efforts need to be undertaken such that more trustworthy and inclusive healthcare practice can be developed that is free from racial discrimination and age-old practices. There have been tremendous efforts to push back the Aboriginals and Torres Strait people so now to bring them forwards tremendous efforts have to be made such that they feel at par and have equitable access to health as compared to other Australians. As a healthcare professional, there remain tremendous challenges that lie ahead along with work that need to be applied to bring about equities in healthcare practices. So every healthcare professional needs to act as a healthcare leader in their capacities and tackle the contemporary issues in health such that each one can impact the lives of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Prejudice and disparity have to be removed from these people who face racism and inequality deterring their access to health services which can render effectiveness, affordability, and appropriateness. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people require a more directed and continuous healthcare approach that can enable closing the gap in the future period.

Action plan:Learnings from this have provided the tremendous transfer of knowledge regarding the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and inequities in health. It has enabled the introduction of the cyclical concept of life-death-life which in turn has opened up a series of challenges present in health issues amongst the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. I will try and remember each of these learnings by maintaining a journal of the same. This will allow me to recollect them easily. I will try and apply these learnings in my profession such that I can bring about some changes in the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. I will try and impact some lives of theirs such that they can live with their full potential as human beings. I feel that with some individual efforts, there will be effectiveness brought about in the lives of these people and terms of their entire community as a whole. I will try and render care to the indigenous people in a culturally appropriate and comprehensive manner.

Conclusion
In conclusion, learning from this module transformed my vision entirely towards the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. It included important perspectives and points highlighting the contemporary issues along with historical challenges that impact the health of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. With this tremendous learning, I feel that I need to apply them such that with some of my efforts some equities in health can be attained. In my professional life, I will try and apply my learning in real-life to be able to bring about some positive changes in the community and the entire society as well.

References
Adeani, I.S., Febriani, R.B., Syafryadin, S., Mangana, A.V., Kurniawan, E., Ananda, J. and Maryam, S., Using GIBBS reflective cycle in making reflections of literary analysis. Indonesian EFL Journal (IEFLJ), 6(2), pp.139-148.Doi: 10.25134/ieflj.v6i2.3382.

Best, O. and Fredericks, B. (Ed.). 2018. Yatdjuligin (2nd ed.). Cambridge, United Kingdom, Cambridge University Press. Gee, G., Dudgeon, P., Schultz, C., Hart, A. and Kelly, K., 2014. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social and emotional wellbeing. Healthcare assignmentWorking together: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health and wellbeing principles and practice, 2, pp.55-68.

Griffiths, K., Coleman, C., Al-Yaman, F., Cunningham, J., Garvey, G., Whop, L., Pulver, L.J., Ring, I. and Madden, R., 2019. The identification of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in official statistics and other data: Critical issues of international significance. Statistical Journal of the IAOS, 35(1), pp.91-106.

McCallum, K. and Waller, L. 2017. The dynamics of news and Indigenous policy in Australia. The University of Chicago Pre