ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER HEALTH

Introduction

The health condition of Australia’s first or native people is considered as the most critical health priority. Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginals are regarded as the most disadvantaged and deprived indigenous people in the context of the developed world. This study has examined the connection between the social and emotional well-being of these people and the western concept of mental health.

a) Describing differences between the aboriginal concept of psychological well-being and social well-being concerning mental health

In Australia, Aboriginals and Torres Islanders use the term social and emotional well-being to describe emotional, cultural, spiritual, and social welfare on an individual. As per the views of Jersky et al. (2016), social connectedness among the Aboriginal can influence their lifestyle. This term can recognize the connection of the native people with family, land, culture, community, and spirituality. On the other hand, it can be used by a person for explaining influence on social and emotional aspects by past events and policies.

However, western term mental health can be used to discuss the mental health of an individual. This term is used to identify the way how people feel and think to participate in daily life. According to the perspective of non-Aboriginals, people are mentally healthy while they have no mental illness. Apart from these, while people become unwell mentally, it affects feelings, behavior, and thinking (healthinfonet.ecu.edu.au, 2019). As per the culture of native Australian, the concept of emotional well-being is more holistic than mental health. It can be mentioned that the services of mental health are controlled and designed by the dominant society for the dominant people. According to the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation, the following definition can be mentioned:

“Aboriginal health does not mean the physical well-being of an individual but refers to the social, emotional, and cultural well-being of the whole community. For Aboriginal people, this is seen in terms of the whole-life-view (healthinfonet.ecu.edu.au, 2019).”

The Aboriginals think that mental health and the concept can cover mental illness rather than describing the factors to influence well-being.  To address holistic views of health, they prefer social and emotional well-being rather than mental health. Based on the opinions of Schutze, Pulver & Harris (2016), Aboriginals can experience more significant mortality and morbidity by comparing with non-Aboriginals in case of the native Australians, and past events can impact on emotional and social well-being. The factors regarding the possession of lands, policies can be considered as determinants to the prosperity of the people. The Aboriginals consider social and emotional well-being as a priority as it can describe general disadvantages experienced by Torres Islanders and Aboriginals. However, mental health is unable to express the experiences of the native people of Australia. Emotional and social well-being can not only address the health condition of the people, but also, it can explain disadvantages regarding employment, education and income, and the position of the society of native Australians. As per the views of Delbridge, Wilson & Palermo (2018), the health condition of Aboriginals has been impacted by health policies and colonization. It can help to support the social determinants of health, which are related to external stresses. On the other hand, mental health well-being can support the process of identifying mood disorders, anxiety disorders, and psychotic disorders.

b) Describing the time and the way for Aboriginal Medical Services to be evolved with health care principles of WHO

The Aboriginal Medical Service was established in 1971 to provide medical support to the people of Australia (sydneybarani.com.au, 2019). Concerning the health care facilities for Aboriginals, this organization is considered as the first Aboriginal community-run service for medical health in Australia.  There are some non-aboriginal doctors who served the Aboriginal people. In the year 1977, AMS moved to St Vincent’s Catholic Church (sydneybarani.com.au, 2019). This organization has focused on not only the health condition of the people but the well-being of them based on social and emotional aspects.

AMS has decided to focus on both the health and social well-being of the native people influenced by the World Health Organisation (WHO).  Harper et al. (2015) have commented that the primary care principles can not only address health needs for a particular time, but also it can support well-being by considering primary care approaches for the Aboriginals. By considering these factors, primary care approaches can improve the welfare of the entire community. WHO has set the primary care principle to meet the people for identifying the health needs not for any specific period but a lifetime. In association with this principle of WHO, AMS has arranged health initiatives programs to identify the needs of the Aboriginals.  According to Schutze, Pulver & Harris (2016), the Practice Incentives Program can receive additional payments concerning chronic disease management for Torres Strait Islanders and Aboriginal patients. As per the principle of WHO, the authority of this organization can address broader determinants through multi-sectoral policies (who.int, 2019).  Thus, AMS can empower individuals, communities, and families to take charge of their health condition.

Based on the guideline of WHO and the primary care principles, AMS can improve the health and well-being of the native people in Australia. As per the views of Harper et al. (2015), the process of understanding the sources, health data, and quality of health conditions, the organization can arrange public health programs to serve the Aboriginals. The health care professionals can provide person-centered care to the Aboriginal people (Nyanga et al. 2018). Along with disease prevention and health promotion, providing primary care facilities to the Torres Islanders and Aboriginals are essential for the health care service organizations.

c) Describing the way through which both emotional and social well-being is applied in Aboriginal Community Controlled Health

Community-based healing initiatives can improve the psychological well-being of the Aboriginal people. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Healing Foundation is formed to prevent suicide and to improve the mental health condition of the people. On the other hand, this organization has supported well-being initiatives. It has supported 323 well-being initiatives, 692 activities for culture, and 569 cultural activities (aihw.gov.au, 2013). Apart from these, the Government of Australia has focused on Fourth Mental Health Plan (2009-2014) to renew the framework of emotional and social well-being. Concerning the current context, The Family Wellbeing Program has been developed to influence the family relationship among the society of Torres Islanders and Aboriginals (aihw.gov.au, 2013).

Along with these initiatives by the GovernmentGovernment, agendas arranged by private and voluntary non-profit social care organizations can improve the framework of emotional and social well-being for Aboriginals. According to Kilcullen Swinbourne & Cadet‐James (2016), Indigenous-specific programs can control their emotions and identify similarities in the understanding of health and well-being facilities. To address particular health issues of Aboriginal people, the GovernmentGovernment of Australia has formed several strategies and policies (Browne et al. 2017).

Motivational care planning to mental health can help the Aboriginals by decreasing dependencies with mental illness. Triple P-Positive Parenting Program, MindMatters, and Resourceful Adolescent Program have been arranged to provide cultural competencies and to achieve positive outcomes with the native Australians (aihw.gov.au, 2013). On the other hand, the health department of Australian has arranged the Suicide Prevention Strategy, which can analyze the mental condition of Torres Islanders and Aboriginals and can prevent the rate of suicide (health.gov.au, 2019). According to Deroy & Schütze (2019), a collaborative approach to both the mental health and well-being of the Aboriginals can improve emotional well-being by enhancing their confidence.

Victorian Aboriginal Justice Agreement has supported social and emotional well-being plan for Aboriginal Australians. This plan can help people to develop mental health conditions and treatment services (justice.vic.gov.au, 2019). This plan also supports in preventing disease and health promotion, in the continuity of care and safe services. It has been analyzed that the native Australian people can find a strong cultural identity which can improve the status of mental health. National Disability Strategy 2010-2020 and the insurance scheme for the Aboriginals can enhance social well-being and emotional well-being. Thus, several policies and plans for Torres Islanders and Aboriginals can be applied with the health service facilities.

Conclusion

This study has analyzed that rather than mental health, the concept of social and emotional well-being, the native people of Australia use social and emotional well-being as it has a holistic connotation. It has been observed that they believe that social and psychological aspects of health and holistic approach of health can complement each other. Thus, it can be concluded that based on adequate health care facilities, GovernmentGovernment and other non-profit organizations can improve the health and well-being of the native people in Australia.

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