HUMANITARIAN ENGINEERING CONFERENCE 2011

A view from Indigenous Australia

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MURNDUCH & ESSO FOR LARAKIA

CULTURAL DIVERSITY

KALKARINGI TO MABUIAG

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CONNECTION TO COUNTRY & SEAS

IGILYAWA (KALAW LAGAW YA & KALAU KAWAU YA

STRENGTH THROUGH CULTURAL KNOWLEDGE

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

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GURINDJI

COMBINATION OF CULTURES

CONSTRUCT OF HEALTH WELLBEING

Interconnectedness Family, Community & Country

Identity & Cultural

Spirituality

Physical

Social

Psychological

MULTIPLE DIMENSIONS OF ABORIGINAL & TORRES STRAIT

ISLANDER WELLBEING

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

PRACTICING THE ART & SCIENCE OF MEDICINE

Indigenous Practitioner

Culture

Connectedness to Community

Holistic Framework

Indigenous World View

AUSTRALIAN INDIGENOUS DOCTORS ASSOCIATION

CULTURE

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

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

PRIMARY HEALTH CARE & ACADEMIA

PROFILE OF ABORIGINAL PEOPLES’ & TORRES STRAIT

ISLANDERS

Population of Australia 28/03/2010 – 22,287,135.

Australia Aborginal & Torres Strait Islander 517,000 – 2.5%

Northern Territory – 43%

INDIGENOUS HEALTH WORKFORCE

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

POPULATION PROFILES

THE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS

OF HEALTH

Complex historical, social, cultural environmental factors

Poor Accessibility

Culturally Unsafe Environments

Inequalities in health, social, educational and economic outcomes

SOCIAL DISADVANTAGE

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

CURRENT PROFILE OF ABORIGINAL PEOPLE & TORRES

STRAIT ISLANDERS

Indigenous People have the poorest health in Australia

The life expectancy is 17-18 years less than Non-Indigenous Australians

In contrast to other Indigenous Peoples – Maori, Hawaiian, Native Indians and Canadian Aboriginal Peoples

COMMUNITY LIFE

CHRONIC HEALTH PROBLEMS

Asthma & Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Ischaemic Heart Disease

Renal Disease

Type Two Diabetes

Mental Health

Substance Misuse

ACUTE HEALTH ISSUES

Injury – MVA & Assault

Suicide

Conditions associated with Streptococcal Infections

Acute Rheumatic Heart Fever

Acute Post Streptococcal Glomerulonephritis

Pneumocccal Disease

COMMUNICABLE & INFECTIOUS DISEASES

Tuberculosis

Hansan’s Disease

Rheumatic Heart Disease

Hepatitis

Meningitis

Trachoma

BARRIERS FOR WELLBEING

Language

Education

Institutional and Systemic Racism

Poverty

Intergenerational Trauma

High Unemployment

Poor literacy

Accessibility to Health & Education

Poor Housing

CLOSE THE GAP

SELF DETERMINATION

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

CONCLUSION

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.

Child aged 12, Thursday Island Croc Festival, July 2007

Child aged 5, Thursday Island Croc Festival, July 2007

Murnduch & Esso – Thank you