Indigenous Health

Social Determinants of Indigenous Health

Social Determinants of Indigenous Health

Introduction

The Council of Australian Government (COAG) has proposed the policy “Closing the Gap” for the Indigenous health program. According to the policy, the population of Australia accesses to the preventative, primary, comprehensive and effective health care. These facilities are significant for the improvement of life expectancy along with the health, and for the reduction of mortality rate resulting from the chronic diseases. The effective health care services, either community or the governmental, are important for the Indigenous populace. Therefore, the 'Closing the Gap' curriculum of the council of Australian government demands the strenuous efforts. These efforts must ally to the provision of the treatment, management, and prevention of the chronic disease and infections. Moreover, Indigenous people and their children require the services and policies significant for promotion of their health (Pholi and Black, 2009, pp. 1-13). The policy related to Indigenous health disadvantages and inequality is the dominant aim of the Australian government. Besides this, several analysts and think tanks have focused their attention on the policy to critique. Analysts have illustrated the social determinants of health as the overarching evidence related to the 'Closing the Gap' (Anderson, Baum & Bentley, 2007). This article discusses the considerable disproportion regarding power and control over the affairs of Aboriginals of Australia. Government of Australia must identify the gap and endeavor to improve the welfare of Indigenous Australian.

Discussion

The social determinants of health are the factors related to culture and socio-economy. These factors are outside the domain of direct health policies and services, and influence the health status of communities and individuals. These social determinants encompass the housing, employment and education. The policies proposed by 'Closing the Gap' target these areas directly. Furthermore, there are more determinants such as the cultural difference, social exclusion and control on the circumstances of life (Anderson et al, 2007). These factors are associated to the targeted issues of 'Closing the Gap,' but the policymakers have overlooked development and implementation of useful policies, particularly related to the social determinants regarding Indigenous health.

Since many quarters, the investigators are expressing their concerns regarding policy actions of Australian government. They emphasize on the incompatibility of policies with the commitments of human rights (HR, 2011). The existing policies are incoherent with many declaration aspects associated to the cultural domain. The significant aspects of Indigenous population encompass;

The participation in development and implementation of policy, self determination rights

The capacity to sustain and practice their distinctive customs.

The policies of 'Closing the Gap' are expected to exaggerate the procedures of cultural values destruction, as well as estrangement from conventional grounds. This factor also influences the negative impression in other regions of Indigenous people (AIHW, 2008). The policies of 'Closing the Gap' have failed to consider the significance of Aboriginal empowerment and culture (Memmott et al, 2009).

Many analysts encourage the efforts of Australian government regarding welfare of Indigenous population. However, many of them analyze these steps critically. These policies do not possess the ...