Aboriginal Health Essay

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Tamara Harbour HLTHIR404D Work Effectively With Aboriginal and/ or Torres Strait Islander People Assessment Task: Portfolio: HEALTH Health can be defined in many different ways. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as “A state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”. (World Health Organization, 2003, website) The Indigenous health of Australians living in rural and remote areas, compared to those residing in developed and city areas, are poor and suffer from higher levels of poverty and crime, poor standards of education, higher unemployment rates and poor health. Data collected on the health status…show more content…
The most common STD’s affecting the Aboriginal population is syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia. Statistics show that about 1,207 per 100, 000 of the Indigenous population are infected with chlamydia in comparison to 95 per 100,000 of the non- Indigenous populations. In 2001, the Australian Northern Territory had the highest rate of infection among people aged between 15- 19 years and majority of these infections occurred in Aboriginal teenagers. The pregnancy rate for female teenagers of the Indigenous origins is five times greater in comparison to those of a non-Indigenous origin. The use of condoms are proven effective to protect from the contraction of an STD and the prevent un- wanted pregnancies but, due to the cultural, socioeconomic and environmental factors and beliefs, the use of condoms in Aboriginal communities are quite little. Sex education is usually aimed the entire population but the education is not always reached to some Indigenous Australians. This may be due to the language barriers involved (Indigenous people may have different languages and may not know English), the term “sexual acts” might vary between Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and English terms, the availability and access of sex education may be limited for those living in rural and remote areas where there is limited access to medical facilities, health care professionals or doctors to consult. (HLTHIR404C, Study guide, p.p. 9 &
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