The Effects Of Assimilation On Indigenous Australians

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1. Currently, the estimated population of Australian Indigenous people is 698,583 people (as of 30 June 2013) (Australian Indigenous Health InfoNet [AIHIN] 2013). Compared to previous years, the trend has become decreasingly significant and concerning. To add up to this, the life expectancy, death rate (especially with young and middle adult years), infant mortality, is higher with indigenous Australians compared to non-indigenous Australians. The leading causes of this dilemma are cardiovascular diseases, cancer (in various forms, and accidents or injury). Although there are a lot of reasons why this health threats are targeting Indigenous Australians, the most reported factors that are contributing to the their present health status of are…show more content…
When this kind of effect happens to a certain group or population, it could have harmful consequences towards their identity. It is because indigenous Australians economic status, sex, race and ethnicity area affected by the change and became the target for racist comments and ruined their “identity”, in fact, they did not have to face situations like this (racism) prior to the Assimilation Policy, putting them at a higher risk for developing mental problems, that greatly affect the total well being of an individual, tribe or culture (AIHIN 2013). Racism, one out of five Australians experience it everyday (All together now 2014). And it has brought varying effects to people in Australia, especially the Indigenous Australians. Racism has given them the wrong identity of being violent, unhealthy, sickly, poor and uneducated; it is just traumatic, when in fact all of these happened because of their exposure to racism (Creative Spirits 2013). If we can only appreciate what they are before they were colonised, certainly our view to them will be different and their identity would not as what is…show more content…
Indigenous Health workers are one of the keys that nurses and midwives could give culturally safe health care. Through education and training from government health workers, Indigenous health workers can render care to their community which could be culturally accepted and secure. Also, the indigenous community can be assured of the quality and equality of the health care given. It is really hard to approach a culturally diverse community especially in terms of health care, but because of the presence of an Indigenous health worker the gap between two diverse cultures can be bridged providing a continuity of care. (Ware

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