Primary Health Care

Culture is not static. Culture is a dynamic ever-changing process. Cultural values and norms differ from one society to another. This is why culturally primary health appropriate care is highly important in improving the outcomes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Australians. In 2013 the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) brought out a strategic ten point plan to help combat the aboriginal health status. This paper will focus on the second goal, to deliver innovation comprehensive primary health care. With the goal to increase the access to culturally appropriate comprehensive primary health care to bridge the gap in care to ATSI to improve health outcomes. This essay will give a brief overview the

According the Australian Bureau of Statistics (2013) the gap has narrowly reduced, currently the life expectancy of ATSI is still ten years less than other Australians. The main contributing factor to this is chronic disease, it is estimated that two thirds of premature deaths of ATSI Australians. The ATSI population is prone to many illnesses such as diabetes, chronic renal disease, liver failure and cardiac issues. As is shown by the Australian Bureau of Statistics 2012-13 Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey: Biomedical Results. This survey shows that one in ten of the ATSI population has diabetes, and a further four precent were at high risk of developing the disease. This survey also showed that two in every tree had one high risk factor for cardiovascular disease such as high cholesterol. The survey also discovered that one in five had signs of chronic kidney disease. This is also discussed by Hoy et al. (2010) chronic diseases are common in remote Aboriginal communities, there are higher rates on hypertension, renal disease and diabetes. These chronic diseases are a predictor for cardiovascular risk, the leading cause of

2009). These social determinants have played a major role within indigenous communities, such as early childhood education, low social gradient, unemployment and access, leading to social disadvantage. Marmot discusses that health is dependent to the conditions in which people live. ATSI people have identified many social determinants themselves as is discussed in Zubrick et al. (2010), these include substance abuse, removal from family, unsolved grief, domestic violence and discrimination. Zubrick et al. (2010) also identified that those most at risk live in remote areas of Australia, as 29% of all cases were reported in remote areas. Thomas et al. (2008) discusses that ATSI Australians when surrounded but such social determinants of health find it exceedingly difficult to break the mold and move up the social