Deaths and illness reports are used to examine the problems of the indigenous communities which have been found to have suffered early deaths compared to the rest of the Australian population. Taking into account the problems associated with the incidence of deaths among the indigenous populations, we are provided with a health comparison between the populations’ indigenous and the non-indigenous health conditions. In data provided by the Bureau of Statistics, common problems associated with indigenous communities includes: higher infant mortality rates and low birth weight (Ring and Brown, 2002: 629).
Both authors have likewise added in their report that the problem has been dropping in their data that sought to study the problem since the early 80’s. However their report revealed that among adults, there is a higher incidence of respiratory like smoking related deaths and circulatory problems like stroke and heart attacks which is 3 times more common among the indigenous peoples than in the non-indigenous populations (Ring and Brown, 2002:630).
The incidence of cardiovascular diseases has been found to be 1.3 times more common among the indigenous group with High blood pressure and congestive heart failures accounting for most conditions (Australian Bureau of Statistics [2], 2006). Reports have also revealed that cancer is more commonly diagnosed in the non-indigenous population and the leading causes of indigenous cancer deaths are often cancer-related diseases of the digestive and respiratory organs and often smoke-related (Australian Bureau of Statistics [1]).
Although deaths related to smoking are common, reports have also revealed that indigenous women are more prone to cervical cancer than breast cancer. Diabetes which is a major problem in Australia are reportedly more common among the non-indigenous group (Australian Bureau of Statistics [1], 2006), although the statistical bureau was quick to add that known difficulties of diagnosing the non-indigenous communities to create a substantial mode of comparison has posed a problem in providing a correct data.
Deaths from diabetes have increased among the indigenous people after reflecting particularly among the 35-53 age groups (Australian Bureau of Statistics [1], 2006). A rapid fall in the illness statistical data revealed in 2002 that the government’s prevalent efforts to reach out to these communities are favorable, yet the life expectancy gap between the indigenous and non-indigenous populations reflect that there has been no over-all improvement likewise evidenced in an infant mortality rate of more than 2 ? times of the total population (Ring and Brown, 2002:630).
Kidney disease problems which are common among the non-indigenous group have revealed a startling difference where deaths among the 25-34 and 45-54 age groups had resulted from chronic kidney diseases and were reportedly 30-40 times more common among the indigenous people (Australian Bureau of Statistics [1], 2006). Drug usage has proved difficult to examine in the indigenous groups where limited evidence posed as a known problem. Drug injection however has not been seen as a general problem compared to alcohol use but 2 % of urban Indigenous people have been found to have injected drugs (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2006).
Common injuries among the indigenous populations as revealed in hospital admissions were as a result of assaults, accidental falls and road crashes (Australian Bureau of Statistics [2], 2006) often not related to transport accidents or intentional self-harm. It is therefore a fundamental to provide equal access to the underserved populations in the far-flung areas in order to justify preventive measures set with a systematic care for the marginalized sectors of the country.
If the current reports reveal increasing health problems among the marginalized, suffice for us to conclude that there is a relative lack of services that would provide a mode of prevention for the marginalized people. Clearly, the geographical and social distribution of health provision has continued to be a problem among the culturally diverse population where medical teams are still limited for this target group.
References Australia (1). Australian Bureau of Statistics [Handout]. (2006). National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survery: Australia, 2004-05 (ABS catalogueno.4715).
Canberra: ABS. Australia (2). Australian Bureau of Statistics [Handout]. (2006). Australian Statistician and Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Chandler, T. (2001). Outback and in again – a new graduate’s experience of rural and remote nursing. 6th National Rural Health Conference Abstracts Handbook, p. 91. Ring, Ian and Brown, Ngaire. (2002). Indigenous health: chronically inadequate responses to damning statistics. Medical Journal of Australia, 177 2(16) December, p. 629-631. Dunn, P. (1989). Rural Australia: are you standing in it?
Rural Welfare Research Bulletin, 2, pp. 12-13. Goold, S. (1998). Caring for Aboriginal people- realty or myth? AARN 7th National Conference Rural Nurses in Australia Lessons from History: Shaping our New Millennium Conference Proceedings. 12-14th March, Adelaide, pp. 121-127. Grogan, N. (1997). Personal perspective of the diverse roles of sole nurse practitioners in a rural community. 5th National Conference of the Association for Australian Rural Nurses, “Rural Nursing: Celebrating Diversity” Conference Proceedings, 1-3 Feb, pp. 85-98.