Health Disparities In Indigenous Australia

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Indigenous Australians, comprising the two distinct cultural groups of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (First Nations) peoples, are the first peoples of Australia. There exists broad diversity within these two groups, constituted by hundreds of subgroups with unique languages, histories and cultural traditions (AIHW, 2023). The Commonwealth Department of Aboriginal Affairs in the 1980s defined an Indigenous Australian as “a person of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent who identifies as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander and is accepted as such by the community in which he or she lives” (AIATSIS, 2020). Yet, despite Indigenous Australians representing a crucial fraction of the Australian population, they face a multitude of …show more content…
A history of colonisation, dispossession, and assimilation policies have directly influenced the demographic shifts experienced by Indigenous Australians. These processes have fundamentally impacted the health, social, economic, and cultural livelihoods of Indigenous peoples (Paradies, 2016). The violent, forced dispossession of land not only deprived Indigenous Australians of their spiritual connection to the land -- their source of cultural identity, medicine, and food, but also created cycles of social disruption and health disparities that continue today (Sherwood, 2013). The stripping of land rights removed a crucial resource base that sustained Indigenous economies and social systems, directly leading to modern levels of poverty amongst Indigenous populations (Cornell, 2006). “Poorer people”, with lesser access to healthcare, nutrition, food security, adequate living conditions, and educational opportunities and increased psychological stress, are significantly more susceptible to worse health outcomes (Wilkinson and Marmot, …show more content…
Moreover, the loss of traditional family structures, and, thus, cultural transmission, had enduring effects on the health and well-being of both directly affected and subsequent generations. Van Krieken’s study demonstrates a link between victims of the Stolen Generation and higher incidences of mental health disorders, substance abuse, and overall lower health outcomes. Hence, the Stolen Generation exemplifies how assimilation policies not only disrupted traditional Indigenous Australian lifestyles but also caused lasting health disparities stemming from psychological and emotional damage. Additionally, geographic isolation and systemic inequities within the healthcare system further contribute to poorer health outcomes for Indigenous Australians. 26% of Indigenous Australians aged 15 and over in non-remote areas reported difficulties accessing health services, whereas only 2.6% of the general population faced similar issues (AIHW, 2011; ABS,
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