Racism Among Torres Strait Islanders People (Australia)

Racism among Torres Strait Islanders People

Racism is a belief that certain race is inferior or superior to another. It is also the notions that people have that the essential biological features that predetermine the individual’s social and moral characteristics. Torres Strait Islanders people are indigenous people who live in Australia. These people are still entrenched to their cultures and they use them to conduct their daily activities. There is a noteworthy discrimination experienced by this group of people in Australia (Paradies & Cunningham, 2009). The paper will address the racism, which Torres Strait Islanders people undergo in regards to public health and offers recommendation that could be implemented to address these challenges to ensure that the community enjoy the available resources in Australia as other population.

In the health survey conducted between 2012 and 2013, 16 percent of the Torres Strait Islanders Australians reported that they were treated poorly within some 12 months because of the indigenous people (Mercer, 2013). However, the racism among Torres Strait Islanders people ranges from 16% to 96%. Nearly all Torres Strait Islanders people have experienced racism with 35% reporting that they underwent experiences that they perceive as racism. Indigenous Australians have been found to die while they are young and are more regularly sick, fundamentally for the reason that in several places they do not have access to decent nutrition, clean running water and adequate housing with secure sanitation systems (Paradies & Cunningham, 2009). Not a bit of these fundamentals is beyond the capability of Australian governments to offer (Beaglehole & Bonita, 2004). The percentage concluded that there are different ways and approaches which Australians health care systems handle their patients. In addition, there is low survival rate for cancer in Torres Strait Islanders people because they are less likely to be attended in the health care systems (Detels, et al., 2011). They have to wait for longer periods before they are attended and being later referred for specialist’s treatment. The issue has led the Torres Strait Islanders people to have less trust on the hospitals. It is indispensable that the detrimental effects of racism on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander natives are known and recognized by all organizations and persons offering services in the healthcare (Dawes, 2005). In order to play a responsibility in the abolition of racism in healthcare system, linked health experts are well placed because of the large number of professions represented and the extensive variety of settings in which they work together with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals (Detels, et al., 2011).

Education, Employment and Poverty

Despite the fact that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals are discriminated in health care provision, these people are also these people do not access employment and education. In 2008, the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals who were unemployed was likely to be using illicit substances (Nguyen, & Cairney, 2013). Due to lack of proper education, majority these people do not know the protective measures in the prevention of human immune deficiency virus (HIV) such as sharing of syringes. They are liable to share needles when injecting drugs (Paradies & Cunningham, 2009).  These people also are less likely to adhere to the prescription of medicines offered in the health care due to neglect and ignorance they have. Most of their children have not attended school have difficulty in interpreting the prescriptions and other recommendations offered in the health care center ((Detels, et al., 2011).

In regards to the employment, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals are also discriminated in the provision of employment services. Most are jobless and are living under poverty. They are not able to pay for their medical services and most end up dying while at home.  Accessing some therapies for cancer is an issue to them because the process is expensive to research indicates that these people are less (Nguyen, & Cairney, 2013). Poverty among them is also an issue which affects their health care decision. Most are not able to access food, and they end up relying on unbalanced diets that make them susceptible to malnutrition disorders (Paradies & Cunningham, 2009).

Figure 1: Source; (Health-Performance-Framework, 2014)

Torres Strait Islanders people has been typically excluded from mainstream power structures, for instance; these people were not recognized as citizens of Australia till 1967. The cultural practices like land management serve to integrate, emotional, spiritual and physical aspects of health and wellbeing (Nguyen, & Cairney, 2013). The administration of the country encompasses environment manipulation to enhance high sustainable natural resources. It has been found that not all Torres Strait Islanders people knowledge is sustainable, thus it raises the need for collaboration between traditional and western management of land. Politicians are speedy to suggest ‘solutions’ or use the money, but to solve social and political issues they have to get out to Torres Strait Islanders communities and listen to the affected people.

By now, the majority strategies have fail, and Torres Strait Islanders natives are tired of politicians who just keep promising. All these factors undermine chances and capacity of Torres Strait Islanders people to engage in the management of their lands in ways, which are important to the wellbeing of Torres Strait Islanders. In addition, the Australian political system has been slow in developing policies which could assist Torres Strait Islanders people to be recognized just like any other citizens (Baum, 2008). Even with the increased racism in hospitals, the government efforts have not entirely offered a remedy to the issue. The voice of representatives of Torres Strait Islanders people is still undermined, and their problems are not attended quickly making treatment of some chronic diseases be a big problem for them. (Paradies & Cunningham, 2009).  

Political Factors

Torres Strait Islander people are isolated in poor living environments. Due to lack of unemployment, which contributes to poverty, Torres Strait Islanders people live in poor environments, and it is a significant implication to their health. For instance, they live in an overcrowded condition that can lead to spread of airborne disease (Beaglehole, 2003). The treatment and water supply within their localities is an issue making them vulnerable to water-borne infections. Inadequate sewage disposal creates a filthy environment, and there is the high risk of getting infections (Brownson, 2003). They are also far from health facilities making them unable to travel and treatment (Baum, 2008).

The different beliefs on health have caused the government to discriminate indigenous populations for the reason that their beliefs are audited and cannot work hand in hand with current health care. Torres Strait Islander people and non-Torres Strait Islander peoples have different opinions on health and wellbeing. Torres Strait Islander people typically perceive hospitalization as a site of rehabilitation, healing, and security for better health (Gillam, et al., 2007). Based on the beliefs of Torres Strait Islander peoples the hospital may be classified as an area where individuals go when they are in distress and more than expected a place of death.  Working as a health expert, it is indispensable that all care is done in regards to the unique requirements of each patient in ensuring that there is a improved health (Baum, 2008).

Due to poor health care monitoring among indigenous people, the obesity among Torres Strait Islander people is high. The research done in 2012-2013 indicates the obesity among 15 years old individuals in this community is 37%. The Torres Strait Islander adults are 1.6 times more to be obese in comparison with other population. Women have high obesity rates of 40% that is a clear indication of developing chronic illness (Schneider, 2006). The high Body Mass Index (BMI) among Torres Strait Islander children hinders their performance in school as well as their physical activities that could assist in improving their health.

The ,main cause of obesity among the Torres Strait Islander  population is as a result of the physical inactivity where the community do not have good infrastructure that can enable them to exercise. The community members have not been included in various competitions that the other communities are enjoying. Further, the Torres Strait Islander relies mostly on carbohydrates as their main meal, which aggravates the issue of obesity among the population.  Further, psychological factors have been associated with the increased cases of obesity among the Torres Strait Islander  since many of them are living under poverty and lack of employment which increases chances of one becoming obese. (Fleming & Parker, 2007).

Physical Environment- Overcrowded Conditions

Figure 2 source: (Health-Performance-Framework, 2014)

Psychological distress and some life stressors form health aspect of Torres Strait Islander people. The overall levels of psychological distress are high among Torres Strait Islander people as compared to other people. The 42% of unemployed Torres Strait Islander people go through elevated levels of stress in comparison with 22% of those who are employed (Parker & Milroy, 2014). However, the levels of stress among Torres Strait Islander people who are educated up to year 9 is higher compared to those who are educated up to year 12 meaning them there is no equality on provision of the resources leading to discrimination (Thomas, 2012). 

The rates of cigarettes smoking were higher among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals who had no education (Maddox et al., 2015). Due to poor access to education and public health services, these people do not get better awareness that can assist them to avoid such risky behaviors. Smoking of cigarettes and other substances contributes to chronic diseases such as lung cancer (Thomas, 2012). Due to discrimination on health care services, these people are not in the position to get cancer therapy (Maddox et al., 2015)

What Is Currently Done To Address This Determinant To Address This Determinant Within The Selected Culture

There have been many policies that the Australian government is using to improve the status of the Torres Strait Islander individuals. It has made commitments and developments to address the inequality (Henderson et al., 2007). These have been done via the Council of Australian Government (COAG). The commitment to address the disadvantage of Torres Strait Islander individuals have been done at the intergovernmental level (Henderson et al., 2007).

It is an approach for Torres Strait Islander persons who are set out to develop strategies and partnerships to tackle, adequate safe water, house shortages, waste disposal and food supplies (Ramsey et al., 2016). The strategy is set out to improve the health status of the Torres Strait Islander individuals via the creation of appropriate environmental health standards. The plans commit to training environmental health workers to offer services and also uphold health infrastructure on Torres Strait Islander communities (Ramsey et al., 2016). 

It is a program developed for Torres Strait Islander individuals to improve their health conditions, as mentioned, Torres Strait Islander people face risks of obesity, and the strategy aims to offer knowledge to these communities on better ways to eat proper full that help live a better life (Lin et al., 2007) 

The Inability to Change Beliefs on Health Care

It is a program developed to improve the healthiness and also improve the stock which exists for rental by Torres Strait Islander individuals. BBF put into consideration self-management of communities, the environmental and Torres Strait Islander individuals as part of the delivery of their services and also scrutiny of some other aspects of housing tenure to society housing encompassing home ownership and public housing (Ramsey et al.,2016). It ensures that these particular communities get access to affordable housing that contributes to better health and well-being. It also focuses on improving the physical living conditions which Torres Strait Islander individuals have been living in an aim to make sure that they are devoid of health issues which had earlier been discriminated from them (Ramsey et al., 2016).

COAG has existing programs that target better deliverance of healthcare services among Torres Strait Islander individuals. It focuses on direct engagement with this community at the local level via shared responsibility accords. There exists a broad focus in the health sector on the kinds of problems which the new plan is grappling with (Moodie et al., 2008). For instance, the framework agreements on Torres Strait Islander individuals’ health in each state develop approaches for expanding the development of the policy, resource allocation through well-coordinated channels at all levels of government and the partnership with Torres Strait Islander individuals via the society controlled health programs. The primary health care access program focuses on making better the accessibility of mainstream services like developing of methods to improve access to pharmaceutical benefits and Medicare schemes. It also encompasses care trials which aim at attaining improved holistic service delivery and capacity development (Ramsey et al., 2016). By doing so, indigenous people will no longer be biased in regards to health care.

As a way to reduce discrimination in accessing health care services and other health issues, the government of Australia has put in place many policies that have assisted Torres Strait Islander individuals in getting jobs.  The government has ensured that certain positions are reserved for Torres Strait Islander people in any job applications. Upon any interview applied by members of this community, there is a guaranteed interview scheme (Nguyen, & Cairney, 2013). There are also work replacements, mentoring g programs or traineeships aimed at facilitating chances of employment among Torres Strait Islander people. In addition, the government engages the marginalized recruitment service to hire trainees and graduates which will increase their numbers and reduce discrimination on employment sector that has direct effects on health care (Nguyen, & Cairney, 2013). 

High Obesity Levels

In order to participate with Torres Strait Islander people and avoid discrimination on health issues, the government is using media to teach these people on crucial aspects of health.  The human rights activist also participates in rooting out the rights of Torres Strait Islander (Wakefield et al., 2002). They provide a framework for addressing the implications the health inequality experienced by Torres Strait Islander peoples. It encompasses acknowledging its primary causes as well as the interconnections with other issues. Human rights need more than a metaphorical acknowledgment of the continuation of inequality and collective commitments to surmount this condition at some indefinite time in the future (Wakefield et al., 2002).

The government of Australia has a great responsibility to reduce the discrimination of Torres Strait Islander people through various approaches such as New health programs, employment policies and building better future. As health care is concerned, Australian government should consider legislating laws that govern the health care officers in order to prevent them from discriminating the Torres Strait Islander people. In order to improve the access to health care by Torres Strait Islander people, government should provide equal job opportunities. However, it is crucial for the government to ensure that it allocate enough resources to Torres Strait Islander people so that they would be in position to live in hygienic environment. To improve the awareness of good health practices, the government authorities should use media and forums to teach the Torres Strait Islander people. It is also very important that the government should consider issuing medical cover such as lifetime health cover and Express Plus Medicare for Torres Strait Islander people to enable them to access healthcare in a convenient way. This will help the minority groups such as the Torres Strait Islander to access social amenities that are the same as other population in Australia hence improving their welfare. 

Conclusions

Torres Strait Islander people face lots of racism in Australia.  Even though these people are part of the rest of the population, it is ironical for the government not to attend these people equally like other citizens. In regards to health care, Torres Strait Islander people are discriminated and they are not provided health care services in the right time. Due to these matters, many deaths have been experienced. However, there are different mainstreams that link the racism on Torres Strait Islander people. Torres Strait Islanders people has been typically excluded from mainstream power structures, for instance; these people were not recognized as citizens of Australia till 1967. The overall levels of psychological distress are high among Torres Strait Islander people as compared to other people. Forty two percent of unemployed Torres Strait Islander people go through elevated levels of stress in comparison with 22% of those who are employed. The obesity among Torres Strait Islander people is high. The research done in 2012-2013 indicates the obesity among 15 years old individuals in this community is 37%. However, there are some strategies that the government has put in place to address the issue. For instance, the government has ensured that certain positions are reserved for Torres Strait Islander people in any job applications.  The build better future (BBF) program put into consideration self-management of communities, the environmental and Torres Strait Islander individuals as part of the delivery of their services and also scrutiny of some other aspects of housing tenure to society housing encompassing home ownership and public housing. Therefore, the government of Australia should ensure that the Torres Strait Islander group get equal treatment as other population by ensuring that they get the appropriate healthcare in terms of nutrition as well as lifestyle diseases. They should also be considered in employment opportunities that would help in reducing psychological stress that can cause them diseases hence a better community of Torres Strait Islander. 

References

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