Cultural Competence in Indigenous Health Care - Essay Example

Cultural Competence in Indigenous Health Care Introduction Cross-cultural differences present significantimpeding issues to the processes of interpersonal communication and establishment of social amenities and programs. In the aspects of addressing the issues as they emanate, it is essential to develop structural platforms and a distinct understanding of the cultures in which a professional operates. Thus, awareness of the present issues in the sector of health is illustrative of the scenarios in various contexts where the cultural differences affect the procedures of service delivery. As professionals in the health care stratification, understanding the dimensions of indigenous health practices of the communities in which the professional serves is essential. It fosters several benefits to the professional in addressing the challenges in the health sector. Further, the government, as well as, other stakeholders in the health sector should focus on understanding the diversity in indigenous practices and cultural variations of the people to be in a position of facilitating adequate and effective health services. These as elemental factors of consideration, the health sector, as well as, the professionals in the sector, receive relevant training into understanding the prospects of such multicultural perspectives as they challenge the processes of health delivery (Bowers, 2007). The indigenous people in Australia, entailing the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders present varied approaches into the sector of health. Biography of Albert Namatjira Freeman Albert Namatjira Freeman, born in 1952 in Mackay Queensland of a mother hailing from the Arerente community and father from the Kalkadoon is a native of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. He lived in the Aboriginal Reserve, where he grew until he was 10 years when he went to St Francis House for schooling. Later in his career life, he developed interest in health services; hence, became among the first Aboriginal nursing professional. In an interview with him, he presented several aspects and observation as made from the various establishments in the health processes as engaging the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. As native people, Albert Namatjira Freeman says that they hold various social and cultural health practices, which affect the processes of health delivery in the setting. Thus, as a factor of competence in health care, the government and stakeholders take initiative to develop programs accordingly to serve the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. There are several factors of consideration in developing this structural understanding of the issues among these indigenous people to develop a competent healthcare service for them. Social cultural beliefs of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people Freeman notes that the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are the two indigenous groups within Australia. In their various practices and historical approaches, they present a mixed composition of varied cultural and social beliefs as they evolved over time. Additionally, as the indigenous people, they also present varied mixed factors in the areas of their economic and ceremonial dealings. Further, these two indigenous groups are remarkably similar in their engagements, depicting several aspects of similarity in their beliefs and practices (Rose, 2013). Thus, Albert Namatjira Freeman notes, it is misleading to separate the Australian indigenous people and their experiences conclusively. However, to understand their social health practices and beliefs, it is essential to reflect their origin and the various aspects in which they engaged. The factor of time connects the present and future of people. Thus, in view of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, time continues to reflect a circular presentation of the various generations as they lived and evolved overtime, with the creation of new activities and practices in every generation as it passed. The eternal belief of the origin of the people of Australia connects the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to Asia. Albert Namatjira Freeman says that, the historical narration of the people as per their history takes them back to the period when Asia and Australia were still a single land mass. The land bridge that connected them allowed them to interconnect and share with the Asians accordingly, developing various practices and beliefs that are similar to date. Further, as the regions separated, the populations in each continent adapted to the climatic and environmental conditions; hence, adopting varied aspects of social practices. Additionally, the Aborigines adopted the nomadic way of life, living in circles of grouped families and related societies. They lived a migrating life, moving in cycles across the land, while meeting with other clan-groups and sharing stories and developments; hence, their culture evolved significantly. On the contrary, the Torres Strait Islanders, who originate from the Melanesian ethnic groups, adapted the practice of life of seafaring and trading (Purnell, 2013). They established their lives around the structures of the islands and seashores of the country, trading with various islands such as North Queensland and Papua New Guinea. Thus, they adopted various spiritual and other associated customs reflecting their dependence on the sea. Albert Namatjira Freeman as a professional in nursing notes that these factors contribute significantly to the cultural practices of the people as they engage the various modern structures and practices. Their beliefs and cultures, influenced by the various worldviews as they experienced in their activities encouraged the growth of these indigenous people in adopting varied practices, which they apply in their lives today. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people adopted perspectives that shaped their understanding of the aspects of diseases and factors of well-being, that prescribe their disposition with the various establishments in the health sector. Further, Albert Namatjira Freeman cited another aspect that influenced the community in their disposition as the establishment of the era of the great migrations, when Europeans settled in Australia. The factor of population mixing resulted in the elimination of various beliefs and structures of practice in health, replacing them accordingly with the evolved practices. Further, the continuous aspects of missionary works by the various religions affected the practices and lives of the indigenous people accordingly. The resulting factor is the observation that varied indigenous groups in the country continue to present varying reception to the programs and structures of health as presented by the government and other health sector stakeholders (Durey, 2010). The continuous cultural evolution continues to influence the processions of the health sector as the structural developments that continue to seek the establishment of competent health programs in these multicultural environments as Freeman notes. Notably, the health professionals in the country continue to pursue added factions of the sector to implement health programs that address the health needs and expectations of these indigenous people without infringing on their beliefs; yet, honoring the rights of every human to receive quality health services. Asked about the most notable challenge, Freeman notes that cultural acceptability as a factor in the indigenous people influences their reception of the various health programs accordingly. They influence the practical approaches as exist with respect to the delivery of health products and services by the professionals. Thus, he cites the need to understand the various structures in the cultural confines of the indigenous people and development of competent health care practices. Health practices of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people Albert Namatjira Freeman is aware of the factor that Australia acknowledges the notable contributions as facilitated by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in the local and national venues. The people hold deeply sophisticated structures of the family and kinship perspectives. Their cultural beliefs and stratifications along the lines of the kinship structures present notable health practices as the people depict (Lamont, Jeon & Chiarella, 2013). For instance, the sections concerning aspects of death, the people hold beliefs against practicing health operations concerning the dead. They hold the dead as sacred; hence, it is offensive to approach such matters concerning the dead with the living. Such beliefs influence their health practices as it hinders them from understanding the cause of death of the person and developing structural channels to address the issue. This results in cases of widespread of an outbreak with minimal structures to contain the epidemic. Thus, Albert Namatjira Freeman notes such social beliefs as held by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are barriers to the health stratification that would bring competence within the practices of the people. Another notable practice, which influences the health of the Aboriginal people, is the use of ceremonies, as Freeman notes in the discussion. The people practice certain ceremonies that present danger to their health; thus, shaping the aspects of disease perception, reception and treatment. For instance, the Aboriginal people have a ceremony called the “Smoking Ceremony” in which the people hold beliefs that it cleanses the people. The ceremony, held and given space, allows the people to experience smoke exposure, in which they encounter smoke, which could be harmful to their health (Peiris, Brown & Cass, 2008). The ceremony aims to cleanse the people of diseases; hence, it is among the various treatment procedures and beliefs held by the people. However, the exposure to the smoke presents a health hazard to the lives of the participants in such events. Thus, although this practice as their cultures hold is a treatment procedure, in essence, it is a danger to their health (Douglas, 2013). Thus, the need to adopt and understand these cultural perspectives and approaches of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to health; thus, developing competence in indigenous health care processes. Albert Namatjira Freeman also cites cultural aspect of concern in the health viewpoints of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people entailing “Avoidance” behavior and beliefs. The avoidance behavior according to their culture aims to strengthen the ties of respect within the ceremonies and cultures of the people. However, the issue in the context of clinical settings presents issues to the aspects of genitourinary and reproductive issues. The factor of consideration of the female gender as perceived by the community presents challenges to the procedures of gender balance in acquiring and accessing health services. The factor that they cannot speak in certain cases leads to various unexplained absence, which could affect the health development of the individual, an experience Albert Namatjira Freeman got firsthand from his service to the people while working on a government health program. Additionally, he notes that surveys among the Western Australian Child Health reports that in the factor of diet only one in every five Aboriginal children met all the four indicators of dietary quality. Thus, in this context, the cultural diet perspective is a notable influence to the factors of health development among the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Further, the factors of sanitation related to the cultural practices of the people also present remarkable challenges to the perspectives of health development as depicted by the people. These are cultural perspectives that influence the health delivery processes among these indigenous groups within the country (Eckermann, Dowd, Chong, Nixon, Gray & Johnson, 2006). Thus, the notable element of consideration continues to reflect within the factor of developing notable and effective communication and planning structures to meet the health needs of these indigenous people successfully (Richardson & Carryer, 2005). Further, the religious beliefs of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people hold a significant perspective in the health practices of these indigenous people. The people are remarkably religious, practicing various religious beliefs. Further, Freeman cited the integration with the immigrants to adapt westernized religions while others still hold the traditional religious beliefs. These as elements of consideration in the healthcare setting influence the establishment of competitive health practices accordingly. The level of involvement in the religious constructions reflects the flexibility of the people in adopting various health practices, which may not seem viable as their beliefs hold. Additionally, the people also hold structural beliefs such including that disease are a punishment from God and that God heals the diseases. Such beliefs affect the health practices of the people accordingly (Kersey-Matusiak, 2013). Thus, as elemental factor for the professionals in the healthcare services, it is essential to approach the health concerns of these indigenous people from an understanding of the various beliefs as they hold towards the treatment structures available and cause of the disease, as Freeman suggests. Albert Namatjira Freeman holds that these beliefs and cultural perspectives influence their health reception and perceptions remarkably. The competent health care program for these indigenous people requires significant effort in the aspects of emancipating the people, as well as, preparing them accordingly to accept the proposed modernized structures of health services. Strategies to provide indigenous health care The procedure of developing a competent approach to the health concern of the indigenous people entails a proper understanding of the beliefs and social structures as the people practice. Albert Namatjira Freeman advised that the processions of the various programs and elements of service that influence the development of the structural factions, the health professionals need to adapt structures and procedures that meet the expectations of the people through partnership as a strategic approach. Notably, in developing competence in addressing the health of these indigenous people, there are elemental factors to develop accordingly. In the factor of addressing the health cancer and service delivery in a context with a multicultural composition, the factor of diversity is remarkably significant. Diversity creates the various perceptions as the society holds; hence, the need to establish a culturally competent approach to the social structures and diversity among the people (Williams, 2013). Communication is an essential tool in the structures of health programs. It is essential to develop communication approaches that address the health needs of the people without infringing on their beliefs with an imposing attitude. However, to accomplish these developments as concerning the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, a factor of communication continues to influence the competence of the health programs accordingly (Atkinson, Kennedy & Bowers, 2006). The semi illiterate nature of the people puts them at notable disadvantage as the professionals pursue the establishment of health practices that feature the structures encouraging intercultural understanding, an observation Freeman cites concretely. The communication structures among the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people present notable challenges to the procedures of addressing the health issues of the people accordingly. Further, the communication structures limit the processes of presenting the structural partnerships of working in the multicultural perspectives of the indigenous people, as Albert Namatjira Freeman experienced while working with the Aboriginal people. Further, Freeman agrees that in working with the community-based structures, it is essential to develop and adopt a collaborative approach to the structures instituted in the social setting of the communities as they exist. Working as partners in a professional environment entail much effort in sharing expertise and knowledge on the various elements of the issues present (ODonoghue, 2013). In the setting of the indigenous communities, health care entails an interlinking approach form the various professional practitioners as they approach the diversity in culture and health beliefs of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The systems of the health setting as strategies to redevelop competence entail an understanding of the common grounds for launching supporting programs to the essence of working in partnerships within the healthcare setting. Notably, the social stratifications of the indigenous people present varied perspective and approaches to the confines of health practices (National Strategic Framework for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health 2003-2013 Australian Government Implementation Plan 2007-2013). These as elements for consideration influence the processes of decision making and sharing of influential information in the context of facilitating health care to the people. Therefore, in approaching the various issues and areas of concern, as professionals, competence lies in the prospect and programs of working in unison with the indigenous people, approaching the issues of health from their perspective an observation made by Albert Namatjira Freeman. Additionally, the competence factor should incorporate the elemental aspect of understanding the influence of diversity on the processes in the healthcare facilitation. Programs of health services such as instituted by the Australian Government in catering for the health needs of the people receive various challenges in view of the competence aspects (Sargent, Nilan & Winter,1997). However, with proper guidelines and policies as the health sector contains, it is possible to establish quality health care facilities, fostering the health processes within these indigenous people towards achieving the status of competitive health care programs. Partnership entails an essential factor in collaboration of efforts to foster respective development of structural health delivery systems to the indigenous people. As illustrated, communication is an essential factor in the processes of developing the crucial elements of health procedures for the benefit of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (Nelson, 2009). These factors of consideration in the various perspectives continue to influence the health programs development within the country. Further, another notable factor in the procedural competence systems for the healthcare is the understanding of the multicultural dimension of the indigenous people and their health beliefs. Culture and religious beliefs can present challenge to the professionals in interacting and integrating the indigenous people in the health stratifications as they develop (Booth & Nelson, 2013). Therefore, as a strategy to develop procedural competence for the communities, as well as, the health facilitating professionals, it is essential to develop programs that factor the various challenges posed by these cultural and religious beliefs in health. There are factorial elements of cross-cultural training in the professional development setting to factor these elemental factors of consideration in the competence development of the professionals. Therefore, as a health practitioner, these cultural beliefs and practices ought to present the notable elements as reflected in the training processes for the professionals. Therefore, through the understanding of the various structures and elements of the society that influence their health concerns and issues, the professional development should incorporate and adopt the notable features for establishing quality health care for the community. The indigenous people, although challenging in their reception to the modern health practices, it is a profession, through the skill and knowledge gained in developing their cross-cultural training to develop structural approach to the needs of the people (Lum, 2011). Freeman as a professional suggests that the indigenous people, although they challenge the programs as instituted, it is for the professional to emancipate them accordingly, preparing the relevant and correct information over the program proposed. Such establishments aid in fostering the elements of trusts; hence, establishing a partnership among the health professionals and the indigenous health practitioners or leaders. These factors facilitate the establishment of a competent structure and program to address the needs of the people in the community. Conclusion Albert Namatjira Freeman states categorically that understanding cross-cultural health perspectives is an elemental skill for the health practitioner to be in a position of delivering quality care. Diversity as a factor in the health sector setting continues to influence the structures of health delivery remarkably (Lum, 2011). The indigenous people present various challenges to the structures of health service as established within the new programs of development for the community. Thus, the health professionals need to establish partnering networks in addressing the health issues as they relate to the indigenous people. Further, the indigenous people require successive procedures of follow-up to foster their cooperation and collaboration in the matters of health within their structural settings. These factors foster the aspects of collaboration within the practice; hence, increased competence in indigenous health care services and programs. References Atkinson, J. Kennedy, D. & Bowers, R. (2006), “Aboriginal First Nations Approaches to Counselling” in (Eds.), Pelling, N. Bowers, R. & Armstrong, P. 2006, “The Practice of Counselling,” Thomson Publications, Melbourne. Booth, J. and Nelson, A. 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R, (2013), HSC 203 Module 2 Charles Darwin University. Read More