Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders make up 3% of Australia’s population, or just over 760,000 people. There are about 500 different Aboriginal peoples in Australia today, each with their own territory, language, customs, and beliefs. This rich diversity is what makes the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture so special—and what makes coordinating medical treatment more challenging than with non-aboriginal Australians. No two peoples are alike, and medical treatment is not one size fits all.
Nonetheless, many Indigenous people cite a lack of understanding of their culture by non-Indigenous healthcare professionals as one reason for not accessing healthcare services. One way Australia is circumventing these challenges is with the help of Aboriginal cultural liaison officers. There is also a big push for more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders to enter the medical field.
Appropriate care is one of the best ways to bridge the cultural gap between Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander patients and non-Indigenous healthcare professionals. My new article on Medium, The Value of Culturally Appropriate Care when Treating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Patients, addresses this issue.
Adrian Chernyk: Health & Indigenous Australians 