The Australian government is constantly looking for ways to uplift lives and enhance access to healthcare services for the indigenous communities living in the country. This primarily includes Aboriginal people who play a significant role among the indigenous communities in Australia.

Building trust and collaboration with Aboriginal patients is vital to make this a possibility.

Caring for Aboriginal patients through trust and respect

Aboriginal patients constantly feel insecure and unwelcome when they go to get healthcare services from mainstream healthcare agencies in the country. Some are even ignored or left to die. These types of situations have caused the Aboriginal people to mistrust the healthcare system and relevant authorities. The only solution to this is to care for Aboriginal patients through respect and trust.

Trust is a critical part of effective health system functions and outcomes. There are a lot of instances where there is an overlapping of interpersonal trust between healthcare workers and Aboriginal patients. Interpersonal trust between healthcare workers and patients is linked to better health outcomes, which is of importance in terms of access to healthcare services for Aboriginal people.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics reports that about 29% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people live with a mental health condition, across the country. Self-harm incidences and hospitalization rates are 2.7 times higher for people of these communities than other Australians.

Discrimination and racism

A history of colonization, discrimination, and racism has led Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to experience various mental health conditions that may also impact their physical health. This can be addressed by providing culturally appropriate healthcare services to these communities. It should be done with an understanding of cultural norms and sensitivities.

Historical impact

The history of Aboriginals has shaped the way in which healthcare workers work today. Colonization has been ruled as a determining fact of mental health for Aboriginal people. It has led to inappropriate procedures being in place to provide care for Aboriginal people.

Discrimination and stigma

Racism acts as a barrier to service engagement. Healthcare workers that listen to and respond accordingly to the narratives of patients are much more likely to build a good rapport. This is essential in providing access to quality healthcare and putting away any feelings of insecurity that Aboriginal people may have.

Self-awareness and reflective practice

In Australia, whiteness seems to be the norm up to date. These people seem to be getting privileges in practices, policies, and services. This has created a power imbalance and made Aboriginal people and people from other indigenous communities feel left out and not have access or privilege to most of the things white-skinned people have. Minimizing this power imbalance can help show respect and care for Aboriginal people.

Cultural dimensions of trauma

Trans-generational transmission of trauma is at the heart of Aboriginal people’s experience and needs to let the practice know. Trauma-informed services should highlight the high-risk re-traumatization for Aboriginal people. It is particularly true in acute physical and mental health settings which conventionally poorly reflect and respect Aboriginal people or appropriately embed cultural safety.

Respect for family and country

Healthcare workers should develop and be more critically aware of their culture as well as that of Aboriginal people. It influences how they work and treat Aboriginal patients, honestly reflecting their prejudices and how they interact with the world. It’s important to identify the Aboriginal people’s concept of ‘country’, as they proudly express their belonging to the country and uphold it as part of their identity.

Conceptualization of mental health and recovery stage

Various cultures have different viewpoints on mental health. Terms like ‘mental health’ and ‘recovery’ may act as a barrier when treating Aboriginal patients. These concepts are somewhat foreign to Aboriginals as they consider the body, mind, and environment to be inseparable, opting to call it ‘social and emotional wellbeing’.

Mental health conceptualizations also vary from community to community, which is why it’s vital to act according to how Aboriginal people visualize it.

Building relationships with collaboration and respect

If healthcare agencies and workers want to show that they are supportive of the ways of Aboriginal people, they must build on their ability to establish relationships with communities. The best way to achieve this is to collaborate with individuals, friends, families, and communities. This rapport and relationship will help collaborate with and respect Aboriginal people and provide them with access to high-quality healthcare services across Australia.

Communicating and engaging with Aboriginal people

Introductions are very important to Aboriginal people. They prefer to introduce themselves with the country they belong to and the associations they have, rather than details of their status. Healthcare service providers must always introduce themselves and their role as a practitioner and connect with them and get to know them as patients.

Deep listening without interruption and active responding are vital when collaborating with Aboriginal patients. This helps build rapport and makes Aboriginal patients feel comfortable with the healthcare worker or service provider.

Coexisting conditions

Poor physical and mental health conditions are more common among Aboriginal people and people from other indigenous communities across all parts of Australia. Those who consume alcohol may do it excessively causing harm to themselves. There are treatment patterns that are distinct to Aboriginal people and healthcare service providers must be aware of this and be responsive to cultural trauma and treating Aboriginal patients.

Cultural competence

Working effectively in culturally diverse environments is what cultural competence is all about. This process involves integrating knowledge from people and communities to practice using the skills practitioners have, which meet the cultural expectations of Aboriginal patients.

Incarceration and discrimination

According to a study conducted in New South Wales, 43% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people had at least one mental health condition in the last year. There’s a lot of discrimination occurring against Aboriginal people, which keeps them from coming forward and also gaining access to quality healthcare services.

Connecting to communities

It is important to connect with Aboriginal communities by volunteering, attending community events, and visiting these communities personally. This helps build trust and develop relationships with Aboriginal patients and makes them open to you regarding their health issues.

Creating a welcoming environment

Healthcare agencies must get Aboriginal communities involved and conduct brainstorming sessions. It creates a warm and welcoming space without making it a conventionally ‘clinical’ space. This brings some level of comfort to Aboriginal patients to speak up to healthcare workers regarding their medical conditions and issues.

Barriers to service access

Aboriginals generally face a lot of barriers when receiving service provisions, which is mainly connected with racism. Healthcare services tend to be focused on Western ways which Aboriginal people may not be comfortable with. Getting involved with the community, connecting with them, and letting them know the importance of having access to quality health services, is vital to get them out of their conventional shell.

What to be aware of engaging and communicating

It is essential to be aware of the culture and background of Aboriginal people. There are various communities, which could mean approaching elders from a particular region, and asking how to adequately support an individual from their country.

Visit the Medfuture job board for a list of the latest medical jobs across Australia, providing services to Aboriginal patients as well.