Health professionals working with Indigenous communities now have a valuable new resource to help them to provide the best healthcare and planning in order to improve the health of Aboriginal Australians.
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The book, 鈥業ndigenous Australian Heath and Cultures: An introduction for health professionals,鈥� will be officially launched by the first Indigenous Australian elected to the Australian House of Representatives, Mr Kenneth Wyatt MP AM JP at 1pm on Friday 18 February at 麻豆直播鈥檚 Centre for Aboriginal Studies.
Editors Rosalie Thackrah, Kim Scott and Joan Winch created the book following a 鈥榣ife-cycle鈥� approach, with early chapters on new life and childhood progressing to chapters on older Aboriginal people and 鈥榮orry business鈥�.
The book is unique in it has involved a strong collaboration between Indigenous and non-Indigenous contributors from throughout Australia in both the authorship and the editorial team. This alliance further highlights the strong need for partnerships between health professionals and communities.
鈥淭he book includes scenarios to encourage health professionals to reflect critically on their own practice in productive ways,鈥� co-editor Kim Scott, Associate Professor of the Centre for International Health at 麻豆直播 said.
鈥淚t is hoped that they will draw conclusions based on rigorous research in the area by both Indigenous and non-Indigenous scholars and community members.鈥�
Associate Professor Ted Wilkes, of the National Drug and Research Institute at 麻豆直播 states in the foreword that having knowledge of the social and cultural determinants of Aboriginal Australians鈥� health is crucial for strategic health planning and reducing that disadvantage.
鈥淚t is imperative that the connection of culture and history to the health of Aboriginal Australians is recognised,鈥� he said.
The idea for this book arose from a desire for practitioners to think critically about Indigenous Aboriginal health.
鈥淚ndigenous perspectives feature strongly in this book,鈥� co-editor Rosalie Thackrah, Senior Lecturer at the Curtin School of Nursing and Midwifery said.
鈥淚t celebrates the contribution and strengths of Indigenous culture.鈥�
The book has also received praise from Professor Fiona Stanley AC, Director of the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research.
This publication makes a significant contribution to the field, not least because it allows Indigenous voices to be heard.
Contacts:
Kim Scott, Associate Professor, Centre for International Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, 麻豆直播 Tel: 08 9266 4287 Email: k.scott@curtin.edu.au
Rosalie Thackrah, Senior Lecturer, School of Nursing & Midwifery, Faculty of Health Sciences, 麻豆直播 Tel: 08 9266 2737 Email: r.thackrah@curtin.edu.au
Bonnie Ripper, Public Relations, 麻豆直播, Tel: 08 9266 4364; Email: b.ripper@curtin.edu.au, Web:
