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Moving Toward Culturally Sensitive Services for Indigenous People
A non-Indigenous mental health nursing perspective
Anthony (Tony) P O'Brien
Southern Cross University; Nursing Programs, School of Nursing and Health Care Practices, Port Macquarie Base Hospital, NSW; Coffs Harbour Education Campus (CHEC), NSW
Abstract
Aboriginal psychiatric morbidity, whilst culturally different in presentation to white communities has been suggested to run at a mean prevalence rate of 13.5% of the major disorders found in non-Aboriginal communities.
This paper discusses the socio-political and cross cultural issues to do with mental health for Australian Aboriginals from a non-Aboriginal perspective. The paper is particularly concerned with the effects of racism on Aboriginal mental health and how racism effectively limits Aboriginal people from full participation in the pluralist mainstream. Racism has been seen to be a major contributor to mental illness.
The scope of this paper addresses the issue of transforming mainstream culture as well as highlighting the need for protection, participation and collaborative involvement in mental health service delivery.
Keywords
Aboriginal, mental health, identity, inclusion, racism
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