HCMG101 Health Care System

Write about the sturctural determinants of aboriginal people'helth.

In this week’s reading, Waldram, Herring and young (2006) explain the reason behind the social and the material inequalities that caused the health disparities among the aboriginal people, one that has been existing for several generations. The authors claim that these inequalities exist because of the oppressive colonial structure. Likewise according to Butler-Jones (2008), the persisting diminished life expectancy, the disproportional burden of the various chronic diseases, social violence as well as substance addiction all trace their origin from the overarching colonial structure of these people. According to Waldram, Herring and young (2006), however, the health disparities could also be traced form the fact that these people lived in remote places where access of portable water was limited as the water-access rights favored only the Euro-Canadian people and had no consideration on the aboriginal people. Butler-Jones (2008),  on the other hand, claims that determinants of the healthy disparities economic and geographic barriers as well as limited access to healthy markets and country foods coupled with adverse weather conditions, physical conditions and inaccessibility of recreational facilities.

From the week’s reading I have learned about the aboriginal people and how they came to be and how their lives differed from that of the Euro-Canadians. I have learned how colonial structures impacted their lives as well as their health. I have learned about how discrimination of people and communities when a government is implementing rights can have in their lives, not only at the present time but also in the future.  The geographical positioning of a community, the ease access to social amenities and access to healthy foods and living conditions has a substantial impact on the health of the members of that community.

References

Butler-Jones, D. (2008). The Chief Public Health Officer’s Report on the state of addressing health inequalities.Ottawa, ON:Public Health in Canada.

Waldram, J.,Herring, D.,& Young, K.(2006). Aboliginal health in Canada:History, culture, and epidemiological perspectives. Toronto, ON: University of Toronto Press