This assessment requires you to demonstrate the knowledge you have gained over semester about how history and colonisation have impacted the social, economic and personal factors that influence patterns of health and wellbeing for Indigenous peoples in Australia.
You will critically analyse and reflect on how past policies of Administration have impacted and continue to impact upon the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today. Your knowledge of and ability to analyse the impact of history and colonisation on the social, economic, and personal factors impacting on the patterns of health for contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and wellbeing outcomes will be assessed.
You are required to demonstrate your knowledge of, and ability to analyse, the impact of history and invasion/colonisation on the social, economic and personal factors influencing the patterns of health for contemporary Indigenous health and wellbeing outcomes. To do this you should select a health issue that impact Indigenous peoples today, and that has a significant impact on life expectancy, wellbeing and/or quality of life.
You should critically analyse how the past policies of Administration have impacted upon the condition you selected. Specifically you should:
- Describe the overall impact of the selected issue on the health status of Indigenous peoples (this is likely to be multi-focal)
- Critically discuss how past policies have impacted on the introduction or increase in the specific issue.
- Critically analyse the links between past policies, racism and other contemporary challenges faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and the chosen disease/condition and/or risk That is, discuss the ‘cause of the causes’ including social, structural and environmental determinants of health and wellbeing.
- Provide context for justification/reasoning (critical analysis) behind implementing the particular policy during this time
- Critically examine the current state and national policies, goals, targets and strategies relevant to the specific disease/condition
- Identify the strengths and limitations of current policies and the major challenges that need to be overcome to see reductions in the impact of the disease/condition on Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people.
Please note that you are identifying the strengths and limitations of policies – not programs
Assessment formatting requirements
Your paper should contain an introduction, body and conclusion, along with a reference list. The introduction should clearly introduce the issue you have chosen and finish with a statement of the purpose of the paper. The body of the paper should contain your critical analysis and address the points outlined above. It is permissible to use subheadings if required. The conclusion should bring together the information you have presented in a concise summary, identify the strengths and weaknesses of current policies and consider the resulting challenges and/or implications.