A Charles Sturt University (CSU) researcher says the ‘political’ explanations for poor Indigenous heath must be more seriously considered before the 'gap' in Indigenous disadvantage can be closed.

 

Dr Dominic O’Sullivan, senior lecturer in politics at the CSU School of Humanities and Social Sciences in Bathurst, argues the case in a paper, Justice, culture and the political determinants of Indigenous Australian Health, which was recently published in the academic journal Ethnicities.

 

“For Indigenous Australians, relatively poor housing, educational attainment, labour market participation, and access to traditional resources for economic purposes, all contribute to the difference,” Dr O’Sullivan said.

 

“While we fail to address the inherently political character of things such as limited Indigenous involvement in policy development and service delivery it is unlikely that the 'gap' will be closed.

 

“Indigenous health is distinguished by a median age of death in the order of 20 years less than that of the non-Indigenous population (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2009). This makes Australia unique among comparable post-colonial societies in failing to make substantial reductions to the difference in Indigenous/non-Indigenous health, despite decades of effort.

 

“There is much Australia could learn from other post-colonial societies where Indigenous people are better included in the political process and freely contribute to health policy development and implementation.

 

“Political explanations about Indigenous ill-health are central to any examination of the just distribution of public authority, the purpose of political activity, equal political participation and cultural responsiveness in the provision of health services," he said.