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Institutional racism in Australian healthcare: a plea for decency
Author(s) -
Henry Barbara R,
Houston Shane,
Mooney Gavin H
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/j.1326-5377.2004.tb06056.x
Subject(s) - plea , indigenous , public health , sociology , racism , health care , community health , library science , media studies , political science , public relations , medicine , gender studies , law , nursing , ecology , computer science , biology
THERE IS NO DISPUTE THAT ABORIGINAL HEALTH in Australia is both poor and very much worse than that of non-Aboriginal people, and their life expectancy at birth is about 21 years less for men and 19 years less for women. Among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander males, 6.8% die in infancy, compared with 1% for the rest of the population. For females the figures are 6.7% and 0.8%. A large array of diseases are much more prevalent among Aborigines.1 This is not news. The question is how to improve this situation. The argument presented in this article rests on two core and related ideas: ■ that our health services are “institutionally racist”; and ■ that such racism stems from Australia being, or at least having become, an uncaring society. The way forward that we propose is recognising and addressing institutional racism. This would provide a framework for improving Aboriginal health. We believe, however, that acceptance of the need to address such racism can only come about through building a more compassionate and decent society. To suggest that healthcare in Australia is institutionally racist may be confronting for some, but we argue not only that it is institutionally racist, but, more importantly, that such racism represents one of the greatest barriers to improving the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. We will also indicate what might be done to overcome this institutional racism and improve Aboriginal health.