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No amount of belief can create a fact

By Andre Zonn - posted Wednesday, 14 November 2012


Sounds good, lets do it, maybe I'll get a tax cut so I can get that five metre LCD telly I've always wanted.

Well, I said there were two problems. Some Australians still have poor health due to inequality. Oh fer gawds sake, will you ever let up about that? Well I'm a social worker and I do care! Lets talk about the original Aussies. Wot?

Australian Indigenous people. Oh yeah, right!

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Indigenous health outcomes are improving right? WRONG! A non-Indigenous male born in 1997-1999 might live for 77 years, an Indigenous male born in the same period might live only 56 years, a 21 year difference. That's equivalent to a non-Indigenous male born over 100 years ago. A non-Indigenous female born in 1997-1999 might live for 83 years, whilst an Indigenous female born in the same period might live only 63 years. That's equivalent to a non-Indigenous female born in the 1920s. How about a 'fair go' for these guys hey?

Yes, well err……

There are differences between rich and poor too. No not that kind, I'm talking about health! Health gradients cut across the whole population. You can get a feel for this thinking about 'excess mortality', defined as the percentage of deaths avoided if all people enjoyed the same mortality rates as the least disadvantaged.

In 1998-2000, excess mortality for males and females aged 25 to 64 years was 29.6% and 20.3% respectively. This equals 19,000 premature deaths attributable to disadvantage.

What a waste!

Ahh, you're starting to get it then? We have to ask ourselves as a nation is this OK or not?

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Err yeah, well orrright, what needs to happen then?

Tricky. Health must be seen in wider terms than individual pathology. Increasing our health burden risks losing social capital at a time when social cohesion in our increasingly diverse AND multicultural society is even more essential than in times past.

Changing structural inequality is a big ask. The government could implement the WHO "health in all policies" proposal, that's as good a place to start as any. Planning could address inequality in health, education, housing, early childhood, disability, aged-care, employment, mental health and safe communities. If we're reeeeally smart, interventions will track lifespan stages making the odds of a 'fair go' for Australians a better than even chance.

Oh so that's what's called Closing the Gap? You've got it in one.

The fact is that Australians are not all equal and no amount of belief can say otherwise!

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About the Author

Andre Zonn is currently completing a Masters In Social Work at Melbourne University.

Creative Commons LicenseThis work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

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