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This photo has been taken from the AMA new south whales website; https://www.amansw.com.au/making-doctors-mental-health-a-priority/

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To Me, health involves satisfying all of my needs, whether mental, physical, emotional, or social, and everything in between. If I believe that one part of my health is deteriorating or I am dissatisfied with that aspect of my life, all other areas of my health will suffer. It's a balancing act, but my health is the most important thing to me, and if I'm unhappy with the health-related decisions I'm making, it's up to me to improve and build upon that for my overall health and wellness.

References for image:

AMA New South Whales. (2020). Making Doctors Mental Health a Priority. [medium]. AMA. https://www.amansw.com.au/making-doctors-mental-health-a-priority/

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Country Focus: Iraq

Iraq is one of the easternmost countries of the Arab world and is one of the most ethnically and religiously diverse societies in the Middle East (Blake et al., 2023). Today, the majority of Iraqis who arrive in Australia do so as refugees under the Refugee and Special Humanitarian Programs (Evason, 2017). Three common health issues prevalent amongst people seeking refuge in Australia from Iraq are:

Vitamin B12 Deficiency: has been recorded in refugees from Iraq as there is poor access to food (Chaves & Paxton, 2023). You can consider B12 deficiency in "those with a history of food insecurity, vegan diets or with symptoms suggestive of cognitive deficit”. (Chaves & Paxton, 2023, para. 6). Treat B12 deficiency if B12 serum available or reference range for children with oral or IM supplementation (Chaves & Paxton, 2023, para. 1).

Strongyloidiasis: is an intestinal parasite nematode estimated to infect at least 370 million people worldwide and can occur without symptoms (Biggs et al., 2023). Recently, 13% of cases have been detected among Iraqi children (Biggs et al., 2023). Transmission of these Strongyloides occur through contact with soil or surface water containing infectious larvae (Biggs et al., 2023, para. 4) . Treatment includes ivermectin on day 1 and 14 and follow-up serology at 6 and 12 months post-treatment (Biggs et al., 2023, para. 1).

Low Vitamin D: Vitamin D is essential to bone growth and muscle health, and sunlight is the most important source of Vitamin D (Paxton & Singleton, 2023). Low vitamin D is most commonly recorded in Iraqi refugees, sometimes due to their highly-covered clothing (Paxton & Singleton, 2023). People suffering from low vitamin D should be treated to re-establish their levels through either daily dosing or high-dosage therapy. (Paxton & Singleton, 2023).

References;

Blake, G. Henry, Chambers, . Richard L., Khadduri, . Majid, Woods, . John E. and Kennedy, . Hugh. (2023). Iraq. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/place/Iraq

Evason, N. (2017). Iraqis in Australia. https://culturalatlas.sbs.com.au/iraqi-culture/iraqi-culture-iraqis-in-australia#

Australian Refugee Health Practice Guide. (2023). Common health concerns - all ages. https://refugeehealthguide.org.au/

Chaves, N., & Paxton, G. (2023). Anaemia, Iron Deficiency, and Other Blood Conditions. https://refugeehealthguide.org.au/anaemia-iron-deficiency-and-other-blood-conditions/

Biggs, B-A., & Kay, M., & Thambiran, A. (2023). Strongyloidiasis. https://refugeehealthguide.org.au/strongyloidiasis/

Paxton, G, & Singleton, G. (2023). Low Vitamin D. https://refugeehealthguide.org.au/low-vitamin-d/

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DOMAIN 7: Professional Practice from the Culturally Responsive Clinical Practice: Working with People from Migrant and Refugee Backgrounds.

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For domain 7, within the Culturally Responsive Clinical Practice Framework, I have chosen to reflect on competency standard 12.1.

The most important aspect of my culture awareness journey in nursing is how I can create a culturally comfortable and welcoming environment. After reading this competency standard, I have developed my understanding of how to appropriately perform healthcare practices and decisions without the influence and bias of my cultural beliefs. Having analysed my past interactions with people from various cultural backgrounds, my awareness of my actions has become more apparent as I need to interact with patients in an unbiased and culturally appropriate manner. This understanding is essential in the workplace as I will meet and treat patients from numerous cultural backgrounds.

References;

Migrant and Refugee Women's Health Partnership. (2019). Culturally Responsive Clinical Practice: Working with People from Migrant and Refugee Backgrounds

COMPETENCY STANDARDS FRAMEWORK FOR CLINICIANS JANUARY 2019. Australia. https://moodleprod.murdoch.edu.au/pluginfile.php/3573073/mod_resource/content/1/Culturally-responsive-clinical-practice-Working-with-people-from-migrant-and-refugee-backgrounds-Jan2019.pdf

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World Health Organisation Logo cited from; World Health Organisation (WHO) website

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The three social determinants I'll be investigating in relation to Australian Refugees and asylum seekers;

Food insecurity: A person is considered food secure when they have "physical, social and economic access to food that is safe, adequate and culturally appropriate that allows for a healthy and active life" (Australia's Right To Food Coalition, 2021, para. 5). Refugees and migrants struggle with food insecurity as they try to balance the cost of living whilst also facing unemployment due to language and financial barriers (Australia's Right To Food Coalition, 2021) .

Access to affordable health services of decent quality: The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNCHR) works with refugees to advocate for their involvement in the Australian Heath system. It provides them access to primary healthcare, including sexual and reproductive health, nutrition, child health, and other necessary health services (UNHCR, 2023). Refugees struggle to navigate the Australian health system due to their lack of guidance as wells as cultural barriers without help from companies including UNHCR.

Housing, basic amenities and the environment: For refugees and migrants, securing housing in Australia represents a marker of successful integration and the means for building a new life for themselves and families (Ziersch et al., 2017). Refugees and migrants suffer housing difficulties such as housing costs, discrimination, lack of availability, language barriers and a lack of familiarity with the housing market resulting in insecure living conditions and poor mental health (Ziersch et al., 2017).

References:

World Health Organisation. (2023). Social Determinants of Health. https://www.who.int/health-topics/social-determinants-of-health#tab=tab_1

Australia's Right To Food Coalition. (2021). What do we know about food insecurity in refugees and asylum seekers in Australia? https://righttofood.org.au/food-insecurity-in-refugees-and-asylum-seekers-in-australia/#:~:text=Unfortunately%2C%20food%20insecurity%20is%20not,to%2040%25%20of%20the%20participants.

UNHCR. (2023). Access to Healthcare. https://www.unhcr.org/au/what-we-do/safeguard-human-rights/public-health/access-healthcare

Lamb, CF., Smith, M. (2014). PROBLEMS REFUGEES FACE WHEN ACCESSING HEALTH SERVICES. NSW Refugee Health Service. https://www.phrp.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/NB02065.pdf

Ziersch, A., Walsh, M., Due, C., & Duivesteyn, E. (2017). Exploring the Relationship between Housing and Health for Refugees and Asylum Seekers in South Australia: A Qualitative Study. International journal of environmental research and public health, 14(9), 1036. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph14091036

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A lamington is a type of Australian cake consisting of squares of butter or sponge cake, which is then coated in chocolate sauce and desiccated coconut. It is a typical dessert that my family and I make on special occasions such as Christmas or if we are craving it. I think it's the perfect food or snack for any gathering or event as its perfect for a hot or cold day.

References:

McLeod, R. (2023). Bec's Easy Lamingtons. https://becs-table.com.au/lamingtons/

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It is widely known that Australia has some of the most dangerous animals in the world. However Australia is home to many beautiful and exotic animals wandering our bushland and local zoos. These include the more well-known emus, kangaroos and koalas. Currently, more than 50 million Kangaroos live in Australia, meaning there are more kangaroos than people (Kids-World-Travel-Guide.com, n.d).

References:

Kids-World-Travel-Guide.com. (n.d.). Animals in Australia. https://www.kids-world-travel-guide.com/animals-in-australia.html

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Picture I Took from a beach down south in WA in a town called Yallingup

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One of my favourite aspects of Australia is the beautiful beaches. Not only do they have the most transparent water and best snorkelling opportunities, but they are even better at the end of the day when the sun sets. The culture surrounding the beach environment is so inviting and welcoming as people respect each other's space, and everyone can enjoy the beach as they please without the worry of others infringing on their space.

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This photo may not look like a typical Christmas but it is a photo I took at the beach on Christmas morning as it is a family tradition of mine and many others.

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Christmas in Australia looks very different in comparison to those around the world. The noticeable difference is that we celebrate Christmas in summer. I have grown to love this about Christmas as the hot weather allows everyone to come together and celebrate by the beach with their family and friends, which is why Christmas is my favourite "Aussie" tradition.

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A photo I took of a quokka that is an animal native to Rottnest Island

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Rottnest Island is a small island 30 minutes off the coast of WA. The adorable quokka shown in the picture above is an animal native to Rottnest island and has become quite the icon for tourists visiting WA wanting to take photos with the famous animal. Besides the wildlife, Rottnest Island is quite large and filled with various beaches that I have been lucky enough to visit several times. Rottnest is ideal for tourists new to WA and looking for the typical Australian experience.

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Australia is filled with many famous landmarks that are a part of Australia's growing history.

Uluru: Uluru is a sacred site for the Anangu people and is more than 550 million years old (Pfeiffer, 2020).

Sydney Opera House: This world heritage site is listed due to its unique structural design and popularity with tourists (Pfeiffer, 2020).

Great Barrier Reef: is another world heritage site that stretches along the Queensland coast and is home to a diverse variety of marine life (Pfeiffer, 2020).

References:

Pfeiffer, C. (2020). 25 Australian Landmarks. https://travel2next.com/australian-landmarks/