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Picture taken on a tripod of my family whilst traveling Western Australia in 2020.

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My name is Ashlee Higginson I am an Australian mum, wife and student living in Perth, Western Australia.

Looking into my own culture I began to think that I may not have any cultural views or ways of life. However, upon my studies in my degree, I've gained a profound outlook. i realised my own community of people such as family and friends have quite similar rituals and ways of life. We pride ourselves on mate ship and connections with other people. Thriving on social gatherings, getting outdoors and a work to live outlook on life.

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My daughter Jayda and I snorkeling the Ningaloo Reef in Coral Bay, Western Australia in 2020. 

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Health to me means a collective view of mind body and soul. I believe a healthy body supports a healthy mind, a holistic view of health where I can maintain physical and mental wellness within myself and for my family and future. For me a simple walk does wonders to clear my mind, breathe in fresh air aiding in my mental and physical health.

"Your mind is a reservoir of potential, your heart and ocean of strength, your soul a well of talents and your body a vessel of power".  (Dhliwayo, 2017)

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A picture I took of Wanderer butterflies in Harvey, Western Australia. in 2021

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Australia has a very vast and unique flora and fauna species with above 80% of plants, mammals, reptiles and frogs cannot be found anywhere else in the world.
Animals such as Kangaroos, Koalas, Dingo's, Wallabies, platypus and wombats are all native to our country.

I live in the southern part of Western Australia and it is not uncommon to see animals such as Kangaroos on my daily commute.

As an Australian we are so lucky to be surrounded by a variety of flora. Particularly in my shire there are many farms, and land surrounded by trees, bush and native flora such as wattle, bottle brush and eucalyptus.

Native to Western Australia the red and green Kangaroo paw which is proclaimed to be WA's floral emblem and can also be found on the states Coat of Arms. (Australian symbols booklet, n.d., p. xx)

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Family friends camping in the Millstream National Park, Pilbara WA. 2022

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For me, the most significant competency standard when working with people from migrant and refugee backgrounds is 12.3 as it encompasses equality, respect, and effective communication.  Through my learning, I feel as though I possess the capabilities and knowledge to provide culturally competent care to an individual from a refugee background as I am a very caring, respectful, and open-minded individual who is able to communicate effectively with people. I will strive to continue learning and expanding my knowledge and to have individuals feel respected, safe, and understood when in my care as a future nurse.

("Culturally Responsive Clinical Practice: Working with People from Migrant and Refugee Background," n.d.)

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There are many social determinants that have a significant impact on individuals health when seeking refuge in Australia.
These social determinants are non medical factors that influence one's health outcome.
I have chosen to discuss 3 social determinants and the impact they have on migrants and refugees.

Education
With many individuals arriving from refugee countries such as Afghanistan levels of education vary and many are very low this can have significant impact on finding employment and seeking access to future education leading to financial instability, social exclusion, and poor living conditions. This can also be detrimental on one's mental health and ability to thrive in the country they sought refuge.

Social Inclusion and discrimination
A topic i feel very strongly about, especially going into a nursing profession where providing care to individuals in a vulnerable state in a culturally appropriate manner is a top priority.

Social inclusion may be quite difficult for a person arriving from a refugee country. Language barriers, culture shock and mental health issues after seeking refuge among many others provides a significant barrier for someone to seek social interaction with others thus making it hard to be included within another country's society. Discrimination from others in a stereotypical, judgmental and disrespectful manner can have serious consequences on one's mental health and sense of belonging in the new country.

Access to affordable health services and of decent quality.
Another social determinant that has a significant impact on refugees when migrating in Australia I feel is the ability to access decent quality health care and it being financially viable for the individual. This is where I feel as though having culturally competent staff providing services is of high importance. Refugees and migrants may feel a sense of being unwelcomed to health services due to language barrier, culture shock or racism in this case as nurses we need to seek the education and knowledge to provide culturally appropriate care. Lack of education leading to lack of employment has detrimental effects on one's financial stability, in turn making access to health services difficult when migrating to another country.

("Module 3- Tackling the social determinants of health and workers and occupational health and safety," n.d.)

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Principle health issues to refugees upon arrival to Australia

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Principle health issues to refugees upon arrival to Australia

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Country focus: Afghanistan
Afghanistan is a country in south-central Asia covered in vast deserts and mountains landlocked by neighboring countries Pakistan and Iran.
Since 2013, 23,000 Afghan people have sought refuge in  Australia. Seeking refuge from civil war as a result of the countries' takeover by the powerful religious and political group the Taliban.

As part of the Offshore humanitarian program, the Australian government issued 26,500 Visa allocations for Afghan people seeking migration into Australia. (Department of Home Affairs, n.d., p. xx)

Within the information provided in the Australian Refugee Health Practice Guide (Australian Refugee Health » Primary Care for People of Refugee Backgrounds, n.d.)
I have found three common health concerns that Afghan people may face upon immigrating to Australia.
These 3 concerns are Malaria, Vitamin B12 deficiency & Mental health.

Malaria
Malaria is a parasitic disease that is transmitted to humans through infected female mosquitos. Without treatment it is life-threatening. Some symptoms of Malaria include High fevers, flu-like symptoms, chills, and shaking.
According to the World Health Organization Afghanistan is classed as a Malarious area. All refugees upon arrival to Australia offered a voluntary departure health check including an antigen-based rapid diagnostic test. Treatment for malaria includes oral artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) currently in Australia artemether-lumefantrine is the only medication available through prescription.
("Malaria," 2019)
("Malaria » Australian refugee health," n.d.)

Vitamin B12 Deficiancy
Vitamin B12 deficiency is classed as someone who has lower than normal Vitamin B12 within their blood. This can be caused by a lack of nutritious foods or an underlying health condition or injury. Symptoms include fatigue, weakness in muscles, and tingling or numb feeling in the hands and feet.

According to the Multicentre Australian Study, the number of Afghan refugees arriving in Australia with Vitamin B12 deficiency was one-quarter of all tested (16.5%)
Benson, J., Phillips, C., Kay, M., Webber, M. T., Ratcliff, A. J., Correa-Velez, I., & Lorimer, M. F. (2013)
Treatment for Vitamin B12 deficiency includes dietary supplementation of Vitamin B12 and in more severe cases an intramuscular injection of cyanocobalamin or hydroxocobalamin can be administered.

Benson, J., Phillips, C., Kay, M., Webber, M. T., Ratcliff, A. J., Correa-Velez, I., & Lorimer, M. F. (2013). Low vitamin B12 levels among newly-arrived refugees from Bhutan, Iran and Afghanistan: a multicentre Australian study. PloS one, 8(2), e57998. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0057998
("Anaemia, iron deficiency, and other blood conditions » Australian refugee health," n.d.)

Mental Health
Mental health is a prevalent health concern for Afghan people who are seeking refuge in Australia. With a concerning amount of refugees experiencing torture, violence, family separation, war, and trauma. When arriving into Australia things like settling into a new culture and different country, financial instability, systems and procedures may have a significant impact on their mental health.
Upon arriving in Australia within their arrival health screen a mental health assessment should be completed to assess the individual's emotional well-being and to offer services to their specific mental health needs. such as Psychological and social support services.
("Mental health » Australian refugee health," n.d.)

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A Red Emperor I caught off the coast of Wickham, WA in 2021

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When I think of Australian food it isn't simply things like Vegemite, Lamingtons, and Pavlovas, all of which are definitely consumed in Australian households, particularly Pavlova at Christmas time with an array of fresh fruit and cream but for me, I think of fresh seafood such as prawns, crayfish, crabs, Oysters and freshly caught fish as in the picture above.

For my family when there is a gathering such as a birthday, Christmas, or even just the average family barbecue our family would cook a variety of freshly caught seafood. I grew up in a coastal town where fresh seafood was in abundance and was always a staple in the weekly meal regime paired with a fresh garden salad or some root vegetables.

Fishing on the boat or off the beach is a common family activity not only for leisure but also to provide a meal for the family. Ocean to plate.

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Boats and boating--Equipment and supplies