My Australian Culture and Health by

Health to Me

oliviacheong04_ — 2023-10-10 04:28:17 UTC

Health to me is a state of mental, physical, and spiritual wellbeing which can be impacted by demographic and socioeconomic factors.

References:

Geckophotos.(2023). Australian health care with map and stethoscope: Medical stethoscope over Australia health check. Dreamstime. https://www.dreamstime.com/austr.

Being a Culturally Responsive Nurse

oliviacheong04_ — 2023-10-10 04:31:09 UTC

When I began reflecting on the ways I could become culturally responsive I turned to the ‘Culturally Responsive Clinical Practice: Working with People from Migrant and Refugee Backgrounds competency standards framework for clinicians’ for help. Domain 7 and in particular, competency 12.1, resonated with me most because I feel that my own biases can influence the way I consider others. To combat this, I came up with five ways I will apply standard 12.1 to my nursing practice:

I will regularly reflect on my own culture to identify my beliefs, values and biases.
I will reflect on the ways my culture impacts/can impact the way I interact with patients.
I will develop an understanding of other cultures so that I can understand the ways they may approach healthcare.
I will recognise behaviours and thought patterns which I adopt when interacting with people from other cultures.
I will consider and apply alternative viewpoints I could take when getting to know a patient.

References:

Adobe Stock Images. (2022). Female Caucasian doctor listening heart beat and breathing of little African girl with stethoscope. Adobe Stock Images. https://stock.adobe.com/au/images/female-caucasian-doctor-listening-heart-beat-and-breathing-of-little-african-girl-with-stethoscope-mother-holding-the-child/155561609.

Migrant & Refugee: Women's Health Partnership. (2019). Culturally responsive clinical practice: Working with people from migrant and refugee backgrounds competency standards framework for clinicians. Migrant & Refugee: Women's Health Partnership. https://culturaldiversityhealth.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Culturally-responsive-clinical-practice-Working-with-people-from-migrant-and-refugee-backgrounds-Jan2019.pdf.

Principal Health issues faced by Iraqi Refugees

oliviacheong04_ — 2023-10-10 04:34:56 UTC

1. Schistosomiasis:

Due to skyrocketing temperatures and power cuts in Iraq, swimming in the waters of the Tigris River is a favoured pastime and is also a breeding ground for schistosomiasis.

Treatment:

Administer the patient with praziquantel 20mg/kg tablets if their serology comes back as positive and repeat the dose 4-6 hours later after food has been consumed (Davis et al., 2018).

2. Mental Health:
Most refugees arriving from Iraq face mental health challenges due to experiencing traumatic events, separation of family, war and being a victim of human rights violations.
Treatment:

If the person does not have a history of torture and trauma, a referral to a mainstream mental health service is best. For those who have experienced trauma and torture, it is best to refer them to mental health services specialising in this area (Singleton et al., 2018). One of these can be found below:
Asetts. (2023). Counselling. https://asetts.org.au/our-services/counselling/.

3. Anaemia, Iron deficiency and other blood conditions:
Those coming from Iraq often don't have access to clean, nutritious food and water which can lead to malnourishment and anaemia (Chaves & Paxton, 2018).
Treatment:

Offer a full blood screening to those with refugee-like backgrounds to test for anaemia (Chaves & Paxton, 2018)
Educate patient on iron rich diets (Chaves & Paxton, 2018)
If Ferritin <15µg/L or if iron deficiency anaemia is indicated by clinical and haematological features, replace iron(Chaves & Paxton, 2018).

References:

Chaves, N., & Paxton, G. (2018). Anaemia, iron deficiency, and other blood conditions. Australian Government Department of Health. https://refugeehealthguide.org.au/anaemia-iron-deficiency-and-other-blood-conditions/.
Davis, J. S., Phillips, C., & Clifford, V. (2018). Schistosomiasis. Australian Government Department of Health. https://refugeehealthguide.org.au/schistosomiasis/#schisto-prevalence.
Singleton, G., Hocking, D., Gardiner, J., & Paxton, G. (2018). Mental health. Australian Government Department of Health https://refugeehealthguide.org.au/mental-health/.

Social Determinants and Migrants in Australia

oliviacheong04_ — 2023-10-10 04:37:26 UTC

3 social determinants which have an impact on refugees in Australia include:

1. Education:
Education is very different in Australia compared to other countries especially in regards to the completion of higher education (Department of Foreign Affair and Trade, 2016). In some circumstances, refugees coming to Australia may not have sufficient education levels to attain a high paying job, or their occupational training completed in their home country will have to be repeated. Consequently, paying for food, bills, necessities etc become more difficult and can place strain upon families. Additionally, education in the english language can have a significant impact on the experiences of refugees in Australia because it is the first language of the country and is often a requirement for most jobs.

2. Unemployment:
Unemployment can place large amounts of stress on individuals from refugee backgrounds because it makes attaining food, a place to stay and other necessities harder to gain. Without money to buy healthy, nutritious food, individuals become at risk of developing conditions such as anaemia and a range of infections. By being unemployed, the person may feel a lack of purpose which has been associated with increased rates of mental health problems (Griffiths et al., 2021).

3. Food insecurity:
Not having access to food can have negative impacts on the physical and mental wellbeing of individuals. Food insecurity can lead to malnourishment which increases the risks of anaemia and illnesses. Additionally, not knowing when your next meal will be or where come it will come from, can place significant stress on individuals and can lead to negative mental health outcomes (Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2020). If individuals are unable to attain food due to financial problems, they may be reluctant to seek out medical help for fear of the cost. This can increase a person's chances of dying from illnesses which are easily treatable (Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2020).

References:
Australian Institute of Family Studies. (2020). Understanding food insecurity in Australia. Australian Government. https://aifs.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/2009_cfca_understanding_food_insecurity_in_australia_0.pdf.
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. (2016). The Australian education system: Foundational level. Australian Government. https://www.dfat.gov.au/sites/default/files/australian-education-system-foundation.pdf.
Griffiths, D., Sheehan, L., van Vreden, C., Petrie, D., Grant, G., Whiteford, P., Sim, M. R., & Collie, A. (2021). The Impact of Work Loss on Mental and Physical Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Baseline Findings from a Prospective Cohort Study. Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation, 31(3), 455–462. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10926-021-09958-7
Shutterstock. (2022). Group of People Waving Australian Flags in Back Light. Shutterstock. https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/group-people-waving-australian-flags-back-215936266.

Australian Rules Football

oliviacheong04_ — 2023-10-10 04:39:10 UTC

Australian Football League (AFL) is a very popular sport in Australia and consists of a range of teams from all the states in the country. The health benefits of playing AFL include:

Improved mental health
Keeping active
Can create social connections which further improve mental health.
Great way to get vitamin D

You can watch the video below to learn the basics of the game:
AFL. (2022, August 24). A beginner’s guide to Australian football: AFL explained. [video]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_SqfNNfhmM&t=49s.

References:

Morello, N. (2020). 14 AFLW captains. Fox Footy. https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/womens-afl/afl-womens-2020-aflw-predictions-aflw-ladder-range/news-story/18789c7f274c0d5b7533aa0a9d04aa23.

Clothing

oliviacheong04_ — 2023-10-10 04:43:02 UTC

Due to the high temperatures in the summer, Australian clothing often consists of revealing clothes such as flip flops which don't protect them from UV rays released by the sun. As a result of this, the Cancer Council (2023) has developed a ryhme for people to help protect themselves from the sun:

"Slip, slop, slap, seek and slide".

References:

CancerCouncil. (2023). Be SunSmart. https://www.cancer.org.au/cancer-information/causes-and-prevention/sun-safety/be-sunsmart.
Jeayes, B. (2022). Australian flag thongs (flip flops) isolate on white. Shutterstock. https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/australian-flag-thongs-flip-flops-isolate-1123544660.

Tim Tams - Aussie Icon

oliviacheong04_ — 2023-10-10 04:45:41 UTC

Tim Tam's are chocolate covered biscuits which are very popular among Australians. The nutritional information for original Tim Tam's per 100g is below:

Energy: 2190.00KJ
Protein: 4.60g
Fat, Total: 26.80g
- Saturated: 15.00g
Carbohydrate: 65.10g
- Sugars: 46.00g
Dietary Fibre: 1.80g
Sodium: 158.00mg

Nutritional Information sourced from:
Woolworths. (2023). Arnott's Tim Tam original chocolate biscuits 200g. https://www.woolworths.com.au/shop/productdetails/36066/arnott-s-tim-tam-original-chocolate-biscuits.

Image Reference:
Arnott's. (2023). Arnott's Tim Tam biscuits. Arnott's. https://www.arnotts.com/brands/tim-tam.

Family Culture

oliviacheong04_ — 2023-10-11 12:40:39 UTC

In Australia, families are often very nuclear with immediate and extended families living separately. With the increasing rate of divorce and separation, it is very common to have blended families and single-parent families.
Health benefits of family:

Source of comfort and support
Aware of family history of diseases.

Reference:

Elese, J. (2023). Watercolour family portrait. Pinterest. https://www.pinterest.com.au/pin/157203843223083101/.

Favoured Pastime: 'Backyard Barbies'

oliviacheong04_ — 2023-10-11 12:56:39 UTC

A 'Backyard Barbie' is basically when we cook things such as sausages, shrimp, steak etc on a barbecue outside.
Health Benefits:

Gathering with friends and family = mental health can be improved
Having barbecues outside= way to get into nature and soak up vitamin D.
Red meats such as steak = are high in iron which is beneficial for the healthy growth and development of the body (National Institutes of Health, 2023).

References:

MilleFloreImages. (2017). Iconic Australian BBQ close up of man cooking chops, sausages and steak, outdoors in garden setting. iStock by Getty Images. https://www.istockphoto.com/photo/iconic-australian-bbq-close-up-gm893243822-247120452.
National Institutes of Health. (2023). Iron: fact sheet for consumers. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Iron-Consumer/#:~:text=Iron%20is%20a%20mineral%20that,iron%20to%20make%20some%20hormones.

Anzac Day

oliviacheong04_ — 2023-10-12 03:29:56 UTC

Anzac day is a day dedicated to our soldiers who have fought and died for Australia. It is tradition in Australia to make Anzac biscuits and memorials are held at dawn.
Health benefits:

Can give people a way to grieve.
Can bring families together

Reference:
Kanyakits. (2018). Silhouette of soldier paying respect at the grave. iStock by Getty Images. https://www.istockphoto.com/vector/silhouette-of-soldier-paying-respect-at-the-grave-vector-gm939484090-256866666.