Uti Kulintjaku is a British project that aims to work with improving Anangu’s mental health. This project is innovative and allows understanding mental disorders in the health of aborigines (Togni, 2016). Since the Torres Strait Islanders have virtually no access to medical services, unlike those who are not part of these indigenous people.
The main social determinants of health are the creation of a quality resource that will help adults and children improve their understanding of their mental health and make it more stable. In addition, the project aims to increase the significance and value of culture, which in turn are also aimed at improving the mental state of the locals. Moreover, the project will promote reconciliation with the non-indigenous population and the authorities, which will create a safe environment for the inhabitants of the island. From the outlined determinants, it is clear that the assistance offered by the project participants is entirely aimed at the development and improvement of the health and well-being of aborigines.
The combination of all determinants will help to improve people’s psychological health. In the future, this will have a significant impact on the psychological and moral well-being of the inhabitants of the island, their children, and future generations (Usher et al., 2021). The social determinants of health are the conditions in which people are born, grow up, live, work, and age, including health systems (Chakraborty et al., 2021). The project is an innovation, as it is headed by senior women from Anangu and supervised by non-aborigines. The problem posed to the project participants is relevant because the number of psychological breakdowns leading to suicide is quite large, and it is necessary to fight and support the population.
One of the social determinants of health is the improvement of the mental health of the population. In particular, this determinant aims to reduce the number of suicides among certain groups of people. According to the report of the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2020), 25.9% of women suffer from depression and emotional problems, and the number of men is 22.9%. These statistics show that indigenous Australian women aged 18 and older need psychological help more than men. Schultz et al. (2019) claim that the most common restrictions on access to medical care for the population are transport, cost, and cultural and language problems. The efforts of the project to improve the mental health of the population are aimed precisely at ensuring that people do not have these problems and receive qualified medical care. This determinant should be considered because women’s mental health is essential since women give birth to children who later form an integral community. The health of the mother and child reflects the entire population’s health.
Cultural determinant also plays an essential role in the formation of the mental health of the indigenous population of Australia. Culture places the main emphasis on life values, which further affects the health of the entire indigenous population. This determinant applies to every community inhabitant and does not single out any separate group. Verbunt et al. (2021), based on research, revealed that family and culture reinforced each other and helped in improving the health and well-being of locals. Based on this, it can be concluded that culture is an integral part of the life of the indigenous population of Australia. That is, the people responsible for the project need to direct their efforts to help improve this area.
Safety is an important determinant, as it provides Torres Strait Islanders and the indigenous population with the opportunity to receive medical care and support fully. The lack of safety is recognized as a decrease in the effectiveness of clinical work, as there is an imbalance between service providers and the indigenous population (Laverty et al., 2017). This determinant is defined mainly for young people since among them, there are quite often cases of suicide based on the lack of psychological help. Undoubtedly, suppose a safety-enhancing program is implemented for the indigenous people of Australia. In that case, they will be able to seek help from specialists in the field of medicine freely, and mortality from suicide and ill health will be significantly reduced. In order to assess how effective the project is to increase the number of people who have applied for help, longer-term studies are needed. Nevertheless, this determinant occurs, and it follows that this area needs to be improved.
An in-depth analysis of the identified determinants shows that the project is necessary to ensure a high level of health care for Indigenous Australians and Torres Strait Islanders. The combination of these determinants will help ensure a high level of healthcare and save many lives. Currently, the problem is at the stage of applying strategic solutions and, in the long term, will help people to work on their health. Naturally, it takes a long way to implement the selected determinants, but still, it will have a significant effect and contribute to the preservation of the indigenous population of Australia.
Cultural identity is necessary for this program, as it carries a sense of belonging to a particular group with its own culture. It helps a person relate to a group of people with similar values, traditions, and beliefs. The project pays special attention to culture, in connection with which the team members direct many their efforts to it. They actively apply their knowledge in the field of culture and share a story about a man and his wives. This story demonstrates the struggle of men who find themselves in a difficult situation due to their addictions and about strong women who give up everything to save their husband (Togni, 2018). By telling this story at various forums and seminars, Anangu women share their culture and maintain the cohesion of their society.
To preserve cultural data, a program aimed at creating a cultural camp was designed within the framework of the project. This program was to shoot a video about the life of the indigenous peoples of Australia and show it on TV. The camp was created to involve young people in studying the culture of residents. The program has potential and various opportunities for development (Togni, 2018). Another area of cultural development is the development of culturally valuable resources. This program is focused on working with young people and children and those who have experienced domestic and family violence and various traumas.
The inclusion of culture in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Promotion Program is significant. It is culture and cultural values that lead to people’s involvement in taking care of their health, as well as contributes to their safety. In addition, cultural aspects will contribute to the recovery of people since the emotional component, and positive emotions are the most important in improving people’s well-being and health.
References
Australian Institute of Health & Welfare. (2020). Indigenous health and wellbeing. Australian Government. Web.
Chakraborty, A., Daniel, M., Howard, N.J., Chong, A., Slavin, N., Brown, A., & Cargo, M. Identifying environmental determinants relevant to health and wellbeing in remote Australian indigenous communities: A scoping review of grey literature. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(4167), 1-19. Web.
Laverty, T., McDermott, D., & Calma, T. (2017). Embedding cultural safety in Australia’s main health care standards. Perspectives, 1(1), 15-16. Web.
Schultz, R., Quinn, S., Wilson, B., Abbott, T., & Cairney, S. (2019). Structural modelling of wellbeing for Indigenous Australians: Importance of mental health. BMC Health Services Research, 19(488), 1-12. Web.
Togni, S. (2016). The Uti Kulintjaku Project: The path to clear thinking. An evaluation of an innovative, aboriginal-led approach to developing cultural understanding of mental health and wellbeing. Australian Psychologist, 52(1), 268-279. Web.
Togni, S. (2018). Uti Kulintjaku Project. Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Women’s Council.
Usher, K., Jackson, D., Walker, R., Durkin, J., Smallwood, R., Robinson, M., Sampson, U., Adams, I., Porter, C., & Marriott, R. (2021). Indigenous resilience in Australia: A scoping review using a reflective decolonizing collective dialogue. Frontiers Public Health, 9(630601), 1-17. Web.
Verbunt, E., Luke, J., Paradies, Y., Bamblett, M., Salamone, C., Jones, A., & Kelaher, M. (2021). Cultural determinants of health for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people – A narrative overview of reviews. International Journal for Equity in Health, 20(181), 1-9. Web.