Myocardial Infarction (MI) among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples (Essay Sample)

Myocardial Infarction (MI) among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Student’s Name Institutional Affiliation Course Code and Name Instructor’s Name Due Date Myocardial Infarction (MI) among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Chronic diseases, including heart diseases are reported to account for approximately 64% of the burden of disease in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population (Harrop et al., 2024). The mortality rates due to MI among Aboriginal peoples is double the prevalence in other Australians (Harrop et al., 2024). The risk factors of MI include hypertension, high cholesterol, age, history of heart disease, male gender, high blood pressure, obesity, and diabetes (Ojha & Dhamoon, 2023; Salari et al., 2023). This paper will review MI, its causes, signs and symptoms, and its influence on the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of Australia. Causes of MI and its Impact on the Social and Emotional Well-being MI is commonly known as a heart attack, which arises when plagues form within the interior walls of the heart arteries (Caldeira & Nogueira-Garcia, 2023). This results in significant reduction in blood flow, injuring the heart muscles to insufficient supply of oxygen (Caldeira & Nogueira-Garcia, 2023). This causes the symptoms of MI such as pain in the chest starting from the left arm to the neck, breathlessness, vomiting, nausea, irregular heartbeats, fatigue, weakness, anxiety, and depression, among others (Ojha & Dhamoon, 2023). MI causes damage to the heart; thus, it is important to treat the patient immediately. In addition to the adverse impacts on the health of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, it is crucial to understand the impact of MI on the emotional and social well-being of the affected. The experience of life-threatening conditions such as MI is highly stressful and can have severe impacts on the well-being of the patient for a substantial period. Greenslade et al. (2022) state that the experience is traumatic and results in the individual feeling fear, stress, anxiety, and even depression, with the Indigenous people likely to face additional emotional challenges due to socio-economic inequalities, particularly in accessing health. Socially, the MI experience can impact various aspects of life, including work and family life. McGee et al. (2023) indicate that Indigenous people may experience discrimination both in accessing healthcare and in their social aspects, isolation, and added stigma, which further increases emotional trauma. In agreement, Burchill and Dos Santos (2024) indicate that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians have vital cultural elements, including connections to each other and distrust of the healthcare systems, which can impact their treatment and healing. However, McGee et al. (2023) report that there are special programs across Australia focused on improving healthcare access to Indigenous people, including the availability of liaison officers who ensure their advocacy and culturally safe healthcare. Factors Affecting the Increased Prevalence of MI among the Indigenous People Evidence indicates that the prevalence of MI among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians is higher compared to the other Austrians (Burchill & Dos Santos, 2024). The Indigenous people face unique factors which further complicates and increases the prevalence of MI. Gardiner et al. (2021) report that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians have a higher risk of getting MI when compared to the rest of the population. This is because they face increased risk of being obese, living in poverty, smoking and abuse of substances among others. Dee et al. (2022) indicate that the Indigenous people face an increased risk of MI as result of elements unique to them including historical injustices which has influenced their access to basic health care. Regular checkup is unable to them resulting to risk factors of conditions such as MI going unidentified. The Indigenous people are more likely to be unemployed and living in poverty which hinders the access to healthcare (Verbunt et al., 2021). Such elements must be recognized and identified to allow the appropriate management. Historically, the Indigenous people of Australia experienced colonization which has resulted to systematic barriers to healthcare. Pearson et al. (2020) point out that due to the historical injustices, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians have to date experience inequalities when compared to other Australians. Policies such as assimilation policies resulted to the denial of the cultural practices and identity of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. Colonization had grave and diverse consequences, including the stolen generations whereby the removal of the Aboriginal children from their families (Verbunt et al., 2021). With these and other practices, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians have remained, to date, mostly disadvantaged in the country with poor health outcomes, higher rates of mortality as well as lower life expectancy. To improve the health outcomes of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians for MI as well as other conditions, it is essential to incorporate the historical acts and contemporary policies such as assimilation policies and their impact on their health (Verbunt et al., 2021). Geographic, environmental, and climate factors have also impacted the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, who often reside in remote and regional rates, resulting in additional difficulties in getting to healthcare (Verbunt et al., 2021). Pearson et al. (2020) experience stigma from the society which influences how healthcare is delivered to them including access to preventive care. Interventions must address the social determinants of health which hinder the access to health for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians (Gardiner et al., 2021). Cultural safety should also be at the center of care delivery understanding how cultural influence health outcomes. Importance of Culturally Safe Health Care and Health Care Symptoms Evidence indicates that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians encounter challenges such as language barriers which result in healthcare inequalities (Withall et al., 2021). Cultural safety involves care which recognizes the role of cultural identity and norms of the Indigenous people (Gerrard et al., 2021). Healthcare practitioners engaging with the Indigenous people must recognize the reliance of cultural practices and identities including how it impacts the health care outcomes. In order to improve the outcomes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, it is critical for the healthcare provided to be not only available and accessible but that the Indigenous people feel safe seeking it. This can be done through providing care which is culturally safe. Withall et al. (2021) argue that culturally safe healthcare for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians involves care which is respectful of the cultural identity of the people including their cultural norms and practices. This is because the cultural norms and practices influence the acceptability and help-seeking behaviour of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians (Withall et al., 2021). Further, healthcare professionals need to have cultural competence to understand how these elements impact their service provision (Gerrard et al., 2021). Through collaboration with cultural leaders and liaison officers, healthcare professionals need to develop a health care environment which is culturally safe (Withall et al., 2021). Cultural safety is linked with improved effectiveness in care provision including development of therapeutic relationships with the patients and improved engaged as well as shred decision making (Withall et al., 2021). Cultural safety recognizes the social determinants of health for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians and how they influence the care provided. This allows improved and holistic care delivery. Conclusion There increased occurrence of MI among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians and focus should be given to how it can be reduced by addressing the various risk factors such as obesity. This includes providing health care which is culturally safe with healthcare professionals committed to improving their cultural competence in serving the Aboriginal and Torr...