Discussing on Health Being of an Individual (Term Paper Sample)

Human Health
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Human Health
Individuals can only achieve their full potential for building s physically, socially and mental health by participating in activities and taking actions or decisions that affect their well-being. A healthy community creates an environment in which its members to interact and share ideas and information which helps them in planning and making decision that affects them in achievement of a common goal. A community that encourages its members in participating in active roles in cultural, economic, and social life has a healthier environment compared to one in which its citizen’s ideas are neglected. Several measures can be considered in the creation and maintenance of a healthy community for the well-being of its members. In Australia, indigenous people do not have equal opportunities of healthy environments as compared to the non-indigenous people. For instance in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders people don’t have equal access to basic health care and infrastructure, safe drinking water, garbage collection services, housing services as well as sufficient sewerage systems and drainage. There have been measures taken to reduce the gap between the indigenous and non-indigenous Australians in relation to the promotion of healthy communities in the long term as discussed in this paper.
Various parties in the community can take responsibilities of engaging in the creation and maintenance of a healthy community. Political commitment contributes (from the most powerful to the least powerful leader). The local government role is central in contributing to a healthier community as it sets healthy policies that enables its citizens to live a healthy life, take healthy decisions as well as take part in transforming their physical and social environments (Cappon D., 2014). Healthy public policies involve the participation of non-health sectors such as infrastructure and food policy programmes in creating and maintaining a healthy environment. These policies such as the access to food choices, transportation choices, recreation activities and the project of the community are directed in the improvement of the population health. For instance residents has widely relied on car and transports for transport which burn fossil fuels which releases toxic gases in air which has negative impact on the human health such as lung cancers. Asset-based approach enables the community to focus on the skills or knowledge of an individual and also in the strengths of the community as opposed to the traditional approaches (Clendon, 2015). The traditional approaches focus on the deficiencies of the community such as poverty, diseases and homelessness which results to intervention of experts from outside the community. The asset-based approach helps the community in developing on their strengths, skills, knowledge and in choosing the most suitable solutions. The outside community can also provide support but the leading and choosing of the action lies in hands of the community (Raffstin C & Lawrence R, 2011).
All sectors such as, education, health, government, community operations, public sectors, and voluntary sectors should understand that creating and maintain a healthy community is everyone’s business and they must work together as a team the achievement of a healthy community. The locally elected leaders should set policies that focus on making the named sectors work in partnership and manage to commit these sectors to carry out actions that promote health with an aim of providing quality life to the population. The hosing association in a community can also contribute to the well-being of the individuals. For instance, inadequate housing, leaking pipes and ceilings, and cracked walls may impose the inhabitants to physical and mental stress which affects their immune system (Clendon, 2015). Failure of repairing houses may expose people to air pollutants and pests which cause health problems to them. The housing organizations should come up with policies on the standard of the houses to be built on the community for all the classes even the poor. The human rights in (article 12) of The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights includes the right to regular or adequate standards of living, sufficient food, better clothing and accommodation as well as the right to education. Article 2 of this covenant call for the government to take measures that maximize the public resources in fulfilling the rights in the covenant and ensure the rights are enjoyed equally without discrimination (Raffstin C & Lawrence R, 2011).
In Australia, the poverty and inequality they face and experience is a clear reflection of how their treatment as human and not simply the disadvantaged citizens. Recent studies in various countries Australia inclusive, has shown that health is determined by various social factors. Racism has been one factor affecting mental and physical health. A research in 53 studies in the United States shown that, while the level of racism increased there was a decrease in the mental health of the individuals experiencing racism. Three quarter of studies also showed that there was elevation in the patients of high blood pressure in Afro-Americans and racism (McConnell, 2009). Experts argues that, though there has been few studies in the indigenous Australians on the effects of racisms to the human health, there is a very high correlation in the studies carried in United States with the Australia. In a social survey carried in 2002 in Abor...