Research Topic
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations have a high rate of infant mortality. I am interested in infant mortality as it is a critical issue among the indigenous population in the country. Indigenous infants continue to have a much higher risk of passing away before turning one than non-Indigenous infants (Young et al., 2019). This essay will cover the impact of higher infant death rates, the attempts made to address the problem, and the issues still present.
Impact of High Infant Mortality on Health and Culture
From a statistical point of view, high mortality leads to a significant loss of population and a decreased quality of life. In the absence of access to healthcare, the rate is steadily increasing, and simultaneously with the decline in the adult population, there are fewer new individuals in the gene pool (Menzies, 2019).
Regarding health outcomes, many indigenous children are born to teenage mothers and women who smoke and drink (Taylor et al., 2021). These mothers will not improve their health after birth because the social determinants are too strong. We can expect the deterioration of the mental health of mothers who have lost (Dowell et al., 2018). From a cultural perspective, high infant mortality results in the loss of cultural traditions and national beliefs (Young et al., 2022). No one makes up for the adults who die, and the problem of racism and prejudice persists.
Strategies to Reduce Indigenous Infant Mortality
Several methods have been put into place to address the issue of the high infant mortality rates among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The 2008 introduction of the Closing the Gap initiative aims to narrow the health outcomes gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians (Sivertsen et al., 2020). The program included goals for infant mortality, one of which was to close the infant death rate gap by at least 50% by 2018 (Mitchell et al., 2023). The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan emphasizes enhancing access to healthcare and addressing determinants of health.
References
Dowell, C. M., Mejia, G. C., Preen, D. B., & Segal, L. (2018). Maternal incarceration, child protection, and infant mortality: A descriptive study of infant children of women prisoners in Western Australia. Health & justice, 6(1), 1-12.
Menzies, K. (2019). Understanding the Australian Aboriginal experience of collective, historical and intergenerational trauma. International Social Work, 62(6), 1522-1534.
Mitchell, F., Walker, T., Hill, K., & Browne, J. (2023). Factors influencing infant feeding for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and their families: a systematic review of qualitative evidence. BMC Public Health, 23(1), 1-15.
Sivertsen, N., Anikeeva, O., Deverix, J., & Grant, J. (2020). Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander family access to continuity of health care services in the first 1000 days of life: a systematic review of the literature. BMC Health Services Research, 20(1), 1-9.
Taylor, A., Wilson, T., Temple, J., Kelaher, M., & Eades, S. (2021). The future growth and spatial shift of Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population, 2016-2051. Population, Space and Place, 27(4), e2401.
Young, J., McEniery, J., Cruice, D., & Thompson, J. M. (2022). Reducing Infant Mortality in Queensland: the impact of the Pēpi-Pod® Program. Women and Birth, 35, 10.
Young, J., Watson, K., Craigie, L., Neville, J., & Hunt, J. (2019). Best practice principles for research with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in action: Case study of a safe infant sleep strategy. Women and Birth, 32(5), 460-465.