aboriginal access to health care systems
DESCRIPTION
Aboriginal Access to Health Care Systems. Ontario Aboriginal Health Advocacy Initiative. Agenda. ‣ Overview of OAHAI ‣ The Healing and Wellness Strategy ‣ General Population Statistics ‣ Aboriginal Health Issues ‣ Poverty ‣ Aboriginal Health Policy - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Agenda‣ Overview of OAHAI
‣ The Healing and Wellness Strategy
‣ General Population Statistics
‣ Aboriginal Health Issues
‣ Poverty
‣ Aboriginal Health Policy
‣Traditional Native values vs. Western Values
‣ Our Priorities and where do we go from here ?
The Ontario Aboriginal Health Advocacy Initiative (OAHAI)
Who We Are…….
OAHAI was established to address key health concerns of Aboriginal people regarding;
Quality, Equity and Access
OAHAI’s Mandate
To address the inequitable access to quality, culturally appropriate health services for Aboriginal, First Nation and Metis people throughout the Provinceof Ontario
Who Funds Us…….
Aboriginal Healing and Wellness Strategy (AHWS)
Unique partnership with Government of OntarioIn 1990 Aboriginal organizations and the government developed the Strategy
To address poor health conditions as well as the alarming rates of family violence Aboriginal people in the Province have endured
Our Government Partners
Ministry of Community and Social Services
Ministry of Health and Long term Care
Ontario Native Affairs Secretariat
Ontario Women’s Directorate
Aboriginal Healing & Wellness Strategy
Services and ProgramsCommunity Wellness WorkersCrisis Intervention TeamsHealth Liaisons and Outreach WorkersHealing LodgesSheltersAboriginal Health Access CentresMaternal and Child CentresInformation Clearing HousesTraining ProgramsAboriginal Healthy Babies/Healthy Children’s ProgramsAboriginal Health Advocacy Initiative
General Population Statistics
Aboriginal people represent approximately 3% of Canada’s total population
Over 50% of the Aboriginal population are under the age of 24; 40 % are under the age of 16
General Health Issues
Aboriginal people experience a broad range of health issues, many of which lead Aboriginal people to suffer from among the poorest health levels in the country
Aboriginal people have shorter life expectancies; experience more violent and accidental deaths; have higher infant mortality rates increased suicides and…
General Health Issues (cont’d)
…suffer from a number of chronic health conditions, such as diabetes, TB, cancer, arthritis, etc.
Aboriginal people have the highest smoking rates in the country
57% of Aboriginal adults and 54% of Aboriginal teens smoke (some start as young as 8)
General Health Issues (cont’d)
Aboriginal people experience a
much tougher battle with
HIV / AIDS than the
broader Canadian population
General Health Issues (cont’d)
The fastest growing HIV/AIDS population is
15-29 year old Aboriginal women
This population represents between
35 – 40% of the new cases
reported in 2001
Aboriginal Poverty
52.1% of all Aboriginal children are poor.
12% of all families are headed by parents under 25 years of age vs. 3% in the general population
27% of Aboriginal families are headed by single mothers vs. 12% in the general population
Over 40% of Aboriginal families in urban areas are headed by single mothers
Aboriginal Health Policy
Ontario has an Aboriginal Health Policy, designed by Aboriginal community representatives and the Ontario Ministry of Health in 1994
Aboriginal Health Policy (cont’d)
Designed to assist the MOH address the inequities in Aboriginal Health
Aboriginal Health Policy (cont’d)
Visions and Principals include: wholistic / holistic
physical, mental, emotional and spiritual based on partnership
Aboriginal ownership, control and access cultural foundation
Aboriginal Health Policy (cont’d)
Three Strategic areas:
health status access to services and
planning and representation
Policy – Aboriginal Health Status
This part of the policy addresses:
poor health status the lack of coordination
the inequity of funding and
the overemphasis on treatment rather than wellness
Policy – Aboriginal Health Status (cont’d)
Approaches articulated in this part of the policy include: healing and wellness programs health empowerment co-operation and co-ordination between community
practitioners including healers, Elders, medicine people, midwives,
community health workers and other health providers The policy also promotes a necessary equity of funding
Policy – Access to Services
This component of the Policy addresses: transportation language cultural concerns client advocacy lack of recruitment, retention and professional
development of health care workers lack of recognition and acceptance of traditional
healers
Policy – Planning and Representation
The Policy identifies barriers lack of understanding and recognition of Aboriginal
issues cultural biases a fundamental lack of respect lack of involvement of Aboriginal people in decision
making the lack of awareness of rights to available services
Policy – Planning and Representation (cont’d)
The proposed approaches outlined in the Policy includes:
planning authorities representation of Aboriginal people in health
bodies, both service-based and regulatory and, improved relations with government
Issues on the Immediate Horizon
Disease management Prevention and promotion strategies
The development of a mental health policy Poverty and nutrition
Governance Access to services
The development of partnerships
Current OAHAI Priorities
HIV/AIDS
Hepatitis C
Youth Sexual Health
Medical Transportation
Mental Health and Addictions
Creating Partnership