Frequently Asked Questions
- Why investigate ATSI health care provision – we don’t have many ATSI patients?
Local population statistics and MBS item number claims compared.
- Whilst officially we do not have a large number of self identified Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living within our MGPN catchment, (according to the 2006 census 1319 people self-identified as being of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent in our catchment) Medicare MBS statistics report a low number of ATSI specific MBS Item number claims* indicating there is potential for more care provision within general practice.
- Similarly, our local acute emergency departments, anecdotally report many avoidable ambulatory presentations by people of ATSI descent.
- Also this assumption can be a barrier to general practice actually asking the important question of all patients: “Do you identify as being of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent?”
- But we have the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service in our catchment....why worry?
Choice of health care provider
Whilst we do have the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service (VAHS) in our catchment, Aboriginal people have the choice to attend mainstream health clinics, and evidence suggests that many do.
- Cultural identification – why worry?
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have different health care entitlements in order to improve their health, and have a number of unique health requirements. For instance in terms of immunisation, some immunisations have different dosage requirements for Aboriginal Australians than for non-Aboriginal Australians.
Cultural identification Issues:
Cultural identification however is no doubt a complex issue and any ATSI figures are likely to be an underrepresentation for a number of reasons:
- Many health care providers do not ask whether their patients are of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander origin:
- despite RACGP standards requiring GPs to work towards recording the self identified cultural background of patients and being able to identify important cultural groups within their practice.
- Aboriginality cannot be determined by appearance alone.
- the question can routinely be included on new patient in-take forms.
- Aboriginal people may not identify themselves as of Aboriginal descent:
- to avoid discrimination.
- because they do not feel culturally accepted or comfortable
