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Aboriginal Health

Aboriginal Health - Mavis Golds

Cultural Training Manual - Contents

Strategies for working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

Mavis Golds is the Aboriginal health coordinator for the Northern Rivers Aboriginal Health Service.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are culturally different and have their own unique culture.

Need to be aware that a lot of people cannot read or write.

Do not expect them to fill in forms and questionnaires without assistance.

Don't use jargon when asking about medical problems, point to certain parts of the body where the pain might be.

In some communities, eye contact does not occur out of respect for their culture.

Aboriginal people are more visual and verbal compared to non-Aboriginal society today which is more numerate and literate.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have large extended families and there are some communities in this area where mothers-in-law do not speak to their sons-in-law.

Aboriginal elders do not like being in a confined room.

Because of cultural reasons they also like to have their bed heads facing a certain direction - need to ask if their bed is okay.

When working with Aboriginal people, there is men's business and women's business, so it is important not to put them in the same room when they are in hospital.

When an Aboriginal patient is to see a doctor, please try to make sure they see a doctor of the same gender (although this is not always possible).

When there is a death, allow time (at least an hour) for visitors to visit with the deceased. We believe our spirits are still in this room.