Food Predicament Essay Example for Free

Food Predicament Essay 1. List three factors largely responsible for the significant increase in North American food production since the end of World War II. a. Population Growth b. Rising personal income 2. Describe the trends in world food production vis-a-vis population growth from 1950 to the present. There is more people to supply food than before. 3. To what extent does expanding the amount of land under cultivation offer hope for significantly increasing world food supply? Why? To permit unproductive lands to be farmed, making it possible to raise two to three crops a year on the same land. 4. List four reasons for the loss of currently productive agricultural land. a. erosion b. desertification c. salinization d. water-logging 5. What factors make it unlikely that ocean fish harvests can be increased substantially above present levels? Large predator fish, overexploitation by industrial fishing fleets has reduced stocks of some species. 6. List several changes in food-handling practices that poor countries could implement to prevent loss of harvested crops. Store grains in bins that may not be easily penetrated, have good refrigeration and have reliable transport for the food. 7. To what extent can eating lower on the food chain help to solve problems of world hunger? It will help until the population grows more and going vegetarian would not be possible. 8. Why are a number of relatively affluent countries purchasing farmland in other nations? What are the advantages and disadvantages of such purchases for the host country? Because of the productive soil their food will grow much better in each different region. Some advantages might be that they will have that food available for the consumers and some disadvantages might be that there is a climate change and loose the crop. B. Match the following deficiency diseases with the nutritional factor (shown below the table) whose absence provoked these conditions (you can use the factor or corresponding letter (a, b, .): 1. childhood blindness 2. marasmus 3. anemia 4. kwashiorkor 5. mental retardation 6. pellagra 7. scurvy 8. rickets 9. beri-beri a. protein b. fiber c. vitamin A d. vitamin Bl (thiamine) e. vitamin C f. vitamin D g. vitamin E h. niacin i. iodine j. iron k. overall calorie/protein shortage C. True/False. Indicate T or F in the space before each numbered question. If the statement is false, revise it below in the box provided to make a correct statement; focus your response on the words in bold. 1. As incomes rise, food demand increases because more affluent people eat larger quantities of food. 2. It is estimated that approximately a billion people in the world today are undernourished. 3.Within families in poor societies, adolescent boys are the most likely to suffer from malnutrition. 4. Overpopulation is the major cause of chronic hunger problems in the developing world. 5. In societies where hunger is widespread, the rate of malnutrition among children and women is much higher than it is among men. 6. Malnutrition is most harmful when it occurs among children under 5. 7. The damaging effects of childhood malnutrition are reversible if the child receives an adequate diet when he/she becomes older. 8. Malnourished women are likely to give birth to underweight babies and to produce poor quality breast milk. 9. Marasmus is responsible for more childhood deaths in developing countries than any other single cause. 10. The most common nutritional deficiency disease worldwide is kwashiorkor. 11. A swollen belly, discoloration of the hair and skin, and stunted physical development are all classic symptoms of overall protein/calorie deprivation. 12. The worlds single most important cause of preventable brain damage and mental retardation is Vitamin A deficiency. 13. Aquaculrure offers greater hope for increasing the worlds fish harvest than does intensifying efforts in ocean fishing. 14. World livestock production, which rose steadily from 1950-1990, has subsequently leveled off because of falling market demand for meat. 15. Anemia is a leading cause of high female mortality rates and problem pregnancies in many poor countries. 16. Aquaculture supplies almost all of the tuna fish found in American supermarkets. 17. Biotechnology can help reduce farmers reliance on chemical fertilizers and pesticides and may make it possible to cultivate lands currently too dry or too saline for farming. 18. Among species commonly raised to supply animal protein for human consumption, fish are the most efficient energy converters, requiring just 2-3 pounds of feed to gain one pound of flesh. 19. In sub-Saharan Africa, grain production has remained stagnant at about one ton/ hectare since the early 1960s. 20. Significant increases in agricultural production achieved by technological breakthroughs such as the miracle grains or genetically modified crop and livestock varieties will ensure that all the worlds people enjoy an adequate diet.

Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America Essay Example for Free

Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America Essay The research gives the patient as well as the doctors and other healthcare professionals the education to be able to make the best decisions possible with treatments for each different individual as well as the support of the Government in this research. â€Å"The economics of medical product development determines how pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies establish their funding priorities. According to industry estimates, it takes an average of $800 million and 10-15 years to develop a new drug, medical device, or biologic and bring it to the market† [ (Resnick, 2003) ] Scope The overall scope of PhRMA is to do research in improving the quality of healthcare and how to do this. With the ultimate goal being patients receiving health care that is most efficient. Making sure that the research that is done is prioritized by the needs of the patients as well as society as a whole, having the research cover not only specific treatments costs and savings, but the costs of all healthcare treatments as a whole. As well as making sure that all technologies are used appropriately in all of healthcare. Design The design of PhRMA is to make sure that the research that is done is quality research. The data needs to be sufficient in nature as well as having the studies that are done show both the opportunities to improve as well as the strengths to improve upon. Making sure that the research that is done is up to date in this ever changing field so that it is providing the best results possible. The research needs to be both of a broad nature as well as a specifically direct nature, covering aspects that are important to society and the patients. Considering both economic issues and how well patients can be productive members of society, doing additional research to get patients to that point if they are not. Application PhRMA needs to make sure that the research that they are doing shows that not all patients are equal in the needs that they have medically and that if the research is not done on a personal level and done instead on a population level then the results will not show the individuals needs. In short, research that is done on a broader spectrum is only one way that can help people and the doctors to make an informed decision on care. With all of the technology that is out in the world of healthcare people needs to be informed on the other options that they may have for treatment. The government research should consider a balance in communicating the findings of its research. Giving access to peer reviewed results so that treatment decisions are well rounded before a decision is made. â€Å"Government decisions related to the funding and conduct of health outcomes research should be made through open, transparent procedures that ensure appropriate and timely involvement of stakeholders such as patients, health care professionals and medical researchers on issues such as proposed research goals, study designs and communication of study results. † [ (Resnick, 2003) ] In this communication, keeping in mind that all people can react differently to different treatments making sure to keep the needs of the patients as well as the value in mind. Discussion The article that I read was very interesting. I did not realize with the complication of research, especially with in the healthcare industry exactly how much of it really does affect the economy. Giving patients the variety in the different treatments that they receive can have a positive effect on the economy. It can over time change pricing (costs inputs), and with additional research that is constantly done on the variety of the treatments over time will help to create medical advances over time.  In the mission statement of PhRMA it states â€Å"To conduct effective advocacy for public policies that encourage discovery of important new medicines for patients by pharmaceutical and biotechnology research companies.

Gambling Addiction Literature Review

Gambling Addiction Literature Review Chapter 2: Literature Review 2.1 Introduction This chapter covers a review of past literatures pertaining to the topic under study. As an opening, it brings in the limelight the backbone of gambling. Several definitions about gambling and the rationale behind are put forward as described by several authors. Following this, the different types of gambling activities adopted by the university students are highlighted; namely poker, sports wagering and lotteries for example. Furthermore, gamblers response towards the gambling activities and their problems are reviewed and contrasted. 2.2 What is gambling? Gambling is the wagering of money or something of material value (stakes) on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money or goods. Three key elements in gambling are: Consideration, Chance and Prize (I. N. Rose, 2013). McGill university review refers gambling as any game or activity in which you may risk money or a valuable object in order to win money. The elements present in gambling are firstly that one needs to realize that by gambling, something valuable is being put at risk, secondly the outcome of the game is determined by chance and finally once a bet is made it is irreversible. 2.3 History of gambling: Gambling is one of mankind’s oldest doings as indicated by writings and equipments found in tombs and other places. The foundation of gambling is considered to be divinatory by emitting marked sticks and other objects and inferring the upshot, man sought the understanding of future and the aims of gods. Anthropologists have also pointed to the fact that gambling is more rampant in societies where there is an extensive belief in gods and spirits whose compassion may be sought. With the advent of legal gambling houses in the 17th century, mathematicians came to a decision to take a serious awareness in games of randomizing equipment, such as dice and cards, out of which grew the field of probability theory. Organised approved sports betting dates back to the late 18th century where there was a swing in the official stance towards gambling, from considering it to a sin to considering it to a vice and a human weakness and lastly to seeing it as a mostly harmless and even entertaining activity. By the start of the 21th century approximately four out of five people in western nations gambled at least every week. 2.4 Who is a gambler? A person who wagers money on the outcome of games or sporting events can be categorized as a gambler. Gamblers can visit gambling houses, or through any other facility, to place their bets and hope for a win. There are three common types of gambler the social gambler, the professional gambler and the problem gambler. The professional gamblers are the rarest form of gambler and do not depend on luck but much more of games of skills to make an earning. They have full control over the money, time and energy they are spending on the game. The social gambler considers gambling to be a recreational activity and they maintain control of their betting, the energy and the time they spend on the game. They consider their betting to be a price to be paid for entertainment. Problem gambler involves the continuous involvement in gambling despite negative consequences and this can lead to other health and social problems. 2.5 Gambling across the globe 2.5.1 Gambling age The gambling age across the globe varies greatly. In some countries and areas gambling is proscribed altogether, in others gambling is only authorized for foreigners. In some areas, everyone is allowed to play but the betting age requirement is not the same for citizens as for foreigners. An example of such a country is Portugal where foreigners are allowed to venture in all casinos at the age of 18, while citizens need to be 21 or 25 depending on the gaming house. The most familiar gambling age across the sphere is 18 years and more than 50% of western countries have this gambling age. There are nonetheless abundance of examples of countries that have a superior limit, such as Greece and Germany. Germany is a good model of how thorny the question of gambling age really is as Germany, just like in the USA, has different ages in different states within the nation. Most German states require you to be 18 years old, but some have placed the age constraint at 21 years instead. Generally speaking, one can see a trend of countries and states lowering the gambling age from the once dominating gambling age of 21 year to just 18 years. This trend has been going for quite some time and across large parts of the world. 2.5.2 Top of the world Certain countries are, as a whole, hot ongambling. Measured in terms of loss per capita of adults, the two top nations containing the maximum loss stand head and shoulders above the world. Those two infamous gambling Mecca’s are Australia and Singapore (American Gaming Association, 2006). The top five countries as to gambling losses per capita of the adult population comprise: Australia, Singapore, Ireland, Canada and Finland. The average net yearly per adult expenditure on gambling for these nations runs from $1,275 down to $540 (American Gaming Association, 2006). 2.6 Gambling in Mauritius: It was recently declared that the Council of Ministers in Mauritius endorsed the resolution that bookmakers operating out of the Champ de Mars racecourse are now permitted to work only on Fridays and Saturdays. Till now they were allowed to take bets upon publication of the official program of races on Thursdays. The raison dà ªtre set for this decision is that it will smooth the progress of condensing the influence of gambling on the Mauritians. Gambling has become part of the foundation of the Mauritian society over the years. This takes account of casino gambling, online gambling, horse race betting and the â€Å"loterie verte†. Althoughhorse racingis still a popular betting sport, the Lotto, since its preface on the 7th of November 2009 as the new national lottery, has exceeded it in standing. We just have to pay attention to the radio for a few minutes or take a glimpse at the billboards when driving on the public road to get to know about the jackpot for the coming draw. There are more than 500 counters across the island in supermarkets, petrol pumps, and shops facilitating customers to play the Lotto. Around 12 scratch cards have also been pioneered giving people the prospect of winning instant money. When people primarily used to place their hard-earned money on horses, now they are being ensnared into wasting it on the Lotto. A considerable number of people are already conquered by the â€Å"jackpot feverâ₠¬ , spending more than usual when the jackpot gets bigger. 2.7 Types of gambling: Gambling is a vast world which compromises of many branches from which people try their luck in the hope to make more money or just for the thrill of the game. In Mauritius you can easily find casinos, gaming houses (which is smaller than a casino but offers the same service for middle class players) and shops where you gamble. Some of the available forms of gambling present on the island are: 2.7.1 The lottery. The ‘lottery verte’ and the Lotto are the most common and most profitable types of gambling for the government in Mauritius. The ‘Lottery verte’ is a monthly lottery where you have to buy the tickets at a retailer, which can be found everywhere, and you just have to wait for the end of the month to check your results and see if you have won. The prices of the tickets are Rs10 each and you are eligible to win prices ranging from Rs 100000 to Rs 10 million. On the other hand you have the Lotto which settled itself in Mauritius more recently and now it’s the new craze for Mauritian. The idea is that you have to select 6 numbers out of 40 (each number can be selected only once) and then you just have to go to any supermarkets or retailer to validate your 6 numbers. Each ticket cost Rs20 and you can play as much ticket you want. The lottotech, the company which runs the lotto, makes a public draw, on air, on the national channel every Sa turday. The lotto is a lottery where you have a cumulative jackpot, that is if no one wins the jackpot this week then the other week they will add this to a new jackpot thus every time you have the chance of winning a bigger one if you lose, and this jackpot starts at Rs5 million and can go up to Rs70 million (biggest jackpot won till now). 2.7.2 Horse racing. Horse racing is anchored in our society for ages and it forms part nowadays in our cultural and historical heritage. It was introduced in Mauritius by the English before the independence and it is still going strong. In the beginning horse racing was more for fame and social status than for making money and gambling. Latter to make the horse industry run and thrive, the board introduced betting on the horse racing and this was also a good opportunity for government to get tax money. Horse racing is a huge event in Mauritius, every Saturday and on some special occasions on Sundays we have horse racing at the Champ de Mars which is the race tracks found in the capital Port Louis. Nowadays in every rural and urban area you can find bookmakers who will take your bets on the horses as from Friday and on racing days you have a huge crowd who converge to the Champ de Mars for the fun and in the hope of making money. 2.7.3 Casino. A casino is a facility which accommodates certain types of gambling activities such as slot machines, poker, blackjack, big or small, van lak, dice and roulette for example. Casinos are situated at strategic areas to lure more and more clients, such strategic areas might be near hotels, touristic attractions, or even a city or town which is well frequented by many people. In Mauritius you have many casinos or gaming houses, which are smaller casinos but still well frequented by the people, found in the urban areas such as Rose-Hill, Vacoas, Port-Louis and some touristic places such as Grand Baie. Most games played have mathematically-determinedoddsthat ensure the house has at all times an overall advantage over the players. This can be expressed more precisely by the notion ofexpected value, which is uniformly negative (from the players perspective). This advantage is called thehouse edge. This is why there is an adage â€Å"the house always wins† for the casinos . In Mauritius nowadays we can witness more and more casinos being offered a patent and opening their doors to the public. The government knows that this is a prolific market and if they can make gambling accessible to more tourists and people it will surely be an advantage to them since the casinos have to pay a huge tax and money to get their patent. We can see that several tournaments are being organized in Mauritius, such as the World Poker Tour National Mauritius, which lures people from all over Africa and the Indian Ocean to come to Mauritius just to play poker. The hotels now when they are advertising the island they also advertise casinos to get more tourists, a new clientele and a really good strategy that differs from other hotels as they are targeting more and more high class ‘gambling tourists’ and which is a very profitable market. 2.7.4 Scratch cards. This is the new craze among the Mauritian people. Scratch cards are simple and easily available across the whole island. The rule is simple just buy one and you have to scratch the opaque surface which concealed the information, if you get the required symbols you win, and the most attractive part of it is the opportunity to win instantly as compared to lottery where you have to wait for the draw and the prices at which they are sold and the prizes that you can get from it. Cards can range from Rs20 to Rs100 and prizes may vary from Rs200 000 to Rs1 million. The scratch cards are supervised by the Lottotech the same company which manage the Lotto in Mauritius. 2.7.5 Online gambling. Easy, availability, and affordable are the words usually associated with online gambling. Easy to log in on some betting sites, no account needs to be created and no fees to be paid. Availability because of the fact that it is all over the internet, you do not have to look far to find online gambling sites. Banner ads and pop-ups can be found on mostly every site which has a high level of traffic by people. It is affordable since some sites just let you bet for free and if you win then you have to cash in to be able to play, some allows you to choose how many you want to bet and give you live odds according to what is happening which cannot be found elsewhere. Online gambling targets most of the time teenagers, this is a strategy called ‘grooming’ whereby they make the teenagers feel acquainted with the attractiveness of the game so that when he becomes older he will still be a potential income earner and a player. 2.8 Gambling among university students Gambling is omnipresent among university students as demonstrated through researches. The vast majority of students gamble without experiencing ill effects, yet almost 8% of university students may build up a gambling problem (Derevensky, J. L., Gupta, R. (2007). Gambling was once an acceptable form of entertainment on campuses but with the new laws, it is now forbidden to participate in any kind of gambling activities, but still it can be found everywhere. However, the warning signs of developing a gambling problem are not brought forward, as is seen with other potentially addictive behaviors, such as drug use and alcohol consumption. With the swell in gambling venues, social recognition of gambling, and access to extensive and inexpensive means of gambling, it is not astounding that studies have found high rates of gambling linked adverse problems among college students. 2.9 Problem gambling Problem gambling or ludomania is an urge to continuously gamble despite harmful negative consequences or a desire to stop. The prevalence of problem gambling has been evaluated at 7.8% among university students which is considerably high than the roughly 5% rate found among the general population (Blinn, Pike, Worthy, Jonkman, 2006). Students facing problem gambling illustrate many signs including isolating behavior, lowered academic performance, poor impulse control and displaying extreme overconfidence, and participating in other high risk behaviors such as bringing on alcohol, tobacco and marijuana use and risky sexual behavior (LaBrie, etal, 2003), (Goodie, A.S, 2005). Environmental factors also contribute to problem gambling. The surroundings of a student are a key factor in determining whether he is prone to problem gambling. If the students live in an area where gambling opportunities and social normative beliefs that are supportive of gambling activities are available, this i ncreases the likelihood of gambling participation and of development of a gambling problem. Staffs that are conscious of environmental conditions that may contribute to problem gambling can develop policies to help these students (Wehner,M. 2007). 2.9.1 Gambling Addiction and Problem Gambling Whether you wage on scratch cards, sports, poker, roulette, or slots, in a casino or online, problem gambling can sprain relationships, impede with work, and escort to fiscal cataclysm. You may even do things you never contemplate you would, like stealing money to gamble or reimburse your debts. You may believe you can’t stop but, with the right help, you can triumph over a gambling problem or compulsion and reclaim control of your life. The first step is recognizing and acknowledging the problem. Gambling dependence is occasionally referred to as the hidden illness because there are no apparent substantial signs or symptoms like there are in drug or alcohol addiction. Problem gamblers on average refute or minimize the problem. They also go to great lengths to bury their gambling habits. For example, problem gamblers regularly depart from their loved ones, sneak around, and lie about where they’ve been and what they’ve been up to (Jeanne Segal, Ph.D., Melinda Smi th, M.A., and Lawrence Robinson, 2013).

The Solution Essay -- Philosophy Philosophical Papers

The Solution The business man behind a desk, the scientist in the lab, the artist approaching his canvas, the mathematician examining the symbols he placed on the blackboard--the thoughts going through each of their heads are very different in many ways, yet amazingly similar. For example, the business man must come up with an idea to cut costs and increase revenue for his company. He must find a creative twist to an old idea, a new combination of numbers that allows the company to increase profit and drop costs. Yet this man strays from the numbers and thinks in images, and during the brief moment before the creative act his consciousness seems to play absolutely no role. Often times we must get away from the problem to get closer to the solution. Similarly, we need to get away from words to think more clearly. I once heard a story of a semi-truck that got stuck while trying to drive through a tunnel that was too small. A traffic jam occurred and a team of engineers were called to solve the problem. The engineers measured the semi-truck, the tunnel, the length, the width and the height. But they still could not fmd a solution. A little girl in one of the cars behind the truck asked her father why they did not just let some of the air out of the tires. The father rushed the girl to the engineers and had her tell them the solution that had been at their feet the whole time. The air was taken out, the semi was taken through, and the little girl was taken home. In Physics, we are taught that there are many planes and many points of reference. To Person A, who is standing on a train, he is standing still; to the Person B on the ground, Person A is moving. Within Physics the difference in your point of... ...t everyone can complete on their own and thus make it more personal, in the same way that everyone has their own idea about love that is not ever fully crystallized for lack of words to describe it. The idea in Koestler's essay can be applied to everyday life. When writing this essay I was supposed to form a thought. This essay is the series of thoughts that went through my head while I tried to understand the ideas of Koestler, organized and appended with other ideas and images to strengthen my idea. By the end, I believe that I have finally formed my thought enough to crystallize it into words. By trying hard to search for a solution we sometimes forget our age old instincts. By trying too hard to grasp a hazy image we sometimes find ourselves with nothing more than a dying puff of smoke. One must allow the image to form and come to us. That is creativity.

Gossip Girl by Cecily von Ziegesar :: essays research papers

This book is basically following the gossip of the privileged, beautiful, and filthy rich teens. While many novels have a one-person view of their story, this one allows you to understand each character’s thoughts. Welcome to New York City’s Upper East Side, where teenagers have unlimited access to money and whatever else they could ask. This book begins when the girl everyone loved to hate, Serena van der Woodsen is back from boarding school. Everyone claims she was kicked out. Blair Waldorf and Serena were best friends until Blair knew what it was like to be in the light Serena used to take up. Blair’s mother, Eleanor Waldorf, and her soon to be step-father, Cyrus Rose, threw a dinner party when Blair met the her nightmare. This was the first time Blair had seen Serena in two years. Blair knows that if Serena is around Nate, her boyfriend, she’ll end up stealing his heart. The rest of the book follows Blair’s parties and new gossip heard over Serena. Blair is on the organizing committee for the Kiss on the Lips party, when she can’t seem to find someone to print the invitations. Jenny Humphrey agrees to make them if she can have invitations for herself and her brother, Dan. Serena tries to straighten up her life by doing more extracurricular classes at Constance school for girls. She decides she might join the Interschool Drama Club where they are doing a modern version of Gone With The Wind. She later blows that off and joins another drama group. A girl named Vanessa Abram is the director of her version of War and Peace. Serena was the best person for the part Natasha, but Vanessa doesn’t want Dan, as Prince Andrei, to swoon over Serena during the play. Jenny finally convinces her brother to take her to the Kiss on the Lips party. Serena blew off the party and called Vanessa to see if she would help her make her own movie. Vanessa agrees to help and invites Serena to a bar called The Five and Dime where her sister’s band would be playing.

Buddhism in Sculpture Essay -- essays research papers

Image that is recognized all around the world, name that does not take time remembering when that image is seen, a half naked man sitting in a meditative pose - some god, as seen by most people, Buddha is a messenger of internal peace that has as much of a story behind him as Jesus or Allah. Religions iconography and gods represented in sculptures always have a great deal of symbolism involved in them. Nothing ordinary person would look into these days until the topic is confronted unavoidably through a class or a show in a museum, which I was lucky enough to take a part of recently.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Every Buddhist statue tells a story of its own. Educated person can say where the statue comes from and which time period it comes from just by looking at certain features, which proves the unique developments in eastern art, art that is so similar and different at the same time. Statues originating from same countries a lot of times are made of the same materials and are decorated in ways that trace throughout the region. For example there are three major features that characterize the Luang Prabang Buddha in comparison to those of the neighboring countries. The usanisa (cranial protuberance) is always embellished with a stylized flame; the earlobe unusually long is shaped like a snail shell; and the urna or divine frontal sign is never represented.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There is something unique about the statuary representations of Buddha that sets Buddh...

The Inequalities Surrounding Indigenous Health

The Inequalities Surrounding Australian Indigenous Health Inequality in health is one of the most controversial topics within Australian Health Care. Inequality in relation to health is defined as being â€Å"differences in health status or in the distribution of health determinants between different population groups† (World Health Organization, 2012). Within Australia inequality affects a wide range of population groups; however Indigenous Australians are most widely affected therefore this paper will focus on how inequality has impacted their health.Research shows that Australia’s Indigenous people suffer from a multitude of social and economic inequalities such as inadequate access to nutritious food and health care, being socially and economically ostracized, cultural barriers, discrimination, inadequate shelter and sanitation, and insufficient education (Commonwealth Grants Commission 2001, p. 58-60; Australian Human Rights Commission 2007), which all contribute t o poor health physically, emotionally and spiritually. To gain a better understanding of the ill treatment of this population it is important to review Australian history and the affects on the individual and the community.Throughout history Indigenous Australians have suffered great inequality at the hands of white settlers. In 1788 the British colonialists arrived claiming the continent as their own without respect or consideration for its inhabitants. The inequality suffered by the Indigenous due to this lack of respect was brutal and executed with contempt, such as large scale massacres, assimilation of Indigenous children (known as the stolen generation), the banishment of entire communities, and a loss of land impacting on the hunter gatherer lifestyle etc. Australian Indigenous Health Info Net, 2011). Prior to the arrival of the British, â€Å"Indigenous Australians generally enjoyed better health †¦ than most people living in Europe† (Australian Indigenous Health Info Net, 2011), this could be directly due to the nomadic lifestyle and relatively small clans. According to the Australian Indigenous Health Info Net after the arrival of the British, Indigenous tribes were exposed to a number of diseases such as pertussis, small pox, tuberculosis, venereal diseases, measles, scarlet fever and Influenza.Having had no previous exposure to such afflictions Indigenous Australians endured a significant loss of life and their social structure was severely disrupted (2011). Throughout history inaccessibility of conventional health services and insufficient distribution of health frameworks in some Indigenous communities, has inevitably created a disadvantage to be as healthy as non-Indigenous Australians (Australian Human Rights Commission, 2007).Although society has advanced and is now bound by more equitable laws, large numbers of Indigenous Australians as individuals and as communities continue to suffer lower socioeconomic circumstances and health inequalities. This history of inequality, discrimination and overall mistreatment has not only had a prolific impact on the health and socioeconomic status of Indigenous individuals but it has contributed to an increase in detrimental social conditions and a lack of faith in their Non-Indigenous counterparts, the Government and the Australian Health Care System.Isaacs, Pyett, Oakley-Brown, Gruis, and Waples-Crowe (2010) found that â€Å"A general lack of trust in mainstream services by the Indigenous community and previous experiences of racism and discrimination can draw individuals away from these services† (p. 78). VicHealth determines that the disadvantages of financial hardship has a considerable residual influence on health inequalities (2005, p. 1). Low income and financial hardship has commonly been linked with poor housing and hygiene. Disadvantaged Indigenous individuals are more than often sharing their dwellings and overcrowding is not unlikely.Overcrowding genera lly means that there is an unavoidable spread of disease (Commonwealth Grants Commission, 2001, p. 58-60), placing significant strain on an individual’s financial position, due to higher expenditure outcomes, affecting their ability to seek health treatment. Such strain can increase the individuals stress levels. The Australian Human Rights Commission points out that stress â€Å"can impact on the body’s immune system, circulatory system, and metabolic functions through a variety of hormonal pathways and is associated with a range of health problems, particularly diseases of the circulatory system (2007).Indigenous individuals are strongly identify with their community and work together to heal rather than exclusively. Therefore socio-economic disadvantages, intolerance and health inequalities that affect Indigenous individuals also have an impact on their communities. The introduction to the western/European way of living, loss of ancestral land, intolerance and the economic disadvantages that Indigenous Australians suffer fuels socially related conditions within their communities such as substance abuse, violence, increased degrees of infectious diseases and chronic diseases etc. ulminating in higher mortality rates than non-Indigenous Australians (Duckett & Willcox, 2011, p. 34-35). Stephens, Porter, Nettleton and Willis (2006) state that â€Å"infectious disease burden persists for Indigenous communities with high rates of diseases such as tuberculosis, and inequality also exists in the prevalence of chronic disease, including diabetes and heart disease† (p. 2022). Statistics show mortality for most age groups of the Indigenous population is twice that of non-indigenous people.The highest rate of mortality of Indigenous people is six times that of non-Indigenous Australians, this mortality is encountered by both males and females aged between 35-44 years of age (Duckett & Willcox, 2011, p. 33). Consistency of low socioeconomic positio n in Indigenous communities is a causality of ill health which exacerbates Indigenous people’s disparity, contributing a continuum of disparity and ill health among generations (VicHealth, 2005, p. 3). These impacts of health inequality for Indigenous Australians on the Australian health system are varied.Hospitals and health services experience a higher influx of Indigenous patients compared to their counterparts (Australian Human Rights Commission, 2007). The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare maintains that the ratio of Indigenous patients in health care settings compared to non-Indigenous is about three to one. Indigenous people present with a plethora of health problems including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, substance and violence related injuries, mental illness etc. (2011). All of these health issues have a deep correlation with inequality.The high rates of patient intakes and health issues surrounding Indigenous people suggests they are not accessing heal th services and health education that encourages and aids in prevention. As mentioned earlier Isaacs et al (2010) stated that this is a direct impact of fear and trust related to racial discrimination (p. 78). Insufficient education may play a role in the inability to understand what services are available to them. An abundance of health services are available to urban Indigenous communities; however access to services for more remote communities poses much financial difficulty and stress.Financial stress has also impacted the health care system as funding continually needs expansion to support the outcomes of poor health inequalities for this population. In 2006-2007 â€Å"Indigenous health care expenditure accounted for 3. 3% of national expenditure† (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2011). The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare states that this is only slightly higher than what is allocated to services accessed by Non-Indigenous Australians, even though Indigenous people suffer a higher burden of disease (2011).It is evidential that more services are required to create preventative outcomes and to relieve financial burden across the board. Considering Indigenous people generally work as a community rather than as individuals (being that they are clan affiliated) perhaps it would be more beneficial for the community as a whole to address what improvements need to be made to better suit their cultural beliefs. Freemantle, Officer, McAullay and Anderson (2007) acknowledge that Indigenous communities who oversee attainable and adaptable services have consistent, convincing health improvements (p. ). Community leaders should work cohesively with local and state governments to create more holistic approaches toward gaining effective health outcomes. This may mean making the choice to take a leap of faith in the health care system and the government that has primarily been responsible for the mistreatment of Indigenous peoples. In additio n the government at a national level is cohesively strategizing to improve life for Indigenous people. The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) has agreed upon a strategy developed to ‘Close the Gap’. Closing the Gap is a commitment by all Australian governments to improve the lives of Indigenous Australians, and in particular provide a better future for Indigenous children† (Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, 2009). State health departments such as VicHealth are also aiming to create improved health equality by enhancing awareness across all sectors, engaging in promotion to decrease health inequalities, establishing schemes that address health inequalities etc. (2005, p. ). Compared to the global community, Australian life expectancy and morbidity rates for Indigenous people have been found to be greater than that of other developed communities such as New Zealand, Canada and the USA (Freemantle et al. 2007, p. 2). Th e Freemantle et al. research (2007) revealed that Australian Indigenous people had an inferior life expectancy with males living approximately 56 years and females 63 years. In comparison, Canada’s Indigenous males lived approximately 68. 9 years and females 76. 6 years.In addition, the discrepancy in life expectancy between Australia’s Indigenous population and their non-Indigenous counterparts is marginally greater than that of other developed nations, with non-Indigenous Australians life expectancy at 76. 6 years for males and 82 years for females. In relation to morbidity, compared to the USA Australian Indigenous people experience an increased rate of illness such as diabetes at 85. 4, while the American Indigenous people only experience a rate of diabetes at 36. 2 (p. 26-28).It is evidential that Australian Indigenous populations suffer higher rates of health inequalities compared to other developed countries; this may be proof that Australia is not doing enough to bridge the gap. However it must be acknowledged that underdeveloped nations experience much lower rates of life expectancy and greater rates of illness, than developed nations. In conclusion it is suffice to say that since white settlement, Indigenous Australians as individuals and communities have suffered great health inequalities, due to racial discrimination and low socio-economic disadvantages.Although the Australian government and the health care systems are working towards amending these health inequalities, working cohesively with Indigenous communities will increase positive outcomes. Evidence shows that more effective action needs to be committed to and enforced. References Australian Government. (2001). Commonwealth grants commission: Indigenous funding inquiry. Retrieved March 26th, 2012, from www. cgc. gov. au/publications2/other_inquiries2/indigenous_funding_inquiry2/reports_and_other_documents/indigenous_funding_inquiry_-_final_report Australian Human Rights Commis sion. (2007, April 29-30).Social determinants and the health of Indigenous peoples in Australia: A human rights based approach. Retrieved March 26th, 2012, from www. hreoc. gov. au/about/media/speeches/social_justice/2007/social_determinants_n_the_health_of_indig_peoples. html Australian Indigenous Health Info Net. (2011). The context of Indigenous health. Retrieved March 23rd, 2012, from http://www. healthinfonet. ecu. edu. au/health-facts/overviews/the-context-of-indigenous-health Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2011). The health and welfare of Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.