Discussion Paper for the Development of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan
What is health in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Context?
Up to National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan
Health is not merely the absence of disease. In the Aboriginal context, health is complex and multi-faceted which includes physical health of individuals, social and emotional health, and the well-being of whole communities. The holistic definition of health incorporates broader issues of social justice, well-being and equity as key attributes of health for Aboriginal peoples and is consistent with the World Health Organisation Alma Ata Declaration of 1978:
Health. .. is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity . . . [it] is a fundamental human right.
It is also reflected in the National Strategic Framework for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health:
For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, health does not just entail the freedom of the individual from sickness but requires support for healthy and interdependent relationships between families, communities, land, sea and spirit. The focus must be on spiritual, cultural, emotional and social well-being as well as physical health.
Policies and programs should be targeted to promote health outcomes consistent with a comprehensive conception of health.