5TH NATIONAL ATSI MALE HEALTH CONVENTION ISSUES

ISSUE 1

Address men with violent behaviour by having programs available to them- they include

• self esteem,

• STI

• suicide

• familybreakdown – public health approach.

• Sex education at school- responding to adolescent sex offenders-

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Public forums,education and training programs

• Making the programs relevant and accessible

• Having programs available through AMS’s

ISSUE 2

• Depression, anxiety and stress in the community and the need for processes to change them

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Working in collaboration with others to create safe,well facilitated groups that empower men’s concerns

ISSUE 3

• Engage men in conversation and consultation- initiate involvement and referral

• Symbolising body points – involved in decision making process

• Increasing awareness of body

• Establishing better relationship between men and their doctors

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Male health workers to become educators and facilitators of the program

• Increased community involvement

• Engaging women to encourage men to access the program

ISSUE 4

• Working in partnership with other agencies to address aboriginal men’s health and wellbeing

RECOMMENDATION

• Consultation with aboriginal men

ISSUE 5

• Housing and accommodation for men

• Clear pathways to access health professionals

• Mens’s Shed’s – safe place

RECOMMENDATIONS

• More accommodation /Mental Health

• Strategic planning

• Funding opportunities

• Age care for men

• Appropriate hostels/refuges for men(eg. Domestic violence situation)

ISSUE 6

• NT men targeted as paedophiles- destroying relationship with families and community

• Men losing their identity in the community

• Loss of respect for families, elders and community and through Americanisation

• Alcohol – sly grog runners

• Every Aboriginal male is dysfunctional(NT)

• Suicide (male)

• Access to Health Services

• Diminishment of language, culture,law,love

• Education

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Restoring the Racial Discrimination Act

• More national forums to influence policy makers/funding

• Statement and vision of where men’s health is heading

• Men’s health to be core business of mainstream services

• High population growth which means higher housing growth –need to ensure funding growth l

ISSUE 7

• The importance to recognise that gambling can cause and is causing problems for Aboriginal people throughout Australia

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Aboriginal people in communities need to begin talking about gambling and whether it is causing problems in their communities

• Governments need to place gambling as a priority to begin addressing the problems

• Gambling to be included in the service delivery of relevant organisations, ie mental health services, Aboriginal health services,police,etc

ISSUE 8

• Risk ATSI communities face with blood borne viruses and communicable diseases and STI

• Increase in population in the next 15years

• Clamydia in 15-19 years /Gonnorehea 15-29 years/ Syphillus 15-19,20-29

• HIV outcomes- men on men 48% Hetrosexual 45%

• Increase in IDU (intravenous drug use/injecting drug use

• Incarceration-31% increase in women 343% increase men rate rise since 1991

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Funding towards awareness programs

• Pathway for reporting STI and BBV

• National access Syphillus plan

• Needle syringe program

• Ways of preventing risk

ISSUE 9

• Policy should include targets

• Policy must take a wholistic view of health

• Policy should build on men’s strengths

• Social justice principles should be evident in the policy

• Equity must be addressed with policy

• Job descriptions and qualifications for health workers need modification

• Establish a national directory of what works in communities eg ‘Men in Black’

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Develop policy quickly and then implement – create action

• Improve cultural awareness of health workers

• Address rehabilitation of prisoners to prevent re- offending

ISSUES 10

• Sexual abuse of males and the importance of their recovery

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Finding a safe environment to disclose trauma

• Importance to hear, listen to perpetrators story

• Encourage strength and direct support services

• Regaining control and power

• Implementing coping strategies

ISSUES 11

• Safe sex

• Resources may be offensive to different communities

• Stereotyping

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Request funding to reproduce resources ( brochures,keyrings,comic books)

• Interactive animated comic book- touch screen kiosk in AMS & Health Services

• Video games

• www.condomman.com Condom social marketing- merchandising

ISSUES 12

• Comprehensive primary health care

• Research capacity building \

• Evidence base to address the social determinates

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Increased access to health care services

• Recognition of issues relating to Aboriginal Community views, relationships and needs

ISSUES 13

• Communication between indigenous and non indigenous people is well below desirable level

• Suspicion of others

• Lack of knowledge of cultures

• Ignorance re courtesies

• Indigenous still grieving

• Better communication ie.respectful dialogue, etc would lead to significant learning for all parties

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Conferences such as this conference are excellent ways to improve communication

• Networks developed at such conferences lead to ongoing development

• Encourage participation of indigenous people in community wide projects such as men’s health peer education and Dept. of Veteran Affairs project or better relationships Australia where indigenous become trained as employees or volunteers to support the indigenous communities and the whole community

• Be proactive in personal communication