Social and cultural differences affect medical treatment

This paper seeks to identify some of the significant health issues for Aboriginal people and the obstacles they often encounter in assessing the medical system. Clearly, the latter largely result from problems in communication, which can be addressed by seeking to establish good relationships. Whether the Aboriginal patients live in a traditional or remote community, a rural country area, or a large urban setting, an understanding of their conceptualization of their conditions can greatly enhance the communication process. Mobbs points out that this not only improves the clinical encounter, it also helps to overcome barriers of mistrust, misunderstanding and anxiety between the client and the professional.