Aust Fam Physician
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Central Australian Aborigines have a wide variety of medical illnesses which differ in incidence and severity from elsewhere in Australia. Coinciding with this are a range of cultural considerations that directly affect the management of these conditions. This article is an attempt to relate some of these cultural considerations to explain the outcome of these illnesses in the Aboriginal population.
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Although the infant mortality rates of Central Australian Aborigines has greatly improved since the early 70s the morbidity and early adult mortality statistics are still very poor. Solutions are complex and unclear. The author outlines some of the common problems that need to be resolved.
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David Cooke enjoyed eight weeks of general practice in the Northern Territory, but he expresses some misgivings about the health of some Territorians. His experiences in the Outback contrast vividly with his time in Saudi Arabia, which he wrote about in the January issue of Australian Family Physician.
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This article aims to address some issues glossed over by the literature on Aboriginal health. An attempt is made to balance the joys and pitfalls of practising in such a setting. I hope doctors considering working in the bush will find it encouraging and informative.