| Document ID (ISN) | 102331 |
| CIS number |
03-1491 |
| ISSN - Serial title |
0815-6409 - Journal of Occupational Health and Safety - Australia and New Zealand |
| Year |
2003 |
| Convention or series no. |
|
| Author(s) |
Williams C. |
| Title |
Aboriginal health workers, emotional labour, obligatory community labour and OHS |
| Bibliographic information |
Feb. 2003, Vol.19, No.1, p.21-34. 43 ref. |
| Abstract |
This article discusses the concepts of "emotional labour" and "obligatory community labour", to examine the occupational safety and health hazards and outcomes for Aboriginal primary health care workers in South Australia. Aboriginal health workers use their own emotions as cultural brokers to improve health outcomes for Aboriginal patients. Working in this community involves extra duties associated with Aboriginal identity, which are essential parts of the job. Interviews of 29 Aboriginal health care workers revealed that they exhibited very high levels of emotional exhaustion, levels which give cause for concern. The workers frequently came to these jobs with a profile of impaired physical health from previous hazardous occupations. Their current health-care jobs are made more stressful because of racism, low standards of cultural sensitivity among their non-Aboriginal colleagues and abuse from patients. |
| Descriptors (primary) |
South Australia; health care personnel; psychology and sociology |
| Descriptors (secondary) |
race-linked differences; Australia; nervous fatigue; mental health; violence; stress studies; stress factors; community services; emotivity |
| Document type |
D - Periodical articles |
| Country / State or Province | Australia |
| Subject(s) |
Psychology and sociology
|
| Broad subject area(s) |
Stress, psychosocial factors
|
| Browse category(ies) |
Health care services
Violence and terrorism
Psychological factors
|
