IntroductionIn this essay the writer will discuss the colonization of Australia and the effects that dispossession had on indigenous communities. It will define health, comparing the difference between indigenous and non-indigenous health. It will highlight the benefits and criticisms of biomedical and sociological models of health and indicate why it is important in healthcare to be culturally competent with cross-cultural theory. Rodney's case study will be analyzed to discern which health models were applied to Rodney's care and whether transcultural theory was present when healthcare providers addressed Rodney's treatment plan. Discussion Ancient Aboriginal people were the first to set foot on the Australian continent, over 40,000 years or more before colonization (Eckermann, 2010). They survived by hunting and gathering food, worshiping the land to protect its resources, and ensuring their survival. The Aboriginal community had adapted to the environment, building a strong structure of social, cultural and spiritual beliefs (Eckermann, 2010). The colonization of Australia began in 1788, when the English Captain Cook claimed the land as an empty, uninhabited continent, giving it the classification Terra Nullius and leaving it open to colonization. Eckermann (2010), argued that the British failed to recognize Aboriginal tribes as civilized, co-inhibitors of the land, believing they had no right to claims. The major settlements occurred after the nineteenth century. The English had quickly outnumbered the Aboriginal community, leaving them powerless in the face of change or invasion. The belief systems of Europeans overwhelmed the Aboriginal way of life, pushing them to conform to the...... middle of paper......ans, it is particularly crucial in the healthcare context to build a relationship between Indigenous Australians and non-indigenous and to break down communication barriers. To provide indigenous people with adequate healthcare, emphasis must be placed on understanding indigenous beliefs and the social harms indigenous communities face. Applying an appropriate health model to each individual situation will provide the best outcome. This was evident in the case study discussed in the essay. Rodney's experiences in the medical world resulted in a positive and desirable outcome, but if appropriate cross-cultural care had not been provided, that positive outcome would have created a negative outcome, which could have been detrimental to Rodney's future health. This demonstrates the significance that healthcare professionals can have on patient care.