Staying strong

Staying strong for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people relates to physical wellness and its interrelationship with social and emotional wellbeing (SEWB). There have been several frameworks/models developed over many years specific to the definition of SEWB for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people [40655]. One such model of SEWB includes ‘connection to body’, which considers biological indicators that reflect the physical health of a person (i.e. age, weight, nutrition, illness, disability and mortality) [28917]. This domain is not isolated and can overlap with other ‘connections’ in the model: connection to mind and emotion, family and kinship, community, culture, Country, spiritualty and ancestors.

The National strategic framework for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ mental health and social and emotional wellbeing 2017-2013 has identified risk and protective factors for SEWB, factors, that may occur every day, and which could have a positive or damaging effect on the SEWB of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people [33834]. Protective factors for staying strong include access to healthy food, physical activity and access to culturally appropriate health services and professionals. Risk factors include the presence or susceptibility to chronic and communicable diseases, poor diet and smoking.