overview of australian indigenous health status 2011

©2012 Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet 1©2012 Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet

Overview of Australian Indigenous health status

2011Key facts

2www.healthinfonet.ecu.edu.au

Australian IndigenousHealthInfoNet

©2012 Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet©2012 Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet /overview

Indigenous populationAt 30 June 2011, the estimated Australian Indigenous population was 575,552. NSW had the highest number of Indigenous people (168,773, 29% of the total Indigenous population); the NT had the highest proportion of Indigenous people in its population (30% of NT population are Indigenous).In 2006, the majority of Indigenous people lived in cities and towns; around one quarter of Indigenous people lived in remote or very remote areas.The Indigenous population is much younger than the non-Indigenous population.




Indigenous births and pregnancy outcome

In 2010, there were 16,129 births registered in Australia with one or both parents identified as Indigenous (4% of all births registered).In 2010, Indigenous mothers were younger than non-Indigenous mothers; the median age was 24.6 years for Indigenous mothers and 30.7 years for non-Indigenous mothers.In 2010, the total fertility rates were 2,575 births per 1,000 for Indigenous women and 1,886 births per 1,000 for all women.




In 2008, the average birthweight of babies born to Indigenous mothers was 3,196 grams, 189 grams less than the average for babies born to non-Indigenous mothers.In 2008, the proportion of babies of low birthweight born to Indigenous women was twice that of babies born to non-Indigenous women (12.3% compared with 5.9%).




Indigenous mortalityIn 2004-2008, the age-standardised death rate for Indigenous people was 1.8 times the rate for non-Indigenous people.Between 1991 and 2008, there was a 25% reduction in the death rates of Indigenous people in WA, SA and the NT.For Indigenous people born 2005-2007, life expectancy was estimated to be 67.2 years for males and 72.9 years for females, around 10 years less than the estimates for non-Indigenous males and females.In 2006-2010, age-specific death rates were higher for Indigenous people than for non-Indigenous people across all age-groups, and were much higher in the young and middle adult years.




For 2008-2010, the infant mortality rate was higher for Indigenous infants than for non-Indigenous infants; the rate for Indigenous infants was highest in the NT.From 1991 to 2008, there were significant declines in infant mortality rates for Indigenous and other infants.For 2004-2008, the leading causes of death among Indigenous people were cardiovascular disease, cancer, and respiratory disease.In 2003-2005, maternal mortality ratios were 2.7 times higher for Indigenous women than for non-Indigenous women.




Indigenous hospitalisationIn 2009-10, around 3.9% of all hospitalisations were of Indigenous people.In 2009-10, the age-standardised separation rate for Indigenous people was 2.4 times higher than that for other people.In 2009-10, the main cause of hospitalisation for Indigenous people was ICD ‘factors influencing health status and contact with health services’ (around 48% of hospital separations), followed by injury (7.4% of hospital separations).




Cardiovascular diseaseIn 2004-2005, 12% of Indigenous people reported having a long-term heart or related condition; after age-adjustment, these conditions were around 1.3 times more common for Indigenous people than for non-Indigenous people.In 2008-09, Indigenous people were hospitalised for cardiovascular disease at 1.9 times the rate of non-Indigenous people.In 2004-2008, cardiovascular diseases were the leading cause of death among Indigenous people, accounting for 27% of Indigenous deaths.




CancerIn 2003-2007, the age-adjusted cancer incidence rates were lower for Indigenous people than for non-Indigenous people. In 2003-2007, most common cancers diagnosed among Indigenous people were lung and breast cancer.In 2004-2008, death rates for cancer were higher for Indigenous people than for non-Indigenous people (1.2 times higher for males and 1.5 times higher for females).




DiabetesIn 2004-2005, after age-adjustment, Indigenous people were 3.4 times more likely than non-Indigenous people to report having some form of diabetes.In 2006-2008, after age-adjustment, hospitalisation rates for diabetes among Indigenous males and females were 3.4 and 5.0 times the rates of other males and females.In 2004-2005, Indigenous people died from diabetes at almost seven times the rate of other Australians.




Social and emotional wellbeingIn 2008, 79% of Indigenous people aged 18 years and over experienced at least one significant stressor in the previous 12 months; the comparable figure for the total population was 62% in 2010. In 2008, after age-adjustment, Indigenous people were more than two-and-a-half times as likely as non-Indigenous people to feel high or very high levels of psychological distress.In 2008-09, after age-adjustment, Indigenous people were hospitalised for ICD ‘mental and behavioural disorders’ at almost twice the rate of non-Indigenous people.In 2005-2009, Indigenous people died from intentional self-harm at 2.5 times the rate of non-Indigenous people.




Kidney healthIn 2009-10, care involving dialysis was the most common reason for hospitalisation among Indigenous people; Indigenous people were hospitalised at 11 times the rate of other people.In 2007-2009, after age-adjustment, the notification rate of end-stage renal disease was almost 10 times higher for Indigenous people than for non-Indigenous people.In 2004-2008, the age-standardised death rate from kidney disease was 5.1 times higher for Indigenous people than for non-Indigenous people.




InjuryIn 2009-10, Indigenous people were hospitalised for injuries at almost twice the rate of other people.In 2004-2008, injury was the third most common cause of death among Indigenous people, accounting for 15% of Indigenous deaths.




Respiratory diseaseIn 2004-2005, 27% of Indigenous people reported having a respiratory condition, with 15% having asthma; after age-adjustment, the levels of respiratory disease were similar for Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.In 2006-2008, the age-standardised hospitalisation rates for respiratory disease were 2.6 times higher for Indigenous people than for other people.In 2004-2008, the age-standardised death rate for respiratory diseases was 2.3 times higher for Indigenous people than for non-Indigenous people.




Eye healthIn 2004-2005, eye and sight problems were reported by 30% of Indigenous people.In 2008, the rate of blindness for Indigenous adults was 6.2 times higher than for non-Indigenous adults.




Ear healthThe level of ear disease and hearing loss among Indigenous people remained higher than that of the general population, particularly among children and young adults.




Oral healthIn 2000-2003, Indigenous children had more caries in their deciduous and permanent teeth than did non-Indigenous children, and higher levels of gingivitis.In 2004-2006, periodontal diseases and caries were more prevalent among Indigenous adults than among non-Indigenous adults.




DisabilityIn 2008, after age-adjustment, Indigenous people were more than twice as likely as non-Indigenous people to have a profound/core activity restriction.




Communicable diseasesIn 2003-2007, the age-standardised incidence rate of tuberculosis was 14.8 times higher for Indigenous people than for non-Indigenous people.In 2008-2010, the crude hepatitis B and C notification rates were 2.2 and 5.1 times higher for Indigenous people than for non-Indigenous people.In 2003-2006, the age-standardised notification rate for Haemophilus influenza type b was 8.8 times higher for Indigenous people than for non-Indigenous people.In 2006-2008, the age-standardised rate of invasive pneumococcal disease was 7.3 times higher for Indigenous people than for other Australians.




In 2003-2006, the age-standardised notification rate of meningococcal disease was 2.7 times higher for Indigenous people than for non-Indigenous people.In 2008-2010, sexually transmissible infections were more common among Indigenous people than among non-Indigenous people; gonorrhoea notifications were 50 times higher.In 2010, the rate of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection was similar for Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. In some remote Indigenous communities, more than 70% of young children had scabies and pyoderma.




NutritionIn 2004-2005, the majority of Indigenous people reported eating fruit (86%) and vegetables (95%) on a daily basis.In 2004-2005, 13% of Indigenous people reported having no usual daily fruit intake (compared with 7% of non-Indigenous people), and 5% reported no usual daily vegetable intake (compared with 1% of non-Indigenous people).




Physical activityIn 2004-2005, after age-adjustment, 51% of Indigenous people in non-remote areas reported low or very low levels of physical activity, compared with 33% of non-Indigenous people.




BodyweightIn 2004-2005, after age-adjustment, the level of obesity/overweight was 1.2 times higher for Indigenous people than for non-Indigenous people.




ImmunisationIn 2004-2005, 88% of Indigenous children 0-6 years in non-remote areas were fully immunised against the recommended vaccine-preventable diseases.




BreastfeedingIn 2004-2005, 84% of Indigenous mothers reported having breastfed their children.




Tobacco smokingIn 2010, after age-adjustment, daily smoking was 2.2 times more common among Indigenous people than among non-Indigenous people (38% compared with 18%).




Alcohol useIn 2008, 35% of Indigenous people aged 15 years or older abstained from alcohol, a level of abstinence more than 2.5 times that of the Australian population aged 15 years or older in 2007-08.In 2004-2005, 8% of Indigenous people aged 18 years or older consumed alcohol at a ‘high risk’ level, compared with 6% of their non-Indigenous counterparts.In 2006-2008, Indigenous people were hospitalised for a diagnosis related to alcohol use at a rate 4.2 times that of non-Indigenous people.In 2004-2008, the death rate from alcohol-related causes was 6.3 times higher for Indigenous people than for non-Indigenous people.




Illicit drug useIn 2008, Indigenous people aged 15 years or older were 1.6 times more likely than non-Indigenous people aged 14 years or older to have used an illicit substance in the previous 12 months.

overview of australian indigenous health status 2011

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