The health and welfare of Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples 2008

Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2008)
The Health and Welfare of Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples 2008.
Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare and the Australian Bureau of Statistics
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View website: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
View website: Australian Bureau of Statistics

This major report presents a broad national picture of the health and welfare of the Indigenous population and explores the disparities in health between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.

Topics covered include:

• the demographic, social and economic context
• education and health
• housing circumstances
• disability and ageing
• mothers and children
• health status
• health risk factors
• mortality
• health services – provision, access and use
• community services
• Torres Strait Islander people

The findings of the report demonstrate that the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples remains poor compared with the rest of the Australian population and they experience many disadvantages. Changes over time in the health and welfare outcomes for Indigenous people have been described where possible. Life expectancy among Indigenous men and women remains approximately 17 years less than among their non-Indigenous counterparts, but some health improvements have been noted. Declines were identified in Indigenous mortality rates in Western Australia and in infant mortality rates in Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory. There have also been improvements in some of the social determinants of health, particularly in education, employment and home ownership.

Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet abstract

• Further information:
  • Falls in Indigenous infant mortality rates, but wide disparities still exist
    View media release: ABS and AIHW (29 April 2008)
  • Statistics show little improvement in Indigenous life expectancy
    View media release: ABC (29 April 2008)
• To obtain the report:
  • Available online: ISSN 1441-2004; AIHW cat. no. IHW 21; ABS cat. no. 4704.0; FREE.
    View information: AIHW
    View information: ABS
    
  • Phone, fax or email orders: Australian Bureau of Statistics, ph: 1300 135 070, fax 1300 135 211, email: client.services@abs.gov.au
• Contact details:
  • Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 26 Thynne Street, Fern Hill Park, Bruce ACT, GPO Box 570, Canberra ACT 2601, ph: (02) 6244 1000, fax: (02) 6244 1299, email: info@aihw.gov.au
  • Australian Bureau of Statistics, ph: 1300 135 070, fax 1300 135 211, email: client.services@abs.gov.au