Indigenous health in Australia facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Indigenous health in Australia
Synonyms	Wellbeing of Australian Indigenous

Aboriginal mural and handprints at the North Yarra Community Health opening
Complications	Circulatory system, Kidney failure, Communicable, Diabetes, Cot death, Mental health, Ophthalmology, Neoplasms, Respiratory, Cancer
Duration	Historical, ongoing

This article looks at the health and wellbeing of Indigenous Australians. It compares their health to that of other Australians. Sadly, statistics show that Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders are often not as healthy as other people in Australia. The government has tried different ways to fix this problem. While some things have gotten better, there are still big differences in health between Indigenous Australians and other Australians.

How History Affects Health
Challenges to Good Health
Hospital Visits
Life Expectancy
Government Efforts to Improve Health
- Closing the Gap
Common Health Issues
Why Health Differences Exist
- Diet and Nutrition
- Communication Challenges
Special Studies on Indigenous Health
Images for kids
See also

How History Affects Health

Before Europeans arrived in Australia, Indigenous Australians were likely healthier than many people in Europe. But when European settlers came in 1788, things changed a lot. New diseases, losing their land, and unfair treatment had a huge impact. Many Indigenous people died, and survivors were often forced to live on special reserves.

At that time, many non-Indigenous people wrongly thought Indigenous Australians carried diseases. This led to them being kept separate and denied access to proper medical care. This unfair treatment caused more sickness and deaths.

The Australian government also stopped Indigenous people from having basic rights. This included not being able to own land, earn fair wages, or go to good schools and hospitals. Laws even allowed for Indigenous families to be separated. Children were taken from their parents and placed under the care of government officials. These children are known as the Stolen Generations. Many of them were not cared for properly and missed out on education.

The government also tried to force Indigenous people to adopt the settlers' culture. Indigenous languages were banned in schools. This process caused a lot of sadness and trauma that has affected generations. This trauma can lead to problems like anxiety, stress, and grief. These issues have also contributed to higher rates of violence and people going to jail today.

Challenges to Good Health

Many things make it hard for Indigenous Australians to get good healthcare. These include social, political, and economic factors that came from colonisation. Being treated unfairly has made many Indigenous people feel left out of society. When people are left out, it's harder for them to get the help they need.

In the past, Indigenous people were not allowed to vote or get social support until the 1960s. This meant they couldn't easily get social services or sickness benefits. They also faced fewer job opportunities, poor housing, and less education. All these things affect health. For example, some Indigenous Australians find it hard to pay for transport to clinics or for medicines.

Being moved from their traditional lands and kept separate also led to generations suffering from starvation and malnutrition. This affected their physical and mental development. Even today, some remote Indigenous communities still face malnutrition and long-term health problems. They also have lower levels of education.

Some European settlers wrongly believed Indigenous people were less intelligent. Because of this, education was often denied to them. Low education levels can make it harder to understand health information or know about health screenings. Also, experiencing racism can make people feel angry and ashamed. This can stop them from wanting to use the mainstream healthcare system.

In the 1970s and 1980s, some Aboriginal people moved back to small settlements on their traditional lands. This helped their health. However, funding for these places became difficult, and government support decreased over time.

It's important to remember that health problems are connected to social and cultural factors. These include racism, being treated unfairly, losing cultural connections, and not having enough jobs or education. Overcrowding in homes and poor housing also lead to health problems and family issues. High rates of adults and young people going to jail also contribute to early deaths and poor mental health.

Hospital Visits

Indigenous Australians go to the hospital more often than other Australians. For example, in 2010–11, Indigenous Australians used hospitals 2.5 times more often. This was especially true in the Northern Territory. About 80% of this difference was because more Indigenous people needed dialysis treatment.

A report in 2020 also found that Indigenous children are more likely to be hospitalized for tooth decay. This is often due to not having access to healthy food, dental services, and other social challenges.

Life Expectancy

Life expectancy is how long people are expected to live. For a long time, there has been a big difference in life expectancy between Indigenous Australians and other Australians. In 2005, it was thought there was a 17-year gap. This led to the "Close the Gap" campaign. This campaign aimed to make health fair for Indigenous Australians, including increasing their life expectancy.

In 2009, new ways of measuring life expectancy showed the gap was still large. Indigenous men were expected to live 11.5 years less than non-Indigenous men. Indigenous women were expected to live 9.7 years less than non-Indigenous women. This means Indigenous Australians are more likely to die at a younger age because of health problems.

A 2019 report by the Close the Gap campaign said that the gap in life expectancy was actually "widening rather than closing." A 2022 report also showed that the death rate from cancer increased for Indigenous Australians.

Government Efforts to Improve Health

The Australian government has tried different ways to improve Indigenous health.

In 1989, the National Aboriginal Health Strategy was created. Later, in 1994, the Office of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health (OATSIH) was formed, but it no longer exists.

In 2007/08, the government focused on reducing "overcrowding" in remote Indigenous communities. They spent A$293.6 million to improve housing.

In 2010–2011, about A$4.6 billion was spent on health for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. This was 3.7% of Australia's total health spending, even though Indigenous people made up 2.5% of the population. This meant more money was spent per Indigenous person than per non-Indigenous person.

In July 2018, the Health Minister announced A$23.2 million for new health projects. These included expanding kidney health units in remote areas. This helps patients stay closer to their families.

Closing the Gap

The Council of Australian Governments started a big plan called Closing the Gap in 2008. This plan aimed to reduce the large health differences between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. Its success depended on everyone working together: the government, Indigenous leaders, and health workers.

While some things improved, only two out of its seven goals were met. In 2019, a new agency was created, the National Indigenous Australians Agency. This agency now works with Indigenous Australians to lead and coordinate efforts to meet the Closing the Gap targets.

Common Health Issues

Many health issues affect Indigenous Australians more than other Australians.

The most common reason Indigenous Australians go to the hospital is for kidney dialysis. Serious kidney disease is much higher among Indigenous Australians, especially those in remote areas. They are 70 times more likely to be hospitalized for it.

Studies have shown that major health risks for Indigenous Australians include:

High body weight
Smoking
Not enough physical activity
High cholesterol
Alcohol use
High blood pressure
Not eating enough fruits and vegetables

Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is very common among Indigenous Australians, especially in the Torres Strait Islands and Central Australia. This has led to high rates of chronic kidney disease. Indigenous women are also more likely to get gestational diabetes during pregnancy. This increases their risk of developing type 2 diabetes later. Indigenous Australians often develop type 2 diabetes at a younger age than other Australians.

Cancers

The rate of cancer in Indigenous Australians has been higher than in non-Indigenous Australians between 2009 and 2017. Lung cancer and breast cancer are the most common. Lung and liver cancers are also more common in Indigenous people. The overall death rate from cancer is higher for Indigenous Australians. This might be because they get treatment later or because they tend to get more serious types of cancer.

Smoking

In 2008, almost half of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults smoked daily. Smoking is a major cause of long-term diseases. It causes 1 in 5 deaths among Indigenous Australians. Reducing smoking could save many lives. The government started a 10-year program in 2010 to improve Indigenous health, partly by addressing smoking.

Mental Health

In 2010, Indigenous Australians were more than twice as likely to experience high levels of psychological distress. Mental health problems account for a significant part of the life expectancy gap. The trauma from the Stolen Generations is a major cause of some mental health problems.

In 2019, about 24% of Indigenous people, including children, experienced mental health issues. Anxiety was the most common condition.

Infant Mortality

Infant mortality (babies dying before their first birthday) is higher for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander babies. In the Northern Territory, the rate was more than three times higher than for non-Indigenous babies. However, between 1998 and 2008, the gap in infant mortality rates in the Northern Territory started to shrink.

Hearing Loss

Many Aboriginal children experience conductive hearing loss due to frequent middle ear infections. These infections can last for years if not treated. This can lead to permanent hearing loss. Hearing loss can then affect a child's learning, social skills, and emotions. As adults, they might find it harder to get jobs or may even end up in the justice system. A 2012 study found that most Aboriginal prison inmates in the Northern Territory had significant hearing loss.

Why Health Differences Exist

Several things explain why Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have poorer health. They often have less education, higher unemployment, and homes that are not good enough.

Crowded Housing: Living in crowded homes can easily spread infectious diseases.
Lifestyle Factors: Indigenous Australians are more likely to smoke, have unhealthy diets, and have high rates of obesity.

Diet and Nutrition

Poor diet is a big risk factor for serious diseases like heart disease, cancer, and type 2 diabetes. Many Indigenous Australians suffer from poor nutrition throughout their lives.

A 2013 study found that people in Northern Territory communities spent a lot on sugary drinks and not much on fruits and vegetables. Modern diets in rural areas often mean people eat cheaper, lower-quality foods. These foods are high in sugar and salt, and low in healthy fruits and vegetables. It can be hard to change these eating habits.

Communication Challenges

Differences in culture can sometimes lead to poor communication between Indigenous Australians and health workers. This can affect health outcomes. For example, Western conversations are often direct and involve eye contact. But traditional Aboriginal conversations can be more communal, with less direct eye contact, and spread over a longer time. Understanding these differences can help improve healthcare.

Special Studies on Indigenous Health

Physical Disability: A 2015 study showed that Indigenous Australians have much higher rates of severe physical disability. This might be due to higher rates of long-term diseases like diabetes and kidney disease. The study also found that obesity and smoking were higher among Indigenous people, which contribute to serious health issues.
Infectious Diseases: Indigenous Australians, especially in rural areas, are greatly affected by infectious diseases. These include infections like strongyloidiasis, hookworm, and scabies. Because poverty is also common, the need for medical help is even greater.
Heart Disease: Indigenous Australians suffer from high rates of heart disease. They often develop heart conditions like atrial fibrillation (a type of irregular heartbeat that increases stroke risk) much earlier than other Australians.

Images for kids

Aboriginal mural and handprints at the North Yarra Community Health opening