In 2014–15, around 333,800 people used disability support services under the National Disability Agreement (NDA), including around 1,900 who transitioned to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) during the year. Many (44%) had an intellectual or learning disability, more than half (52%) lived with their families, and close to one-third (30%) of those aged 15 and over were not in the labour force. In 2014–15, 6% of service users were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander...read more
The Commonwealth Government tasked the National Mental Health Commission with conducting a national review of mental health programmes and services. The focus of the review was on assessing the efficiency and effectiveness of programmes and services in supporting individuals experiencing mental ill-health and their families and other support people to lead a contributing life and to engage productively in the community. The final report was provided to the Commonwealth Government on 1 December 2014.read more
This is the fifth report against the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Framework (HPF). The HPF monitors progress in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health outcomes, health system performance and the broader determinants of health. The health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples is improving for a number of measures, although there remain many areas where further concerted effort will be needed to achieve improvements in health outcomes. ISBN: 978-1-925237-43-6read more
The 2014–15 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Survey (NATSISS) provides a range of information about the social and economic circumstances of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 15 years and over who said they had been told by a doctor or nurse that they have a mental health condition. In this article, the 29% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who self-reported: depression; anxiety; behavioural or emotional problems; and/or harmful use...read more
This seventh national report presents information from 278 organisations across Australia, funded by the Australian Government to provide one or more of the following health services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people: primary health care, maternal and child health care, social and emotional wellbeing services, and substance-use services. These organisations participated in the 2014–15 Online Services Report data collection. Information is presented on the characteristics of these organisations, the health services and activities provided...read more
Indigenous Australians experience higher rates of severe or profound disability than other Australians, and the gap in rates of disability between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians increases with age. The relatively high rates of disability among the Indigenous population corresponds with heavy caring burdens. It has been well established that carers of a person with a disability have lower rates of paid employment than do noncarers. However, relatively little is known about the effect of caring...read more
Background: International studies of the health of Indigenous and tribal peoples provide important public health insights. Reliable data are required for the development of policy and health services. Previous studies document poorer outcomes for Indigenous peoples compared with benchmark populations, but have been restricted in their coverage of countries or the range of health indicators. Our objective is to describe the health and social status of Indigenous and tribal peoples relative to benchmark populations from...read more
Last week’s terrible news that a 10-year-old Aboriginal girl had taken her own life shook many Australians. Yet there would be few Aboriginal families who have not already been affected by the suicide or attempted suicide of their young people. This includes our own extended families and kin.read more
This report from the Close the Gap Campaign Steering Committee provides an overview of the progress made over the life of the Closing the Gap strategy. Results are mixed, with some improvements in infant and child health, while progress on closing the life expectancy gap has been minimal. The report also looks at new insights into health services accessed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and its contributions to closing the health gap.read more
Objective: There is an increased risk of physical health comorbidities in people with a mental illness. This paper examines the metabolic syndrome parameters for the general population, indigenous Australians and people with a mental illness, and compares them to a sample of predominantly indigenous adults with mental health problems. Design: A longitudinal (24 month) audit of patient medical records was conducted between February 2011 and March 2013. Setting: The Kimberley Mental Health and Drug Service...read more
