Overall Aboriginal health levels in South Australia poor with immunisations among few positives in 2017/18
South Australian Aboriginal health conditions relate to many wider social and economic measures.
The overall outlook for health of Aboriginal people in South Australia in 2017 continued to be unacceptably poor, according to The Health Performance Council case study.
On average, Aboriginal people live shorter lives. Child mortality is higher. Anxiety, depression, heart disease, asthma, diabetes, and kidney disease are all more common.
Nutrition is poor with low consumption of fruit and vegetables. Smoking was more common for Aboriginal people, with high blood pressure prevalent.
Aboriginal people are under-represented in the public health workforce. Of the South Australian government SA Health’s 40,000 employees, 417 or 1% identified as Aboriginal, Country Health has 166, around a third, of those employees but more than half of South Australia’s Aboriginal population lives in the metropolitan area. In 2015, less than three-quarters of one per cent of clinical and allied health professionals were Aboriginal people.
Health relates to many wider social and economic measures. Proportionally, more Aboriginal children are under the guardianship of the South Australian government minister or subject to care and protection orders. Violence and the threat of violence is high.
Aboriginal people are twice as likely as the average South Australian to have experienced homelessness and three times as likely to be living in overcrowded households. Unemployment too is four times the overall unemployment rate in South Australia.
The positives are that Aboriginal people continue to be supported by strong cultural and community ties. A higher proportion are now engaged in physical activity. Some alcohol risk measures look better, on average, than for non-Aboriginal people in South Australia.
Childhood immunisation rates are good – better than for non-Aboriginal people.
The need for better data of health needs outcomes for Aboriginal people remains.
