Coronary heart disease, diabetes, chronic lower respiratory diseases and lung and related cancers are the main causes of death for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
mental & substance use disorders (such as anxiety, depression, and drug use) injuries (such as falls, road traffic injuries, and suicide) cardiovascular diseases (such as coronary heart disease and rheumatic heart disease) cancer and other neoplasms (such as lung cancer and breast cancer) and.
The spread of smallpox was followed by influenza, measles, tuberculosis and sexually transmitted diseases. First Nations peoples had no resistance to these diseases, all of which brought widespread death.
Aboriginal children living in remote communities have experienced the highest reported rate of impetigo in the world and are 15 times more likely to be admitted to hospital with a skin infection compared to non-Aboriginal children.
Important determinants of Indigenous health inequality in Australia include the lack of equal access to primary health care and the lower standard of health infrastructure in Indigenous communities (healthy housing, food, sanitation etc) compared to other Australians.
Among Indigenous Australians aged 45 and over, chronic diseases became the main contributors to fatal burden (with cancer and cardiovascular (or circulatory) diseases contributing 30% and 25%, respectively) (AIHW 2022).
However, the past 10 years have seen several studies investigating genetic associations to diseases with high prevalence among Indigenous Australians: kidney disease,11 otitis media and diabetes,12 vulvar cancer,13 and RHD.
So, the combination of a genetic predisposition and an unhealthy lifestyle contributes to the high rates of type 2 diabetes in Indigenous Australians.
The major epidemic diseases during the early contact stage were smallpox, syphilis, tuberculosis, influenza, and measles. Each of these diseases were responsible for excessive morbidity and mortality.
Rates of psychological distress and chronic diseases are higher among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. There are disparities across the social determinants of health, such as education, housing, employment and income.
Colonisation has led to negative outcomes on the physical and mental health of many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Before 1788, Aboriginal peoples lived a semi-nomadic life in family and community groups. The impact of colonisation includes: disconnection from culture, family, and Country.
Common chronic conditions
mental and behavioural conditions – 4.8 million people (20.1%) back problems – 4.0 million people (16.4%) arthritis – 3.6 million people (15.0%)
Indigenous peoples experience disproportionately high levels of maternal and infant mortality, malnutrition, cardiovascular illnesses, HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases such as malaria and tuberculosis.
For Indigenous Australians, Age Pension: 53%, Total: 53%, JobSeeker Payment: 28%, Youth Allowance (other): 20%, Disability Support Pension: 10%, Youth Allowance (student and apprentice): 1%, Parenting Payment (single): 8%, Carer Payment: 3%, Parenting Payment (partnered): 2%, ABSTUDY (Living Allowance): 2%.
The 5 leading causes of death for Indigenous Australians were coronary heart disease, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung cancer and suicide. Diabetes and suicide were not among the 5 leading causes of death for non-Indigenous Australians (Figure 6.1).
Life expectancy is an overarching target, which is dependent not only on health, but the social determinants (such as education, employment status, housing and income). Social determinants are estimated to be responsible for at least 34 per cent of the health gap between Indigenous and non‑Indigenous Australians.
Indigenous Australians experienced burden 2.3 times the rate of non-Indigenous Australians. Chronic diseases were responsible for 70% of the total health gap in 2011. 3 highest ranked disease were coronary heart disease, suicide & self-inflicted injuries and anxiety disorders.
In 2015–2017, life expectancy at birth was estimated to be 71.6 years for Indigenous males and 75.6 years for Indigenous females. The gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians was estimated to be 8.6 years for males and 7.8 years for females (Table 4.1).