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Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Information: Progress, Pitfalls, and Prospects

Author

Listed:
  • Ian Ring

    (Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Townsville 4810, Australia)

  • Kalinda Griffiths

    (Centre for Big Data Research in Health, Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney 2052, Australia)

Abstract

Despite significant developments in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health information over the last 25 years, many challenges remain. There are still uncertainties about the accuracy of estimates of the summary measure of life expectancy, and methods to estimate changes in life expectancy over time are unreliable because of changing patterns of identification. Far too little use is made of the wealth of information that is available, and formal systems for systematically using that information are often vestigial to non-existent. Available information has focussed largely on traditional biomedical topics and too little on access to, expenditure on, and availability of services required to improve health outcomes, and on the underpinning issues of social and emotional wellbeing. It is of concern that statistical artefacts may have been misrepresented as indicating real progress in key health indices. Challenges and opportunities for the future include improving the accuracy of estimation of life expectancy, provision of community level data, information on the availability and effectiveness of health services, measurement of the underpinning issues of racism, culture and social and emotional wellbeing (SEWB), enhancing the interoperability of data systems, and capacity building and mechanisms for Indigenous data governance. There is little point in having information unless it is used, and formal mechanisms for making full use of information in a proper policy/planning cycle are urgently required.

Suggested Citation

  • Ian Ring & Kalinda Griffiths, 2021. "Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Information: Progress, Pitfalls, and Prospects," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(19), pages 1-15, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:19:p:10274-:d:646553
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Alfred Dockery, 2010. "Culture and Wellbeing: The Case of Indigenous Australians," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 99(2), pages 315-332, November.
    2. Matthew Manning & Christopher L. Ambrey & Christopher M. Fleming, 2016. "A Longitudinal Study of Indigenous Wellbeing in Australia," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 17(6), pages 2503-2525, December.
    3. Nicholas Biddle, 2014. "Measuring and Analysing the Wellbeing of Australia’s Indigenous Population," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 116(3), pages 713-729, May.
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    Cited by:

    1. Richard Madden & Nicola Fortune & Julie Gordon, 2022. "Health Statistics in Australia: What We Know and Do Not Know," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-12, April.

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