Resource materials to support Indigenous status reporting

Recent releases

Injury of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples due to transport, 2001-02 to 2005-06 (22 September 2008) (publication)

Cardiovascular disease and its associated risk factors in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples 2004-05 (5 June 2008) (media release and publication)

The health and welfare of Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples 2008 (29 April 2008) (media release and publication)

Overview

A number of activities and resources have been developed to support service providers in the health and community services areas to improve the identification of Indigenous people in the data collections that they are required to report. These resources aim to provide training for staff involved in the collection of client/patient data and/or to educate clients of these services about the need to collect information about Indigenous status as part of the provision of the service. Some resource material, developed by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, the Australian Bureau of Statistics and state/territory government departments that are responsible for the delivery of community and health services, is described below. Links to the material and contact details for the responsible agency are provided where possible.

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare

NAGATSIHID The National Advisory Group on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Information and Data Strategic Plan (the Plan) outlines the priorities of NAGATSIHID in the period 2006-2008 for improving the quality and availability of statistical information on the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The Plan presents 20 themes grouped in four information and data priority areas:

Approaches to health information, development, collection and data protocols; return of data to communities/use of data by communities; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander statistical workforce; culturally appropriate measures of health; and international collaboration and international comparisons
Priorities for information development: enumeration of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population; surveys; administrative data; primary health care; Other health services; Mental health; Violence; Prisoners' health; and Health workforce
Analytical work: Health trends; Avoidable mortality and morbidity; Burden of disease; and, Health expenditure
Key statistical reports: Health status and health service delivery.

An additional five 'themes that need further consideration' are also listed: disability, children's hearing loss, nutrition, community grief and cultural competency and cultural awareness. The Plan also highlights the context of each of the twenty themes, the role of NAGATSIHID and next steps for monitoring progress against each theme. Strategic Plan 2006-2008
use: developing health information and evidence;

Recent developments in the collection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and welfare statistics 2005
The paper discusses recent developments in the collection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and welfare statistics: The first part discusses recent developments in national strategic information initiatives and future plans in the health, housing and community services areas; the second part describes recent and forthcoming statistical reports on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples; the third part provides information on Indigenous identification and population estimation; and the fourth part provides information on the quality and availability of data collected on Indigenous people from the Census, surveys and administrative records.

Improving the quality of Indigenous identification in hospital separations data
The report presents the outcomes of a project funded by the Australian Health Ministers' Advisory Council and directed at establishing a basis for improving Indigenous identification in hospital separations data. The report provides an account of current and past assessments of the quality of Indigenous status data, an account of jurisdictions' policies and processes for Indigenous identification, the findings of an analysis of Indigenous identification in national separations data, a set of guidelines to support the analysis of information on Indigenous status, and recommendations for improving Indigenous status information in hospital separations data.

Family violence among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
Family violence is acknowledged as an issue of national importance, both generally and among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The true extent of family violence is difficult to determine due to under-reporting by victims, the sometimes lack of appropriate screening by service providers, incomplete identification of Indigenous people in many data sets and problems of quality and comparability of existing data.
The report provides an assessment of data sources and discusses data quality issues.

Data quality of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander identification: Seven community services data collections
The accurate identification of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients is essential for measuring the effectiveness of community services in meeting the needs of the Indigenous Australian population and assists planning and improvement in service delivery, which can lead to improvements in the wellbeing of Indigenous people.
This report explores some of the issues associated with the identification of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who receive community services in Australia. The quality of identification of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients in seven data collections is examined. The seven data collections are:

Commonwealth/State Disability Agreement Minimum Data Set
Three aged care data collections: Residential Aged Care Services data collection; Home and Community Care MDS; and Community Care Packages data collection
Supported Accommodation Assistance Program National Data Collections: children who are the subject of notifications, investigations and substantiations; children on care and protection orders; and children in out of home care
Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment Services National Minimum Data Set

The specific focus of this report is on instances where Indigenous status is missing or 'not stated' in data sets, and whether improvements in data quality have occurred over time. Variations in data quality are also explored in relation to particular groups of clients (eg age, sex, or service type) and by geographical location.

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Australian Institute of Health and Welfare/ Australian Bureau of Statistics

National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Services Information Plan
This report presents the results of three interrelated projects:

a draft Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Services Information Plan
proposed principles and standards for community services Indigenous client data, developed from focus group discussions held with clients, officers and administrators of community services agencies across Australia, and
reviews of the current collection protocols of Indigenous status in the Supported Accommodation Access Program, Commonwealth/State Disability Agreement funded outlets and in child protection and welfare.

The report contains seven guiding principles, established to govern the collection and use of Indigenous client data in community services. The principles provide a broad framework of collection protocols which are given more specific development in the Information Plan.

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Information Plan: '...This time, let's make it happen'
This report reviews the quality of Indigenous identification data in major health and administrative data collections held by the states and territories, and also describes the processes and supporting tools that underpin the collection of the data. The report also provides information on practical measures that have been employed within health services and other administrative data collections to improve data quality in this area. Examples of promotional materials are included.

The report concludes that the quality of identification of Indigenous people in most data collections needs to be improved. Recommendations (and suggested strategies) are made in the following areas: the need to develop a supporting infrastructure, technical improvements, and fostering national commitment to improve Indigenous health information.

The implementation of the plan is overseen by the Statistical Information Management Committee with strategic advice provided by the National Advisory Group on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Information and Data (NAGATSIHID). NAGATSIHID are responsible for implementation of the health information plan, including coordinating activities aimed at improving the identification of Indigenous Australians in a range of administrative data collections, and improving the availability of information on the health of Indigenous people and data related to health service delivery.

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Australian Bureau of Statistics (National Centre for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Statistics)

WISE (Website Indigenous Statistics Education)
This is an educational online tutorial that aims to improve awareness of issues relating to the collection of statistics about Indigenous people, and to help people to understand basic population statistics issues as they relate to Indigenous Australians.
It includes information on the ABS' campaign to raise awareness about the need to accurately identify Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in data collections, and reproduces the poster used in this campaign.

Collecting Indigenous status for data collectors and service providers in health services training program
This package, developed by the ABS in 1999 is currently being reviewed by the National Centre for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Statistics, and may be re-developed for re-release in the future.

1999 Indigenous identification workshop
This is a report of the proceedings of a workshop that was convened to discuss the status of reporting of Indigenous status in a range of administrative data collections with the broader aim of improving Indigenous identification to a point where reliable health, welfare and population statistics on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people can be produced.

Five brochures

Are you of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander origin? Why do disability staff need to ask this question?
Are you of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander origin? Why are you asked this question?
Are you of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander origin? Why do hospital staff need to ask this question?
Are you of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander origin? Why do general practitioners need to ask this question?
Was the deceased person of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander origin? Why do funeral staff need to ask this question?

The first two brochures are designed to provide information to clients and patients of health and community services about why it is that staff might ask them about their Indigenous status.
The last three brochures are designed for hospital staff, general practitioners and funeral staff (respectively) who are responsible for collecting information from patients or the next of kin of deceased people. They reinforce the importance of collecting this information, and of doing so in a confident but sensitive manner.

Further information about, and copies of, the materials listed here can be obtained from the National Centre for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Statistics; ph. 08 8943 2111 or 1800 633 216; email: .

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NSW (NSW Health)

Collecting patient registration information training program

Better practice guidelines to improve the level of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander identification in the New South Wales public health system

Principles for recording Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander origin information of patients and clients

Improving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander origin information in NSW: Report of a pilot study

The Information Management and Clinical Systems Unit of NSW Health have produced a range of reports and resources relating to the identification of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in administrative health data collections in NSW. These documents include a training program (with overheads and facilitator's manual which also discusses other data items that may be sensitive to collect) and 'better practice guidelines' that aim to standardise collection and reporting procedures relating to Indigenous status.

Copies of all of these documents are available from the Information Management and Clinical Systems Unit (NSW Health) website.

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Victoria (Department of Human Services)

Case studies of 'best practice' in recording Aboriginality
Following the introduction of mandatory requirements to collect information on the Indigenous status of all patients, the Koori Human Services Unit documented the experiences of two Victorian hospitals in their efforts to improve reporting of this data item. The case studies describe initial staff reactions and the range of strategies adopted.

Principles of recording Aboriginality
A Departmental circular outlining responsibilities of departmental staff and staff of other funded agencies to collect and record information on the client's Indigenous status in all data collections that include data on clients.

Are you of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent? Information for staff involved in hospital admissions
Information pages for hospital staff that reinforce the need to collect information on the Indigenous status of all patients admitted to hospital or attending emergency departments in Victoria, and to reinforce the minimum standards for collecting this information. These pages also include suggested responses to commonly asked questions-including objections and issues that might be raised by patients and/or staff who are required to collect the information.

For copies of these documents, contact the Koori Human Services Unit, Department of Human Services.

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Queensland (Department of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Policy)

Are you of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander origin? Why you are asked this question
These materials consist of a brochure and poster designed for distribution to clients of services to provide information on why they are asked about whether or not they are of Indigenous origin.

For copies of the brochure and poster, contact the Office of Economic and Statistical Research; ph. 1800 068 587; email: oesr@treasury.qld.gov.au.

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Queensland (Department of Families)

The Indigenous Identification Staff Awareness Package
This on-line training package is designed for all Departmental staff who have direct contact with clients. The training package is re-produced here with the kind permission of the Department of Families.

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Queensland (Queensland Health)

Who's Indigenous? What does it mean? Who wants to know and Why?
This pamphlet answers these key questions and more and lists contact for more information.

Indigenous identification in health data collections: For data collectors and service providers in health services
This training presentation aims to raise awareness of the importance of accurately recording Indigenous status of patients/clients, train staff in the correct way of obtaining this information, and suggests appropriate answers to questions that may be asked by patients/clients.
This presentation is intended for staff who work in settings other then the hospital (such as community health centres and other public health services).

Collecting personal health information: A presentation for data collectors and health service providers
This training presentation considers 'What is personal information?', provides information about a number of data items that are poorly reported in the Queensland Hospital Admitted Patient Data Collection (including Indigenous status), and suggests strategies for improving data collection of all personal health information.
A number of data items asked for as part of the patient admission process are examined in this presentation, with particular emphasis on the Indigenous status data item.

Copies of these training presentations are available from the Data Services Unit, Queensland Health, GPO Box 48, Brisbane QLD 4001; ph. 07 3234 0922.

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Western Australia (Australian Bureau of Statistics)

Collecting Indigenous Status for Data Collectors in WA Health Services
This training session to improve the identification of Indigenous people in hospital administrative collections has been developed by the Australian Bureau of Statistics and tailored for use in Western Australia. It is aimed at staff in public and private hospitals and is offered as a train the trainer or general session. Brochures and posters supporting Indigenous identification in hospitals are also made available.

Training sessions can be arranged by contacting the ABS Indigenous Unit on 08 9360 5110 or through the Department of Health WA.

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Tasmania (Department of Health and Human Services)

Indigenous statistics
The Tasmania noticeboard within the ABS website contains information on current Indigenous statistical projects and programs being undertaken in Tasmania, including the Indigenous Administrative Data Project and the Indigenous Community Engagement Strategy.

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Last reviewed by on 23 November 2006