There have been improvements in expenditures on health services
for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people by all levels of
government, according to a report published today by the Australian
Institute of Health and Welfare and the Commonwealth Department of
Health and Aged Care.
Expenditure on health services for Indigenous Australians from
government and private sources rose by at least 15% per person
between 1995-96 and 1998-99. This compares with the 10% per person
increase in non-Indigenous health spending over the same
period.
Expenditures on Health Services for Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander People, 1998-99 shows that per person health
spending on ndigenous people in that year was $3,065 compared with
$2,518 for non-Indigenous people, a ratio of 1.22 to 1.
AIHW health economist and report co-author John Goss said that
the figure for Indigenous health spending was not much higher,
especially given the comparatively poor health of Indigenous
people.
'Indigenous mortality rates are three times that of the general
community-Indigenous people die on average 20 years younger than
the average for all Australians.
'Public expenditure on health services for Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander people was similar to that for non-Indigenous
people in low-income groups. The health of low-income groups is
relatively poor, but Indigenous people have the lowest incomes and
the worst health. The median weekly income of Indigenous men, at
$189, is less than half of the figure for non-Indigenous men.'
'One must also factor in the higher cost of providing services
in remote and very remote areas, where 27.5% of Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander people live, compared with 2.6% of the total
population.
The report shows that Indigenous people are low users of
mainstream health programs such as Medicare and the Pharmaceutical
Benefits Scheme. Specific Indigenous programs offset this to some
extent. Indigenous people are high users of State government
programs such as public hospitals and community health
services.
Mr Goss said difficulties remained in identifying Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander health expenditure in the available
statistics.
'Consequently we often had to use surveys and other estimation
techniques, which are not as accurate as using primary data', Mr
Goss said.
23 August 2001
Further information: Mr John Goss, AIHW, tel.
02 6244 1151
Media copies of the report: Publications Officer, AIHW,
tel. 02 6244 1032
Availability: Check the AIHW Publications
Catalogue for availability.