Australian Bureau of Statistics – National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey

6–8 yearly

2018–19

The NATSIHS is conducted by the ABS. The 2018–19 NATSIHS collected information from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people of all ages in non-remote and remote areas of Australia, including discrete Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. It collected information on such topics as long-term health conditions; mental wellbeing; and health risk factors.

The NATSIHS uses the ABS Short Disability Module¹ to identify the presence of disability or a restrictive long-term health condition. Disability or a restrictive long-term health condition is defined as having at least one condition which restricts everyday activities, for at least 6 months.

Age refers to the age of a person on their last birthday.

The scope of the survey was all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (First Nations) people living in private dwellings. The sample included a community sample, consisting of discrete Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, as well as a non-community sample, made up of persons in private dwellings outside of discrete Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. For the non-community sample, a screening question based on the ABS Indigenous Status Standard was used to identify Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander households.²

Remoteness is classified according to the 2016 Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS). Data source covers all areas of remoteness and includes discrete Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.³

• Self-reported health

1. The Short Disability Module used in the NATSIHS to identify the presence of disability has been found to overestimate the number of people with less severe forms of disability (4431.0.55.002 - ABS Sources of Disability Information, 2012 - 2016).
2. The ABS Indigenous Status Standard can be found at Indigenous Status Standard, 2014, Version 1.5 | Australian Bureau of Statistics (abs.gov.au).
3. Further information on the geographic index used by this data source can be found at Remoteness Structure | Australian Bureau of Statistics (abs.gov.au).