Overview

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are the Indigenous people of Australia. They are not one group, but comprise hundreds of groups that have their own distinct set of languages, histories and cultural traditions.

AIHW reports and other products include information about Indigenous Australians, where data quality permits. Thus, information and statistics about Indigenous Australians can be found in most AIHW products.

AIHW products that focus specifically on Indigenous Australians are captured on this page.

Note: Following a recent restructure of Indigenous information on the AIHW website, this page includes those AIHW reports that used to be found on the Indigenous health and welfare services page.

Latest findings

In 2018, almost 3,200 Indigenous children received clinical services (for example, tooth extraction, fillings) Mortality rate from cardiac conditions for Indigenous Australians is 1.5 times that for non-Indigenous Australians In 2018, Indigenous children aged 5 had the highest number of decayed, missing and filled baby teeth (5.6) Incidence of acute rheumatic fever is much higher among Indigenous Australians than non-Indigenous Australians In 2018, almost 5,700 Indigenous children received full-mouth fluoride varnish applications to help prevent tooth decay The level of access for cardiac-related health services is improving among Indigenous Australians In 2018, more than 8 in 10 Indigenous children aged 5–10 had tooth decay experience In 2018, Indigenous children aged 15 had the highest number of decayed, missing and filled permanent teeth (3.4) Between 1998 and 2017, the mortality rate from cardiac conditions for Indigenous Australians fell by 49%

Latest reports

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Highlights

3.6 millionepisodes of care were provided by Indigenous primary health services in 2017–18
3.3%of the total Australian population were Indigenous Australians in 2016
47% of children and young people in the Northern Territory had hearing loss in 2018—less than the 55% in 2012
19%of the Indigenous disease burden in 2011 was caused by mental health and substance use disorders
The median ageof Indigenous Australians was 23 in 2016, compared with 38 for non‑Indigenous Australians
1 in 3Indigenous youth experienced high levels of psychological distress in 2014–15, compared with 1 in 8 non‑Indigenous youth
64%of the burden of disease among Indigenous Australians is due to chronic diseases