Socioeconomic and environmental factors
Poor living conditions increase the risk of acute rheumatic fever (ARF) and rheumatic heart disease (RHD). This section draws on data from the 2021 Census of Population and Housing (ABS 2022) and the 2018–19 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey (ABS 2020) to provide information on 2 key risk factors associated with ARF and RHD:
- household overcrowding
- dwelling standards.
ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) (2020) National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey, 2018-19, AIHW analysis of TableBuilder data, accessed 30 August 2023.
ABS (2022) Census of Population and Housing, 2021, AIHW analysis of TableBuilder data, accessed 30 August 2023.