Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s preferences for, use of, and access to primary health care 2025

Having a usual source of health care that aligns with a person's preferences for that care is important for building trust, improving satisfaction, and encouraging regular engagement with the health system (Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care 2021).

When people can access the type of care they feel most comfortable with – whether it's a mainstream General Practitioner (GP), an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (ACCHO), or another provider - they are more likely to seek help early, follow treatment plans, and maintain ongoing relationships with health practitioners. For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, a match between preference and care source can also mean receiving services in a culturally safe environment, which is essential for improving health outcomes and reducing barriers to care.

In 2022–23, of the estimated 430,500 people who preferred an Aboriginal Medical Service or Community Clinic (AMS/CC), 251,000 (58%) had one as their usual source of health care (Table 4). This means that an estimated 180,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people did not use an AMS/CC even though that was their preferred source. Close to one-third (31% or an estimated 135,000) used a mainstream GP and 7.3% (31,500) had no usual source of health care.

Nearly all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who expressed a preference for a mainstream GP had one as their usual source of health care (88% or an estimated 416,000 of 474,000).

* Estimate has a relative standard error between 25% and 50% and should be used with caution.

Notes:

1. Excludes those with preferences for all other types of health services because of small numbers and high standard errors.
2. Bold indicates a match between preferred and usual source of health care.
3. Data are population weighted estimates.

Source: AIHW analysis of 2022–23 NATSIHS using TableBuilder (ABS 2025a).

The percentage distribution of who was able to use an AMS/CC (that is, who preferred to use an AMS/CC and had an AMS/CC as their usual source of health care) by the selected variables highlights differences in the likelihood of being able to use a preferred choice of health care. But it is also important to look at the numbers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who preferred an AMS/CC but did not have one as their usual source of health care, particularly those from more vulnerable groups. In 2022–23, among the estimated 179,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who preferred an AMS/CC but did not have one as their usual source of health care, there were an estimated:

• 88,200 people in the most disadvantaged areas (1^st SEIFA quintile) (noting that the proportions of people in these areas who used an AMS/CC is higher than for those in more advantaged areas)
• 97,200 who could not raise $2,000 in an emergency
• 75,400 with disability.

The impact of having an AMS/CC in the local area is highlighted in Table 5. Of those who preferred to use an AMS/CC and who only had an AMS/CC in their local area, 89% (or an estimated 60,300 of 67,500) used an AMS/CC as their usual source of health care. Of those who preferred to use an AMS/CC and who had both an AMS/CC and a mainstream GP in their local area, 64% (an estimated 179,000 of 282,000) used an AMS/CC as their usual source of health care.

Note: Data are population weighted estimates.

Source: AIHW analysis of 2022–23 NATSIHS using DataLab (ABS 2025b).

Comparisons across survey cycles

Between 2012–13 and 2022–23, there was a slight (but not significant) decrease in the proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who preferred an AMS/CC and had one as their usual source of care – from 63% (or an estimated 142,000 of 226,000) to 58% (or an estimated 251,000 of 430,000).