Indigenous eye health measures 2018

Measure 2.2: The number people who had an Indigenous health assessments in the 12 month period (MBS item 715) and proportion of the Indigenous population.

All Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians are eligible for an annual Indigenous-specific health assessment provided by GPs. It includes assessment of vision and referral to an optometrist if required.

• In 2017–18, just under one-third (30% or 230,000) of Indigenous Australians had an Indigenous-specific health assessment.
• Between 2010–11 and 2017–18, the age-standardised proportion of Indigenous Australians who had an MBS item 715 health assessment increased from 12% to 32%.
• The number and proportion of health assessments for Indigenous males and females aged 0–14 were very similar, but for all other age groups, health assessments for Indigenous females outnumbered those for Indigenous males.