Urban Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Equity Dashboards

Estimates of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander population are based on the Census, Post Enumeration Survey (PES) and other demographic information.

These data cover Australia and its states and territories, Remoteness Areas and Indigenous Regions, as defined by the Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) Edition 3. The category, ‘Other Territories’ is included in the Australia total, and includes Christmas Island, the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Jervis Bay Territory and Norfolk Island.

Final 2021 Census-based estimates of the resident Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population are presented on the ‘Regional profile dashboard’. These estimates use finalised component data for births, deaths and migration.

More information about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population estimates from the 2021 Census is available at Estimates of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians.

The population estimates for calculating rates use Estimates and Projections, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, 2006–2031 published by Australian Bureau of Statistics (abs.gov.au). The base population is the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander estimated resident population of Australia at 30 June 2016, derived from 2016 Census counts of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and adjusted for net undercount as measured by the Post Enumeration Survey (PES). New estimates and projections for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population, based on 2021 Census counts, were released on 24 July 2024.

The Census is carried out every 5 years. It includes the standard Indigenous status question, which is asked for each household member. The Census form may be completed by one household member on behalf of others.

The 2021 Census was Australia's 18th national Census of Population and Housing, and the first to take a digital-first approach. With more than 95% of Australians participating, the 2021 Census showed a growing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples represented 3.2% of the population counted – up from 2.8% in 2016, 2.5% in 2011, and 2.3% in 2006.

Following each Census, population projections for years after the Census and back cast population estimates for the years before the Census are prepared based on the new information and a set of assumptions about mortality, fertility and migration. Three series of projections are produced representing combinations of assumptions resulting in high, medium and low population growth.

Census data are presented on the ‘regional profile dashboard’, ‘diabetes dashboard’ and ‘chronic kidney disease dashboard’.

Further information about the nature of the Census is available at Census methodology, 2021: Understanding data quality.

Most of the region types used on this website come from the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ (ABS) Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS). The ASGS brings together, in one framework, all of the regions which the ABS and many other organisations use to collect, release and analyse geographically classified statistics. The ASGS ensures that these statistics are comparable, and geospatially integrated, and provides users with a coherent set of standard regions so that they can access, visualise, analyse and understand statistics. The 2021 ASGS was used for the 2021 Census of Population and Housing and progressively introduced into other ABS data collections.

The main structure of the ASGS has region types with regions that reflect where people live. Regions are relatively small in densely populated parts of Australia and relatively big in less densely populated parts to even out the variation in population size between regions.

The Indigenous structure of the ASGS has region types with regions that reflect where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people live. The sizes of the regions belonging to these region types depend on the density of the Indigenous population.

ABS data is available for many different boundaries published in the ASGS. ABS Maps allows users to visualise and compare these boundaries.

Data from the ABS’ Births, Australia are based on births registered in a reference year (calendar year) and reported to the ABS by Registries of Births, Deaths and Marriages in each state and territory and Norfolk Island.

Unless otherwise indicated, all data are based on year of registration. These data are final and are not updated. The data are based on information provided on a birth registration form completed by the parent(s) of the child.

ABS’ Births, Australia data are presented on the ‘Mortality dashboard’.

For more information, visit Births, Australia methodology, 2024.

Held by the AIHW, the National Hospital Morbidity Database (NHMD) is a compilation of episode-level records from admitted patient morbidity data collection systems in Australian hospitals. The data supplied are based on the National Minimum Data Set (NMDS) for Admitted patient care and include demographic, administrative and length of stay data, as well as data on the diagnoses of the patients, the procedures they underwent in hospital and external causes of injury and poisoning.

The purpose of the NMDS for Admitted patient care is to collect information about care provided to admitted patients in Australian hospitals. The scope of the NMDS is episodes of care for admitted patients in all public and private acute and psychiatric hospitals, free standing day hospital facilities, and alcohol and drug treatment centres in Australia. Hospitals operated by the Australian Defence Force, corrections authorities and in Australia’s off-shore territories are not in scope but some are included.

The NHMD data are presented on the ‘hospitalisations dashboard’ and ‘diabetes dashboard’.

Further information is available at National Hospitals data collection.

The AIHW National Mortality Database (NMD) holds records for deaths in Australia from 1964. The database comprises information about causes of death and other characteristics of the person, such as sex, age at death, area of usual residence and Indigenous status.

The data quality statements underpinning the NMD can be found in the following ABS publications:

• ABS quality declaration summary for Deaths, Australia
• Causes of Death, Australia methodology, 2022

The NMD data are presented on the ‘mortality dashboard’.

The National Non-Admitted Patient Emergency Department Care Database (NNAPEDC) is a compilation of episode-level data for emergency department presentations in public hospitals.

The scope includes only physical presentations to emergency departments. Advice provided by telephone or videoconferencing is not in scope, although it is recognised that advice received by telehealth may form part of the care provided to patients physically receiving care in the emergency department.

The NNAPEDCD data are presented on the ‘Emergency Department dashboard’.

For more information about the scope of this data collection, visit the AIHW Metadata Online Registry (METEOR).

The National Perinatal Data Collection (NPDC) is a national population-based cross-sectional collection of data on pregnancy and childbirth. The data are based on births reported to the perinatal data collection in each state and territory in Australia. Midwives and other birth attendants, using information obtained from mothers and from hospital or other records, complete notification forms for each birth.

The NPDC data are presented on the ‘perinatal dashboard’.

Further information is available at National Perinatal data collection.

The Australia and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant Registry (ANZDATA) is a clinical quality registry that collects and produces a wide range of statistics relating to the outcomes of treatment of those with end-stage kidney failure.  ANZDATA has been in operation since 1977 and all dialysis and transplant services, in Australia and New Zealand, contribute data to The Registry. The fundamental purpose of ANZDATA is to report on the incidence, prevalence and outcomes of dialysis and transplant treatment for patients with end stage kidney disease across Australia and New Zealand.

The ANZDATA Registry operates under the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI).

The ANZDATA data are presented on the ‘chronic kidney disease dashboard’.

For more information, refer to the ANZDATA website.