Understanding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health
We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the lands and waters of Australia and the Torres Strait. We acknowledge them as the first inhabitants of Australia and the traditional custodians of the lands. We also pay our respects to Elders past and present.
For specialists considering a role in remote communities, regional cities or even metropolitan Australian health services, understanding the health context of the many Australian and Torres Strait Islander communities you'll be working with is essential. Dr Simon Quilty used to be a senior physician with many years' experience in the Northern Territory. He pointed us to the Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet as an excellent primer, and the statistics below are drawn from that source.
These figures describe serious, well-documented health disparities driven by structural factors - including the ongoing effects of colonisation, disparities in healthcare access, and social determinants of health - not by any deficit in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people or communities. Working continually alongside these statistics are strong stories of community-led health responses: Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs) deliver culturally safe, community-governed primary care across the country, and organisations like NACCHO lead policy and advocacy nationally.
Mental health
Suicide was the fifth leading cause of death overall in 2024 (271 deaths), and the leading cause of death for children aged 5–17 (2020–2024). Highest death rates by group (2020–2024): males 35–44 (82 per 100,000); females 15–24 (21 per 100,000). Jurisdictional range: 25/100,000 (NSW) to 40/100,000 (WA).
Mental and behavioural disorders accounted for 7.6% of all hospitalisations in 2023–24 (29,289 admissions); intentional self-harm accounted for 2,805 hospitalisations (0.4%). In the most recent Burden of Disease analysis (2018 data), mental and substance use disorders were the largest single contributor to total burden (23%) - ahead of injuries (12%) and cardiovascular disease (10%). Alcohol use disorders and depressive disorders were both leading specific contributors to burden (DALY rate 14 each); anxiety disorders ranked third-highest specific cause overall (rate 17).
Moderate-to-high experience of racial discrimination was associated with higher rates of low happiness, low life satisfaction, high psychological distress, frequent pain, and diagnosed depression or anxiety.
13YARN (13 92 76) is a national crisis support line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, staffed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander crisis supporters, available 24/7. Lifeline (13 11 14) is also available to anyone in Australia. Please search out similar in your home country.
Cardiovascular health
2,731 heart attacks or unstable angina events among people aged 25+ (NSW, Qld, WA, SA, NT combined, 2023); crude coronary event rate 5.6 per 1,000 (males 6.3, females 4.9). Ischaemic heart disease (IHD) was the leading cause of death overall in 2024 (472 deaths: 309 males, 163 females).
CVD hospitalisation rates (2021–22): ~20/1,000 (males), 18/1,000 (females). By type: IHD 6.0/1,000, heart failure 2.7/1,000, stroke 2.0/1,000, atrial fibrillation 1.5/1,000.
Rheumatic heart disease (RHD): 299 new diagnoses in 2024; 5,867 people living with RHD as of December 2023. Acute rheumatic fever incidence is highest in children aged 5–14 (111/100,000), and highest by jurisdiction in the NT (117/100,000) - reflecting sustained investment by NT and national RHD control programs in surveillance and follow-up care. CVD risk-factor screening is now recommended from age 18.
Respiratory health
35,352 hospitalisations for respiratory disease in 2023–24 (rate 40 per 1,000). Chronic lower respiratory disease (asthma, COPD, bronchiectasis, emphysema) was the second leading cause of death overall, and the leading cause of death for females (369 deaths total: 182 male, 187 female).
Diabetes and renal disease
Diabetes was the third leading cause of death (332 deaths, 6.8% of all deaths), with the highest mortality rate in the NT (193/100,000). Dialysis is the single most common reason for hospitalisation overall: 2,249 people were receiving dialysis in 2024, 362 commenced dialysis (down from 369 in 2023), and 64 kidney transplants were performed. There were 118 deaths from diseases of the urinary system in 2024 (rate 27 per 100,000).
Injury and emergency presentations
Injury was the leading cause of all hospitalisations excluding dialysis (12% of all admissions). Top causes: falls (22%), medical or surgical care complications (24%), exposure to mechanical forces (18%), assault (17%), transport accidents (9.3%).
Injury hospitalisation rate: 38/1,000 (males), 32/1,000 (females); highest in the 25–44 age group (48/1,000), lowest in 5–14 years (18/1,000). There were 646 injury deaths (2022–23), rate 99/100,000 (males), 44/100,000 (females). Leading injury deaths: intentional self-harm (271), accidental poisoning (150), land transport accidents (128).
Overall hospitalisation rate was 900 per 1,000 population (5.5% of all Australian hospitalisations), highest in the NT (2,166/1,000) and lowest in Tasmania (401/1,000). The potentially preventable hospitalisation rate was 69 per 1,000, highest in remote areas (126/1,000).
Mortality overview
5,603 deaths were registered in 2024; median age at death 63.2 years (males 60.8, females 66.0) - notably younger than the general Australian population. Leading causes of death: IHD (9.6%), chronic lower respiratory disease (7.5%), diabetes (6.8%), lung cancer (6.7%), suicide (5.5%). There were 8,972 avoidable deaths (2019–2023) at a rate of 301 per 100,000.
All statistics sourced from the Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet. For more on community-controlled health services, see NACCHO.
If you are experiencing distress: 13YARN (13 92 76) — Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander crisis support, 24/7. Lifeline (13 11 14) - available to anyone in Australia - or please search for similar in your home country.