SNAPSHOT ndigenous ’ access 7.6 to healthservices I underestimation of service use. underestimation ofservice datacanalsolead to an Indigenous peopleinmainstream healthservices identificationof Incomplete governments).the Australian are Government (suchaswhenthey fundedby state andterritory use may beunderestimated ifconsultationsare notclaimedfor onMedicare, orare notfundedby Service itdifficult intheuseofhealth services. patterns todetermine are whichmakes lacking, services Comprehensive Australians’ dataonIndigenous health useofmainstream andIndigenous-specific facilities.other health-care available through and , , Controlled community Aboriginal Community Health Services are governments, fundedby theAustralian andare Government and/orstate services andterritory of illhealthinarangesettings(seeChapter 8 healthcare inAustralia’).‘Primary Indigenous-specific whichoffer healthcare services, prevention, diagnosis and primary treatment or Indigenous-specific the healthsystem isadequately Australians meetingtheirneeds. may Indigenous accessmainstream Australians’Understanding Indigenous whether inevaluating isimportant accessto healthservices improvements inbehavioural andsocialfactors. improve health,strategies are to Indigenous required increase accessto healthservices alongside isonlymarginallysuggests thattheiroverall higher(AHMAC accessto healthservices 2012). To Australians.a muchhigherrate thannon-Indigenous However, themostrecent comparabledata at Due to Australians their poorer to couldbeexpected accesshealthservices health,Indigenous • • • • Use healthservices ofselected • • Access to healthservices iginal and Torres provided 2.6millionepisodes ofhealth care services StraitIslanderprimary Indigenous Scheme (PBS)expenditure Australian was n 2010–11,Pharmaceutical Benefits per Australiansates rose ofMBSHealthChecksamongIndigenous significantly from 2006 to 2011 for edicareSchedule (MBS)claimrates Benefits for GPvisits were 17%higherIndigenousthan non- for (GP) Australiansn 2012–13,more or (22%)accessedageneralpractitioner than1in5Indigenous Abor I R M About 1in4I I episodes ofcare and a3%increase inthenumberofclients. care to about 445,000clientsin2011–12.Compared with2010–11,there wasa5%increase in Australian, suggesting anarrowingnon-Indigenous ofthegapsincethen. Australian 2001–02,PBSexpenditure wasaround perIndigenous In 33%oftheamountspentper around Australian 80%ofthelevel ofexpenditure ($291compared pernon-Indigenous with$366). all agegroups (Figure 7.11). Australians were in2010–11,butclaimratesIndigenous for 39%lower specialistservices (Figure 7.10). unavailable whenrequired for (52%),andcostwasabarrier about1in3(32%). and7%accessinghospitals.doctors The being greatest were barriers longwaitingtimesorservices these, about20%hadproblems in2008.Of accessingdentists, 10%accessing health services specialist inthe2weeks before theAustralian Aboriginal and Torres StraitIslanderHealthSurvey. ndigenous Australians aged15andover having problems (26%)reported accessing ’s no. health series 14.Cat. no. AUS AIHW. 178.Canberra: Australian ofHealth and Institute Welfare 2014Australia’s health2014.

SNAPSHOT SNAPSHOT • • • Hospitalisations by principaldiagnosis

Figure 7.10 After adjustingfor agedifferences, were to be twice aslikely over Excluding dialysis, theleadingcauseofhospitalisationfor Australians wasinjury, Indigenous Australians wereIndigenous hospitalisedfor potentially preventable 4timesas conditionsnearly as likely to behospitalisedfor conditions(Figureas likely respiratory 7.12). hospitalised for mentalandbehavioural Australians, disorders 3times asnon-Indigenous andnearly hospitalisations per1,000people, respectively). anddigestive conditionswere mostcommoncauses(31and26 thenext people). Respiratory causes (38hospitalisationsper1,000 otherconsequencesofexternal poisoning andcertain Australians July2010andJune2012. between asnon-Indigenous often 2010–11 claimedper1,000peopleby status Indigenous (age-standardised), services Source: Miscellaneous diagnosticsMiscellaneous AIHW2013. Non-referred GP Allied health Pathology Specialist Imaging 0 2,000 Services claimed per 1,000people claimedper Services 4,000 Australia’s no. health series 14.Cat. no. AUS AIHW. 178.Canberra: Australian ofHealth and Institute Welfare 2014 Non-Indigenous Indigenous 6,000 8,000 Australia’s health2014 2 . SNAPSHOT SNAPSHOT Aboriginal andTorres Strait Islanderpeople2010–11 analyses free download include www.aihw.gov.au/indigenous-observatory More Australians information withthehealthsystem onhow interact isavailable Indigenous at Where doIgofor more information? may notbethemostsuitableonefor theirhealthneeds. ornot. accesstheservice influence whetherthey There thatthe available service isalsoapossibility Australians mayIndigenous have financial, physical can socialandculturalfactors accessto aservice, Australiansa complete are pictureofwhether thehealthneedsofIndigenous beingmet.Even though aredo notprovide accessibleto give allwhoneedthem,nordothey information onwhetherservices give useandspendingpatterns they someindicationofthedemandfor healthservices, While service What ismissingfrom thepicture? Figure 7.11 Rate ofMBShealthchecksfor Australians, Indigenous by age, 2006–2011 Source: Health 1,000people checksper 100 150 200 250 300 50 0 , AIHW2013. Aboriginal andTorres 2011-12 Strait report Islanderhealthservices 2006 Aboriginal andTorres Strait IslanderHealthPerformance Framework 2012:detailed 2007 15–54 years 0–14 years 55 years andover . Recent AIHW reports andotherpublicationsavailable for AIHW reports . Recent 2008 . Year 2009 Australia’s no. health series 14.Cat. no. AUS AIHW. 178.Canberra: Australian ofHealth and Institute Welfare 2014Australia’s health2014. and 2010 Expenditure on healthfor 2011

3 SNAPSHOT SNAPSHOT Framework 2012:detailedanalyses. Cat. no. AIHW. IHW94.Canberra: AIHW (Australian ofHealthand Institute Welfare) 2013.Aboriginal and Torres StraitIslanderHealthPerformance AHMAC. Canberra: Performance Framework 2012Report. AHMAC (Australian HealthMinisters’ Council) 2012.Aboriginal and Advisory Torres StraitIslanderHealth References Figure 7.12 July 2010to June2012 AustraliansIndigenous andcorresponding rates Australians, amongnon-Indigenous ratesAge-standardised oftheleadingcauseshospitalisation (excluding dialysis) for Source: consequences causes ofexternal AIHW analysis of National Morbidity Database. AIHWanalysisofNationalHospitalMorbidity Injury, poisoningandother Mental andbehaviouralMental Genitourinary Respiratory Circulatory Digestive disorders 0 10 Hospitalisations 1,000people per 20 Australia’s no. health series 14.Cat. no. AUS AIHW. 178.Canberra: Australian ofHealth and Institute Welfare 2014 30 40 Non-Indigenous Indigenous 50 60 Australia’s health2014 4 . SNAPSHOT