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Dimension 1: Health

Aboriginal

Outcome

Young South Australians are physically, mentally and emotionally healthy

Indicators

  • Babies are born healthy
  • Children have a healthy early life
  • Children and young people have health-promoting behaviours
  • Children and young people are thriving

What we know from the most recent data…

Babies are born healthy

Birthweight

The percentage of low birthweight Aboriginal babies was 15.5% in SA in 2021 (16.0% in 2017).

Data Source: AIHW analysis of the National Perinatal Data Collection

Pre-term birth

In 2020, 18.4% of babies of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mothers who were born in SA were born pre-term and 15.9% of Indigenous babies who were born in SA were born pre-term.
Nationally, 14% of babies of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mothers were born pre-term and 13.1% of Indigenous babies were born pre-term.

Data Source: AIHW analysis of the National Perinatal Data Collection

Smoking in pregnancy

The percentage of Aboriginal women who smoked in the first 20 weeks of pregnancy was 44.1% in 2020 (50.0% in 2016).

Data Source: Pregnancy Outcomes Unit, SA Health and AIHW analysis of the National Perinatal Data Collection

Age when giving birth

The percentage of Aboriginal mothers under 20 years at the time of giving birth was 10.3% in SA in 2020 (14.7% in 2016).
Nationally, the percentage was 11.2% in 2020 (13.7% in 2016).

Data Source: Pregnancy Outcomes Unit, SA Health and AIHW analysis of the National Perinatal Data Collection

Antenatal visits

In 2020, 64.3% of Aboriginal women attended their first antenatal visit in the first 14 weeks of pregnancy (61.3% in 2016).
Nationally, the percentage was 70.7% in 2020 (62.0% in 2016).

Data Source: Pregnancy Outcomes Unit, SA Health and AIHW analysis of the National Perinatal Data Collection

Children have a healthy early life

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Infant mortality (birth to 12 months)

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  • South Australia’s Infant Mortality (under 1 years old) rate has been decreasing since the start of 2003.
  • SA’s infant mortality rate appears to fluctuate: this is due to the small number of cases (less than 10 cases of infant mortality per annum).
  • In 2023, the SA Infant Mortality Rate was 4.2 per 1,000 live births.
  • NSW have had similar trends to SA since 2003.

Data Source: ABS, Death

Immunisation

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  • Since 2015, SA has been close to the national percentage of fully vaccinated one year olds.
  • In 2023, 89% of one year olds were fully vaccinated in SA and in comparison 90.4% were fully vaccinated nationally.

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  • Since 2015, SA has been close to following closely with the national percentage of fully vaccinated two year olds.
  • In 2023, 87.7% of two year olds were fully vaccinated in SA and in comparison 88.8% were fully vaccinated nationally.

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  • The percentage of five year olds fully vaccinated has been rising since 2009 and South Australia has been aligned with the national percentage.
  • In 2023, 94.7% of five year olds were fully vaccinated in SA and in comparison 95.4% were fully vaccinated nationally.

Data Source: Australian Childhood Immunisation Register

Children and young people have health-promoting behaviours

Underweight, overweight or obese

In 2018-19, the percentage of Aboriginal children and young people (2-17 years) who were overweight/obese in SA was 43.7% (37.9% nationally).

Notes:
– The data reports overweight and obese as one category. These data are subject to a high margin of error due to the small sample size
– The 2018-19 NATSIHS covered approximately 33% of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population in Australia.

Data Source: National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey (NATSIHS)

Children and young people are thriving

Fruit and vegetable consumption

In 2018-19, 64.9% of Aboriginal children and young people (2-17 years) in SA met the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) guidelines for fruit consumption (65.0% nationally).
In 2018-19, 11.9% of Aboriginal children and young people in SA met the NHMRC guidelines for vegetable consumption (6.1% nationally).

Note: The survey margin of error is likely to be substantial, and any potential conclusions should be construed with caution.

Data Source: National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey (NATSIHS)

Self-reported health

The percentage of Aboriginal Year 4 to Year 10 students in government schools in SA considering to be in good or excellent health was 73.5% in 2022 (77.7% in 2019).
• 76.8% of Aboriginal Year 6 students in government schools considered themselves to be in good or excellent health in 2022 (82.1% in 2019).
• 63.8% of Aboriginal Year 10 students in government schools considered themselves to be in good or excellent health in 2022 (61.1% in 2019).

Data Source: Wellbeing and Engagement Collection, South Australia

Aboriginal children and young peopleDimension 1: Health