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

Infant mortality (birth to 12 months)

The mortality rate data for Aboriginal infants under 12 months in SA was 4.7 per 1,000 live births for the three-year period 2017-2019 (4.2 per 1,000 live births for 2014-2016).
However, it must be noted that these data are subject to wide variability in SA so cannot be reliably reported.

Data Source: ABS, Death

Immunisation

The percentage of Aboriginal children fully immunised at one, two and five years in SA were:
• One year was 91.3% in 2022 (90.3% in 2018). Nationally, the proportion was 91.1% in 2022 (92.6% in 2018)
• Two years was 90.1% in 2022 (87.6% in 2018). Nationally, the proportion was 89.1% in 2022 (88.2% in 2018)
• Five years was 96.8% in 2022 (95.8% in 2018). Nationally, the proportion was 96.1% in 2022 (96.7% in 2018).

Note: For the Aboriginal population data estimates, 95.0% means >95.00%

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