The Health of Young People

Complete the research sheet below by comparing the key morbidity and mortality trends for young people and comparing them to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people. Some key measures you should be looking to include are:

 Morbidity (Indigenous and Non-Indigenous): 

• Leading types of disease burden

• Disability rates

• Hospitilisation rates

• Comparison Snapshot

Mortality (Indigenous and Non-Indigenous): 

• Death Rates

• Avoidable mortality 

• Mortality by remoteness

• Comparison Snapshot

Sample Paragraph

Indigenous youth face many health inequities when compared to Non-Indigenous Australians. This is influenced by a variety of health determinants and is made evident through a range of epidemiological data including morbidities: disability and hospitalisations and mortality rates. 

Morbidity refers to the patterns of illness, disease and injury within a population group. Indigenous youth face 1.5x higher rates of hospitalisations then Non-Indigenous Australians. This is influenced by geographic and sociocultural determinants. Increased hospitalisations suggest a lack of access to preventative technologies, whilst many Indigenous communities have limited access to services, they deem culturally relevant. For example, many Indigenous populations are located in rural and remote areas, thus may have difficulty accessing breast cancer pre-screenings or culturally specific medical care. This is further highlighted through the fact, avoidable hospitalisations are more then twice the rate in Indigenous communities. This has negative implications on long-term health outcomes, as it reinforces health inequities, increases the burden on hospital systems, and contributes to lower life expectancy and poorer quality of life for Indigenous youth.