Cultural competency in the delivery of health services for Indigenous people

Cultural competency in the delivery of health services for Indigenous people

Health workforce Indigenous health

This issues paper from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare examines the available evidence on cultural competence in international and local literature. It defines cultural competency; reports on available evidence; identifies approaches and strategies that are effective in improving cultural competency among health services staff, examines the relationship between cultural competency and health outcomes, and documents an evidence-informed conceptual framework. 

Download the report here.          

Indigenous health and welfare APP

Indigenous health and welfare APP

Apps Indigenous health Statistics

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare has released a new APP - Indigenous Health and Welfare Statistics.  At this stage it is only available on the Apple platform, and you can search for it in the App store under Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. 

The App is mainly based on the AIHW report, The Health and welfare of Australias Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples 2015 but includes some information from other reports.  The APP includes topics such as population, education, employment, health, housing, life expectancy and determinants of health.  It features a favourites page and a detailed glossary. 

Health and welfare of Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

Health and welfare of Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

Indigenous health

The health and welfare of Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples 2015 is the eighth in a series of reports that provide a comprehensive statistical picture of a range of topics considered important for improving the health and wellbeing of Indigenous people. The report presents up-to-date statistics, as well as trend information. It examines differences between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, as well as differences by factors such as age, sex and, in particular remoteness. 

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Cat. no. IHW 147.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health organisations

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health organisations

Indigenous health Public Health

The Australian Institute of Health & Welfare has released Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health organisations: online services report - key results 2013-14, providing an overview of 269 Australian Government-funded organisations that aim to improve the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, including the health services and activities provided by these organisations, staffing levels and client numbers, as well as health service gaps and challenges faced by the communities they serve.

In 2013-14, 62% of these organisations were Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations, 14% were other non-government organisations and 24% were government-run organisations.  76% provided primary health-care services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and they employed 7,108 full-time equivalent staff with 53% being Indigenous.

61% of all organisations reported a service delivery gap in their communities for mental health and social and emotional health and wellbeing. 

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Organisations report

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Organisations report

Alcohol Drug addiction Indigenous health Primary Health

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare has released a new report today titled Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health organisations: Online Services Report - key results 2013-14.

The report includes details on:

• 203 organisations provided primary health-care services to around 419,000 clients through 4.6 million client contacts
• 189 counsellors provided social and emotional wellbeing or Link Up counselling services to around 16,600 clients through 88,200 client contacts
• 56 organisations provided substance-use rehabilitation and treatment services to around 43,000 clients through 371,000 episodes of care.    

Download the full report for free online. 

Fatal burden of disease in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people 2010

Fatal burden of disease in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people 2010

Death Indigenous health Statistics

This is the second report in the Australian Burden of Disease Study series. It provides estimates of fatal burden for 2010 for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population as well as estimates of the gap in fatal burden between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.

Injuries and cardiovascular diseases contributed the most fatal burden for Indigenous Australians (22% and 21% respectively), followed by cancer (17%). Subsequent reports in this series will provide estimates of the non-fatal burden and the contribution of various risk factors to disease burden in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population.

Indigenous Health Reports

Indigenous Health Reports

Health outcomes Indigenous health

A number of reports have been published by 'Closing the Gap Clearinghouse', a clearinghouse for research and evaluation evidence on what works to overcome Indigenous disadvantage.
These include:

What works? A review of actions addressing the social and economic determinants of Indigenous health

Improving the accessibility of health services in urban and regional settings for Indigenous people

Housing strategies that improve Indigenous health outcomes

Click here to download these and other related reports.