Health services use

Measures

• Number of hospitalisations (excluding dialysis)


• Age-standardised rate (per 1,000) of hospitalisations (excluding dialysis).


• Crude rate (per 1,000) of hospitalisations (excluding dialysis) among First Nations people.

Available by

• Sex: males, females, persons.


• Indigenous status: First Nations, non-Indigenous.


• Year: 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20, 2020-21, 2021-22.


• Remoteness Area: Major Cities of Australia, Inner Regional Australia, Outer Regional Australia, Remote Australia, Very Remote Australia

Data period

2017-18 to 2021-22

Data sources

• National Hospital Morbidity Database (NHMD).


• ABS Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population estimates and projections (series B) based on the 2016 Census (series B).

Region types

• Main structures: Australia, states and territories, Statistical Area Level 4 (SA4), Statistical Area Level 3 (SA3).


• Indigenous structures: Indigenous Regions (IREG).

Suppression

• Data have been suppressed to protect confidentiality when the number of hospitalisation episodes is less than 5, including the use of consequential suppression to prevent back-calculation.


• Data have been suppressed due to concerns about data volatility
  
  
  
  • for crude rates when the denominator is less than 100.
  
  
  • for age-standardised rates when the total number of hospitalisations across all ages is less than 20 or when the denominator in any age group is less than 30.
  
  
  
  

Notes

• Data were annual totals, based on usual residence of the patient – not on location of the hospital.


• Except for the Australian Capital Territory, data at the SA4 level were aggregated from Statistical Areas Level 2 (SA2s) by truncating the digits of the SA2 codes. For the Australian Capital Territory, the state and SA4 data were identical as they pertained to the same geographic boundary.


• Except for the Australian Capital Territory and Tasmania, data at the IREG level were aggregated from SA2s by using ABS Indigenous population-weighted geographic correspondences. For the Australian Capital Territory and Tasmania, the state and IREG data were identical as they pertained to the same geographic boundaries.


• For the denominator in the rates, First Nations population estimates were modelled by the AIHW using ABS population estimates and projections (series B) based on the 2016 Census. Population estimates for non-Indigenous Australians were derived by subtracting First Nations population estimates from the total Australian estimated resident population.


• Age-standardised rates were calculated using five-year age groups up to 75+ and the 2001 Australian standard population.


• Age-standardised rates were presented at the national and state levels when comparing the First Nations and non-Indigenous Australian populations, given the differences in the age structure between the two populations.


• Crude rates were presented at the IREG, SA4 and SA3 levels for the First Nations population only.


• Hospitalisations with the care types “newborn with unqualified days only” (7.3), “organ procurement - posthumous” (9) or “hospital boarder” (10) were excluded from the analysis.


• Hospitalisations where Indigenous status was not stated (code 9) were excluded from the analysis.


• Hospitalisations where the first five digits of SA2 codes were 10702 or 12402 were excluded from the analysis.


• Hospitalisations with a principal diagnosis of dialysis (ICD-10 code Z49) were excluded from the analysis.

Measures

• Number of potentially preventable hospitalisations.


• Proportion of all hospitalisations potentially preventable.


• Age-standardised rate (per 1,000) of potentially preventable hospitalisations.


• Crude rate (per 1,000) of potentially preventable hospitalisations among the First Nations people.

Available by

• Sex: males, females, persons.


• Indigenous status: First Nations, non-Indigenous.


• Remoteness Area: Major Cities of Australia, Inner Regional Australia, Outer Regional Australia, Remote Australia, Very Remote Australia

Data period

2017–18 to 2021–22

Data sources

• National Hospital Morbidity Database (NHMD).


• ABS population estimates and projections (series B) based on the 2016 Census.

Region types

• Main structures: Australia, states and territories, Statistical Area Level 4 (SA4).


• Indigenous structures: Indigenous Regions (IREG).

Suppression

• Data have been suppressed to protect confidentiality when the number of hospitalisation episodes is less than 5, including the use of consequential suppression to prevent back-calculation.


• Data have been suppressed due to concerns about data volatility
  
  
  
  • for proportions when the denominator is less than 100.
  
  
  • for crude rates when the denominator is less than 100.
  
  
  • for age-standardised rates when the total number of hospitalisations across all ages is less than 20 or when the denominator in any age group is less than 30.
  
  
  
  

Notes

• Data were five financial years combined, based on usual residence of the patient – not on location of the hospital.


• Potentially preventable hospitalisations (PPHs) were hospitalisations considered to have been avoidable if timely and adequate non-hospital care had been provided, either to prevent the condition occurring, or to prevent the hospitalisation for the condition. PPHs were classified using nationally agreed definitions (AIHW 2022. National Healthcare Agreement: PI 18–Selected Potentially Preventable Hospitalisations, 2022. <https://meteor.aihw.gov.au/content/740851>).


• Except for the Australian Capital Territory, data at the SA4 level were aggregated from Statistical Areas Level 2 (SA2s) by truncating the digits of the SA2 codes. For the Australian Capital Territory, the state and SA4 data were identical as they pertained to the same geographic boundary.


• Except for the Australian Capital Territory and Tasmania, data at the IREG level were aggregated from SA2s by using ABS Indigenous population-weighted geographic correspondences. For the Australian Capital Territory and Tasmania, the state and IREG data were identical as they pertained to the same geographic boundaries.


• For the denominator of the rates, First Nations population estimates were modelled by the AIHW using ABS population estimates and projections (series B) based on the 2016 Census. Population estimates for non-Indigenous Australians were derived by subtracting First Nations population estimates from the total Australian estimated resident population.


• Age-standardised rates were calculated using five-year age groups up to 75+ and the 2001 Australian standard population.


• Age-standardised rates were presented at the national and state levels when comparing the First Nations and non-Indigenous Australian populations, given the differences in the age structure between the two populations.


• Crude rates were presented at the IREG, SA4 and SA3 levels for the First Nations population only.


• Hospitalisations with the care types “newborn with unqualified days only” (7.3), “organ procurement - posthumous” (9) or “hospital boarder” (10) were excluded from the analysis.


• Hospitalisations where Indigenous status was not stated (code 9) were excluded from the analysis.


• Hospitalisations where the first five digits of SA2 codes were 10702 or 12402 were excluded from the analysis.

Measures

• Number of First Nations people (aged 15–64) with a health-related occupation.


• Proportion (%) of First Nations people (aged 15–64) with a health-related occupation.

Available by

• Sex: males, females, persons.


• Age group: 15–24, 25–34, 35–44, 45–54, 55–64, all ages.

Data period

Census night (10 August) 2021

Data source

Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Census of Population and Housing (Census) (ABS 2022).

Region types

• Main structure: Australia, states and territories, Statistical Area Level 4 (SA4).


• Indigenous structure: Indigenous Regions (IREG).

Suppression

• Data have been suppressed if the denominator for the percentage was less than 100, due to concerns about the reliability of percentages based on small denominators.


• Data have been suppressed if language spoken at home was not stated for >50% of the relevant population, due to relatively high exposure to potential bias.


• Data have been flagged as interpret with caution if language spoken at home was not stated for 25%–50% of the relevant population, due to relatively high exposure to potential bias.

Notes

• Denominator for the percentages excludes people whose occupation was not stated.


• Data have been randomly adjusted by the ABS to protect confidentiality. No reliance should be placed on small numbers.


• Health related occupations includes; nurses and midwives, nursing support and personal care workers, First Nations health worked, social workers, counsellors, dental and allied workforce, medical practitioners, occupational and environmental health professionals, ambulance officers and paramedics, psychologists, medical imaging professionals, pharmacists.

Measure

Number of First Nations people employed in Australia working in registered health professionals, by selected profession.

Selected profession categories

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practitioners


• Nurses and midwives


• Medical practitioners


• Total registered health professionals.

Data period

Census night (10 August) 2021

Data source

Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Census of Population and Housing (Census) (ABS 2022).

Region types

• Main structure: Australia, states and territories, Statistical Area Level 4 (SA4).


• Indigenous structure: Indigenous Regions (IREG).

Suppression

• Data have been suppressed if the denominator for the percentage was less than 100, due to concerns about the reliability of percentages based on small denominators.


• Data have been suppressed if occupation was not stated for >50% of the relevant population, due to relatively high exposure to potential bias.


• Data have been flagged as interpret with caution if occupation was not stated for 25%–50% of the relevant population, due to relatively high exposure to potential bias.

Notes

• Indigenous status based on those who identify as Indigenous and were Australian born. This excludes people who identified as Indigenous but were born overseas.


• Cells with less than 4 practitioners were rounded to 0 or 3 for confidentiality.

Measures

• Number of patients who received a health check for First Nations people.


• Proportion of the First Nations population who received a health check for First Nations people.

Available by

• Sex: males, females, persons.


• Year: 2018–19, 2019–20, 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23.

Data periods

2018-19 to 2022–23

Data sources

• Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS), via the Department of Health and Aged Care’s enterprise data warehouse (EDW).


• First Nations population estimates were modelled by the AIHW using ABS population estimates and projections (series b) based on the 2016 Census.

Suppression

• Data have been suppressed to protect confidentiality when the number of patients is less than 6, including the use of consequential suppression to prevent back-calculation.


• Proportions have been suppressed when the denominator is less than 100 due to concerns about data volatility.

Region types

• Main structures: Australia, states and territories, Statistical Area Level 4 (SA4).


• Indigenous structures: Indigenous Regions (IREG).

Notes

• Health checks for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (First Nations) people.


• The MBS items for the health checks were: 715, 228, 92004, 92011, 92016, 92023. They were intended for people of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander origin, so all recipients were assumed to be First Nations people.


• The minimum time allowed between health checks is 9 months. People may receive more than one health check in a financial year. The analysis counted patients only once each year.


• To calculate proportions, population data were aligned with 30 June, that is, the end of the financial year. Demographic and geographic information of the patient was also aligned with or close to the end of financial year, using age as of 30 June and mailing address (postcode) for the patient’s last health check in a financial year to derive area of residence.


• Geographic information for each patient was based on their Medicare enrolment postcode. These postcodes may not always reflect where patients live – particularly for those using PO boxes.


• MBS data were reported by date of service. Only MBS services processed on or before 31 March 2024 were included in the analysis.

Measures

• Number of patients who received a health check for First Nations people.


• Proportion of the First Nations population who received a health check for First Nations people (2020–21 only).

Available by

Year: 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24

Data periods

2020–21 to 2023–24

Data sources

• Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS), via the Department of Health and Aged Care’s enterprise data warehouse (EDW).


• ABS population estimates based on the 2021 Census.

Suppression

• Data have been suppressed to protect confidentiality when the number of patients is less than 6, including the use of consequential suppression to prevent back-calculation


• Data have been suppressed where correspondence from postcode (2021 Postal Area) was graded as 'poor' by the ABS.


• Proportions have been suppressed when the denominator is less than 100 due to concerns about data volatility.

Region types

Non-ABS structures: Local Government Areas (LGA).

Data availability at the LGA level:

Notes

• Health checks for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (First Nations) people.


• The MBS items for the health checks were: 715, 228, 92004, 92011, 92016, 92023. They were intended for people of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander origin, so all recipients were assumed to be First Nations people.


• The minimum time allowed between health checks is 9 months. People may receive more than one health check in a financial year. The analysis counted patients only once each year.


• To calculate proportions, population data were aligned with 30 June, that is, the end of the financial year. Demographic and geographic information of the patient was also aligned with or close to the end of financial year, using age as of 30 June and mailing address (postcode) for the patient’s last health check in a financial year to derive area of residence.


• Geographic information for each patient was based on their Medicare enrolment postcode. These postcodes may not always reflect where patients live – particularly for those using PO boxes.


• MBS data were reported by date of service. Only MBS services processed on or before 31 October 2024 were included in the analysis.

Measure

Proportion (%) of First Nations women receiving screening for breast cancer.

Available by

Age group: 40–49, 50–59, 60–69, 70–74, 75 and over.

Data period(s)

2019–2020

Data source(s)

Breast Screen Australia.

Region types

Main structure: Australia, states and territories.

Notes

• Proportions are based on the number of women screened as a percentage of the eligible female population, calculated as the average of the 2019 and 2020 ABS resident population projections based on 2016 Census.


• Data from Indigenous Health Performance Framework website – Measure 3.04 Early detection and early treatment .


• For further information on BreastScreen services, please see Access to BreastScreen Australia screening services and BreastScreen Australia monitoring report 2023.