Why is there an Indigenous health crisis in Australia?
The following is extracted from ANTaR’s Indigenous Health Rights Action Kit (2004), which is based on research by the Australian Medical Association, the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the United Nations Human Development Report, as well as other sources (see reference below). Long-term global research by the United Nations World Health Organisation shows that living circumstances and quality of life are the fundamentals of health and life expectancy for all people, regardless of their culture or location. The UN research found that the likelihood of serious ill health and short life escalates in direct relation to social and economic disadvantage. Disadvantages include few assets, low income, little education, insecure employment, poor housing, and parenting under difficult conditions. Also people who feel excluded from mainstream society are likely to have poorer health. The poor health status of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people come from these same social and economic
