3. The Health of Indigenous Young Adults in Australia.

If we take a look at the most recent population pyramids comparing Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal populations in Australia we see some really important differences.

Population pyramids are one way to look at the health and mortality of people in different age groups. If the ‘pyramid’ tapers in at different age groups it suggests higher mortality. If the pyramid has more vertical sides then than means low mortality. In ‘developed countries the population pyramids tend to be a bit barrel-shaped, with lower birthrates at the base, healthy adult years and then the pyramid tapers off at older ages.

The blue diagram on the left represents the Aboriginal population. Here, there are high birth rates, few deaths in younger children and then a strong drop-off in population for Aboriginal people from age 14-44. This doesn’t happen for the non-Aboriginal community, shown in the orange pyramid on the right. In the non-Indigenous population very few people die in early adulthood and this shows as nearly vertical sides in the age pyramid. Smaller increases in some age groups can be influenced by migration rates and changes in birth rates across the years.

The diagram highlights the many premature and largely preventable deaths happening for Aboriginal young people and young adults, people who should be in their prime.

This recent pyramid for Aboriginal people in Australia in 2021 still has a profile very similar to those of some of the poorest countries in the world, (although it does not show the same decline in the first 10 years of life commonly seen in poorer developing countries.)

In remote communities life expectancy for Aboriginal people is still about 12 years lower than the Australian average, many deaths being preventable deaths in younger people. 

In urban areas, the life expectancy gap remains about 8 years lower.

The age range, from 14-44 is also the time for peak justice involvement. 

Focusing a lot more attention on the health of Aboriginal young people is an absolute priority for health services. Young people and young adults remain highly vulnerable, with deaths not so much from chronic disease, but from mental health problems, accidents, injuries and substance misuse. The impacts of justice involvement is a critical consideration for reducing morbidity and mortality for this population.

https://www.aihw.gov.au/suicide-self-harm-monitoring/population-groups/justice

https://www.indigenoushpf.gov.au/getattachment/79e5f9c5-f5b9-4a1f-8df6-187f267f6817/hpf_summary-report-aug-2024.pdf