Statistical Profile. Aboriginal Women and Torres Strait Islander Women

Transcription

1 Statistical Profile Aboriginal Women and Torres Strait Islander Women June 2

2 National Policy Office Policy Paper Series ATSIC s National Policy Office was established in July 2. Policy analysis and advice is one of its key responsibilities and in that vein the Office wishes to encourage wide discussion and to engage as many stakeholders as possible in the debate on Indigenous affairs. To that end the Office established three series of policy-related papers. Discussion Papers These papers are intended to explore the interaction between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the wider community, stimulate debate and influence policy formulation. Emerging Issues The purpose of this series is to publicise emerging policy issues in Indigenous affairs and to provide feedback to the community and agencies on such issues. Occasional Papers This series will report on significant events or issues as well as provide information on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australia The views expressed in these publications are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the ATSIC s official position. For additional copies contact: For further information contact: National Media and Marketing Office Telephone: caroline.cooper@atsic.gov.au National Policy Office Andrew Webster Telephone: (2) Andrew.Webster@atsic.gov.au Abstracts or summaries of all these publications can also be found at the ATSIC website:

3 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women A statistical profile prepared Strategic Planning & Policy Branch, ATSIC, June 2. Population The Estimated Resident Population (ERP) of Indigenous people at 1996 was 386,49, consisting of 195,581 females and 19,468 males. ERP figures are official population figures which, among other things, correct the census count for the people missed. The total Indigenous ERP is 9 higher than the 1996 Census count (ABS 1998a p4). Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have a much younger age profile than other Australians. Half of all Indigenous females were aged under 21 and half of all were aged under 19. For the total population these figures were 35 and 33 years respectively (ABS 1998a p4). ESTIMATED RESIDENT POPULATION, Females Indigenous Total Five year age group starting Note: Proportion of all persons. Source: ABS 1998a p8. ESTIMATED RESIDENT POPULATION, Males Indigenous Total Five year age group starting Note: Proportion of all persons. Source: ABS 1998a p8.

4 Family Results from the 1996 Census show that Indigenous households were more likely to be family households and not lone person households than were non-indigenous households. Nearly half of all three family households were Indigenous households. In addition, lone parent families are twice as common among Indigenous families than other families (Ross 1999 pp14-41). On average, Indigenous households have more residents than non-indigenous households. In family households, most of the additional residents are children with Indigenous family households averaging 1.5 children each, nearly twice the average number of children in all family households (Ross 1999 pp14-41). AVERAGE NUMBER OF RESIDENTS AND VISITORS, Family households 1996 no. 3 Indigenous Total 2 1 Source: Ross 1999 p141. Adults Children Visitors Couple relationships where both partners were Indigenous accounted for just over one-third of Indigenous couple families. Nearly two-thirds of Indigenous couple families consisted of only one Indigenous partner. Similarly, nearly 6 of Indigenous children who lived in couple families had only one Indigenous parent (Ross 1999 pp142-43). Health Mortality Life expectancy at birth for babies born in the period was 62 years for Indigenous females and 57 years for. Non-Indigenous babies, however, had a much higher life expectancy of 81 years for females and 75 years for males. Indigenous female life expectancy is comparable to that for females in Iraq, Western Sahara, Bolivia and Pakistan. Indigenous male life expectancy is comparable to that for males in Lesotho, Western Sahara and Bolivia (ABS & AIHW 1999, p134). In the period, for jurisdictions where data is available, (Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory), two-thirds of deaths among Indigenous females and threequarters of deaths among occurred before the age of 65. In contrast, eight in ten deaths among non-indigenous females and three-quarters of deaths among non- occurred after the age of 65 (ABS & AIHW 1999, p13).

5 Death rates at all age groups for Indigenous females and males are higher than for non-indigenous people. The differences were greatest for those in the years age group with Indigenous death rates 6-8 times higher than those for non-indigenous people (ABS & AIHW p131). RATIO INDIGENOUS TO NON-INDIGENOUS AGE-SPECIFIC DEATH RATES ratio 8 Females Males < >75 Note: Data for South Australia, Western Australia and Northern Territory combined. Source: ABS & AIHW 1999 p132. Births Quite different patterns of births to Indigenous women are apparent for states and territories where data is available, (Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory). In 1997, over 1 in 5 births to women aged 19 and under were to Indigenous women. Birth rates for Indigenous women in the year age groups were 2-3 times higher than for all women (ABS 1998b, Ross & Barnes 1999). AGE-SPECIFIC BIRTH RATES 1997 rate 15 Indigenous mothers All mothers Note: Rate per 1 women. Qld, SA, WA, NT data. Source: Ross & Barnes Babies born to Indigenous mothers are twice as likely to be of low birth weight and twice as likely to die at birth as other babies (ABS & AIHW 1999 pp85, 88). Breastfeeding is an important factor in preventing infections in young children. Results of the 1995 National Health Survey show that Indigenous children in non-remote areas were less likely to have been breastfed than non-indigenous children (ABS & AIHW 1999 p89).

6 Health status In the 1995 National Health Survey, just over one-quarter of Indigenous women and men, in nonremote areas, reported having poor or fair health. Indigenous people were about twice as likely to report poor or fair health than non-indigenous people (ABS 1999 pp4, 15). Hospitalisation Hospital separations include discharge from hospital, transfer to another facility or the death of the patient. In , for both Indigenous females and males the main reasons for hospital separations were injury, respiratory disease, digestive disease and dialysis. In addition, pregnancy and childbirth was a main reason for Indigenous females. At all ages hospital separation rates for Indigenous females and males are higher than for non-indigenous females and males. The differences were smallest among children aged 1-14 (ABS & AIHW 1999 pp111-13). Injury Some data about hospital separations which are the result of injury are available for Injury includes transport accidents, accidental falls, other accidents, self-inflicted injury, suicide and injury purposely inflicted by others. Overall there were about twice as many separations of Indigenous females and males due to injury as expected based on rates for all Australians. Hospital separation rates due to injury were highest for the year old age group, for both females and males. Rates for Indigenous females in this age group were over 4 times as high as those for all females and for were around 2.5 times those for all males (ABS & AIHW 1999 p113). HOSPITAL SEPARATIONS, INJURY, Females(a) rate(b) 8 6 Identified as Indigenous All-Australian 4 2 < Age group (years) (a) Data from public and private hospitals except in the Northern Territory (public hospitals only). (b) Per 1, population. Source: ABS & AIHW 1999 p113.

7 HOSPITAL SEPARATIONS, INJURY, Males(a) rate(b) 8 6 Identified as Indigenous All-Australian 4 2 < Age group (years) (a) Data from public and private hospitals except in the Northern Territory (public hospitals only). (b) Per 1, population. Source: ABS & AIHW 1999 p113. Intentional injury inflicted by others was the most common recorded type of injury for Indigenous people. Separation rates for intentional injury for Indigenous females were nearly 2 times higher and for 7 times higher than expected based on all-australian rates. Almost half of all hospital separations for intentional injury for females were of Indigenous females. However, these figures should be treated with caution as some injuries, such as domestic violence, may be seriously under-reported by both Indigenous and non-indigenous women and some injuries of this type may be classified elsewhere (ABS & AIHW 1999 p114). Violence In 1994, the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Survey asked respondents whether they felt family violence was a common problem in their local area. Overall women in every age group were more likely than men to perceive family violence as a common problem. Both women and men in non-capital city urban areas and rural areas were more likely to feel that family violence was a common problem than people in capital cities (Mukherjee et al 1998). Access to health The 1994 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Survey revealed that only 41 of Indigenous households in rural areas had access to a permanent doctor within 25 kilometres in contrast to around 95 of Indigenous households in urban areas. In rural areas a further 39 of Indigenous households had access to a visiting doctor, leaving 17 of Indigenous households with no access to a doctor within 25 kilometres (ABS 1995). Similarly, 95 of Indigenous households in capital cities had access to a permanent women's health service, compared to 71 in other urban areas and 35 in rural areas. An additional 12 of Indigenous households in other urban areas and 25 in rural areas had a visiting women's health service (ABS 1995).

8 FAMILY VIOLENCE IS A COMMON PROBLEM Indigenous females >45 Age Source: Mukherjee et al 1998 p24. PERMANENT/VISITING HEALTH SERVICES WITHIN 25KM, Indigenous households Capital city Other urban Rural Doctor Nurse Aboriginal Women's health worker health Ante-natal Baby health Mental health Source: ABS 1995 p19. Data from the 1995 National Health Survey show that Indigenous people, in non-remote areas, were far less likely than non-indigenous people to have private health insurance. Rates of private health insurance for non-indigenous women and men were nearly four times higher than for Indigenous women and men. In contrast, the majority of Indigenous people reported having some kind of government health care card. Both Indigenous and non-indigenous women were slightly more likely to have a government health care card than Indigenous or non-indigenous men (ABS 1999 pp13, 44).

9 TYPE OF HEALTH COVER Indigenous females Non-Indigenous females 6 Non- 4 2 Has private health insurance Has government health care card Notes: Persons aged 18 years or more. Persons may have reported having both private health insurance and a health care card. Source: ABS 1999 p44. Risk factors Indigenous people were more than twice as likely to be current smokers than non-indigenous people. This was true for both women and men in every age group. However, Indigenous women were slightly less likely to be current smokers than Indigenous men (ABS 1999 p37). SMOKER STATUS Indigenous females Non-Indigenous females Non- 4 2 Current Former Never Note: Persons aged 18 years or more. Source: ABS 1999 p37. Women, in general, were less likely to report alcohol consumption in the week prior to interview in the 1995 National Health Survey. Both Indigenous women and men were less likely to have consumed alcohol than their non-indigenous counterparts (ABS 1999 p38).

10 WHETHER CONSUMED ALCOHOL Indigenous females Non-Indigenous females Non Consumed Note: Persons aged 18 years or more. Source: ABS 1999 p38. Did not consume However, among those who reported recent alcohol consumption, Indigenous men were far more likely than any other group to drink at a high risk level. High risk drinking was less common for both Indigenous and non-indigenous women (ABS 1999 p38). ALCOHOL RISK LEVEL Indigenous females Non-Indigenous females 8 Non Note: Persons aged 18 years or more who consumed alcohol in the last week. Source: ABS 1999 p38. Low risk Medium risk High risk

11 Education Females, both Indigenous and non-indigenous, are less likely than their male counterparts to have a post-school qualification. Less than 1 of Indigenous women have a post-school qualification, the lowest of any group (ABS 1998c table I8). WHETHER HAS QUALIFICATION Indigenous females All females All males Has qualification No qualification Not stated Note: Persons aged 15 years and over. Source: ABS 1998c table I8. Of those that do have a qualification, the profile of the level of qualification is quite different for women and men, Indigenous and non-indigenous people. Only 4 of qualified Indigenous women had a vocational qualification, most held either a bachelor degree or other undergraduate qualification. In contrast, nearly three-quarters of qualified Indigenous men had a vocational qualification with the remainder largely divided between bachelor degrees and other undergraduate qualifications. The qualifications of non-indigenous women were fairly evenly distributed between bachelor degrees, other undergraduate and vocational qualifications (ABS 1998c table I8). LEVEL OF QUALIFICATION Indigenous females All females 6 All males 4 2 Higher degree Note: Persons with a qualification aged 15 years and over. Source: ABS 1998c table I8. Postgrad. diploma Bachelor degree Other undergraduate Vocational

12 Employment Indigenous women are the least likely of all groups to be in the labour force, with a participation rate of 43. Of those that are in the labour force 2 were unemployed in Indigenous women were less likely to be in CDEP employment with 13 of employed Indigenous women in the scheme compared to 16 of employed Indigenous men (ABS 1998c table I2). LABOUR FORCE INDICATORS Indigenous females All females All males Employment/population ratio Unemployment rate Participation rate Note: Persons aged 15 years and over. Source: ABS 1998c table I2. For those Indigenous people who were employed, the pattern of industries in which they worked was different to non-indigenous people. Just over half of all employed Indigenous women worked in one of three industries - government administration, education and health and community services. The same industries accounted for only around one-third of all female employment (ABS 1998c table I13). INDUSTRY Indigenous females All females All males 2 1 Manufacturing Construction Retail trade Note: Employed persons aged 15 years and over. Source: ABS 1998c table I13. Government administration Education Health & community services

13 Prisoners In December 1999 there were around 3 Indigenous women in prison. This represented an imprisonment rate of 26 prisoners per 1, Indigenous women. Indigenous women comprised almost one-quarter of all adult female prisoners in Australia (ABS, 2). There were many more Indigenous men than women in prison (3,6 adult male prisoners or 3,3 per 1, Indigenous men). Nevertheless, the over-representation of Indigenous women in prison was higher than the overrepresentation of Indigenous men. Indigenous women were 19 times more likely than non- Indigenous women to be imprisoned, while Indigenous men were 15 times more likely than non- Indigenous men to be imprisoned. WOMEN IN PRISON, States and Territories no. 4 Indigenous Non-Indigenous NSW Vic. Qld SA WA Tas. NT ACT Note: Women in adult prisons Source: ABS 2 The pattern of imprisonment of women varied across States and Territories. In Western Australia, where there were 85 Indigenous women prisoners (4 of all adult female prisoners), Indigenous women were 27 times more likely than non Indigenous women to be imprisoned. In the Northern Territory, where there were 12 prisoners (6 of all adult female prisoners), the rate of imprisonment was 9 times higher. Note The data in this paper is taken from published data of the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). Little data has been published separately for Torres Strait Islanders due to concerns about poor data quality in some areas. As a result data in this paper refers to Indigenous women in total.

14 References ABS AIHW Australian Bureau of Statistics Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Australian Bureau of Statistics 1995, National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Survey 1994: Detailed Findings, Cat. no. 419., ABS, Canberra. Australian Bureau of Statistics, 1998a, 1996 Census of Population and Housing: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People, Australia, Cat. no. 234., ABS, Canberra. Australian Bureau of Statistics 1998b, Births, Australia, 1997, Cat. no. 331., ABS, Canberra. Australian Bureau of Statistics 1998c, 1996 Census of Population and Housing: Indigenous Profile, Cat. no. 22., ABS, Canberra. Australian Bureau of Statistics 1999, National Health Survey: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Results, Australia, Cat. no. 486., ABS, Canberra. Australian Bureau of Statistics 2, Corrective Services, Australia, Cat. no , ABS, Canberra. Australian Bureau of Statistics and Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 1999, The Health and Welfare of Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, Cat. no. 474., ABS, Canberra. Mukherjee S, Carcach C, McDonald D and Barnes T, 1998, Occasional Paper: Law and Justice Issues, Indigenous Australians, ABS Cat. No , ABS, Canberra. Ross K, 1999, 'Indigenous families and households in Australia', pp137-51, in Siena Group for Social Statistics, The Siena Group Seminar: Families at the end of the 2th century, volume 1, ABS, Canberra. Ross K and Barnes A, 1999, Painting by numbers: Creating a statistical pciture of Indigenous youth in Australia, Paper presented to the Indigenous Young People's Forum, Sydney, 5-6 August 1999.