Aboriginal health
under microscope

The largest survey into Indigenous health by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has officially begun.
   The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey is part of the Australian Health Survey 2011-13 and aims to improve knowledge of the health issues affecting Indigenous Australians.
   It is expected to expand on the 2004-05 survey by increasing the number of participants by 30 per cent and collecting new information on exercise, diet (including bush foods) and measures of cholesterol, blood glucose and iron.
Survey to be the biggest
   The ABS said for the first time it would directly measure obesity and blood pressure levels as well as nutritional status and chronic disease.
   “By combining the self-reported information together with the biomedical samples, a more complete picture of the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples will be available,” the ABS said.
   “Importantly this will give us some information about the level of undiagnosed conditions, such as diabetes.
   “While the biomedical component of the survey is voluntary, our survey champion Cathy Freeman encourages people to get involved as ‘you will be helping your family, your community, and future generations to live longer healthier lives’.”
   It said the survey would be held across the country in cities and remote communities to measure progress in improving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander.
   The first survey results are expected to be released in September.
   More information is available from this PS News link.
Edition 344, 15 January 2013
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