Children’s health issues:
The infant mortality rate among is three times higher than the national average, or 15.2 deaths per 1,000 births compared to five per 1,000.
Other concerns:
* Circulatory diseases - including heart disease and stroke. The number of deaths caused by conditions such as coronary heart disease is double that of the non-indigenous population.
* Diabetes - The rate of diabetes is six times higher among indigenous people. It is estimated that diabetes affects between 10 to 30 per cent of the Aboriginal population.
* Respiratory system diseases - deaths from chronic disease are three to five times more common. Around half of the diseases are caused by infections. Respiratory infections are 10 times more common in the indigenous population.
* Injuries - sustained in accidents such as car crashes. An indigenous person is three times more likely to die in an accident than a non-indigenous person. The Aboriginal population also has high rates of suicide and homicide.
* Cancer - particularly lung, cervical and liver cancer. According to the South Australian Cancer Registry, the death rate among the indigenous population is higher because the cancers are typically diagnosed at a later stage.
