Indigenous Life Expectancy

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Life Expectancy of Indigenous peoples
Charlotte Thain

Indigenous Australians and Torres Strait Islanders:
Indigenous Australians have a shorter life expectancy, higher rates of infant mortality, poorer health and lower levels of education and employment than any other ethnic group in Australia

In 2008-2012, the infant mortality rates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children was almost double that for non-Indigenous children (6.2 infant deaths per 1,000 live births, compared with 3.7 per 1,000 live births).

For the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population born in 2010–2012, life expectancy was estimated to be 10.6 years lower than that of the non-Indigenous population for males (69.1 years compared with 79.7) and 9.5 years …show more content…
Mainstream health services often lack cultural sensitivity and are unwelcoming places for many Indigenous peoples. The number of Indigenous health workers (doctors, nurses, etc.) remains disproportionately low in comparison to the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders that make up the Australian population.
Government initiatives often fail to address other root causes. More than 200 years of dispossession, racism and discrimination have left Indigenous Australians with some of the lowest levels of education, highest levels of unemployment, poorest health and worst housing conditions.

In 2011 19.3% of Indigenous people were living below the poverty line, compared with 12.4% of other Australians.
23 per cent of Indigenous Australians lived in overcrowded households in 2012-13. In very remote areas the proportion was 53-63 per cent.
The proportion of Indigenous households living in houses of an acceptable standard (including structural issues and working facilities) was just 78 per cent in …show more content…
Lower life expectancy and the disproportionate disease burden exist perhaps because of poor education, disproportionate poverty, discrimination in the delivery of health services, and cultural differences. These are broad issues rooted in economic adversity and poor social conditions.

American Indians and Alaska Natives born today have a life expectancy that is 4.4 years less than the U.S. all races population (73.7 years to 78.1 years, respectively).

Native Americans also face a disproportional share of certain diseases. American Indians and Alaska Natives continue to die at higher rates than other Americans in many categories, including chronic liver disease and cirrhosis, diabetes, unintentional injuries, assault/homicide, intentional self-harm/suicide, and chronic lower respiratory diseases. Diseases of the heart, malignant neoplasm and diabetes are leading causes of American Indian and Alaska Native deaths (2007-2009).

In 2005, Native Americans recorded 14,037 deaths.Within the United States region, Native American men have been found to be dying at the fastest rate of all people. Currently, the life expectancy of a Native American man is 71 years, six below the expectancy of a white male in the United States. Native American women fare similar
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