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🇦🇺 Australia /Health & Science

Aboriginal community-controlled healthcare improving life expectancy in the NT

From ABC Australia · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Aboriginal community-controlled health services in Australia's Northern Territory are improving life expectancy for Indigenous people.
  • A study found that Central Australian Aboriginal Congress services have helped reduce preventable Indigenous deaths and narrow the life expectancy gap.
  • While progress has been made, further work is needed to address social determinants of health like housing.

Eileen Hoosan, a resident of Alice Springs town camp, credits her local Aboriginal community-controlled health service for managing her diabetes and preventing it from becoming a chronic condition. Hoosan, who worked for the Central Australian Aboriginal Congress when it was founded 50 years ago, believes the service's Aboriginal control makes it more effective for local people.

I'm being treated for diabetes but I'm a borderline diabetic, thanks to the services I get from Congress.

— Eileen HoosanAlice Springs town camp resident crediting her local health service.

"I think it's because it's Aboriginal health in Aboriginal hands, it's our organisation, and they're there to support our health needs," Hoosan said. She emphasized the importance of taking health services directly to the community, highlighting it as a key function of Congress.

I think it's because it's Aboriginal health in Aboriginal hands, it's our organisation, and they're there to support our health needs.

— Eileen HoosanExplaining why she believes the Aboriginal-controlled health service is effective.

A new study by the Menzies School of Health Research indicates that Congress's services have significantly contributed to reducing preventable Indigenous deaths in Central Australia over the past five decades. Acting chief executive John Boffa stated that life expectancy for Aboriginal men has risen from 47 to 65 years, and for women, from the mid-50s to 70 years since Congress began. The gap in life expectancy has narrowed by nine years for men and four years for women since 2000.

And going out, taking health services to people is important, it's one of the good jobs that Congress do.

— Eileen HoosanHighlighting the outreach services provided by Congress.

Boffa attributes these improvements to increased primary healthcare funding channeled through Aboriginal community-controlled health services, enhanced hospital investment, and restrictions on alcohol and sniffable petrol. The study found that culturally safe and effective healthcare encourages people to seek help early for chronic disease management. However, Boffa acknowledged that more effort is required to improve social determinants of health, such as housing, to further close the life expectancy gap, which remains the largest in Australia's Northern Territory.

So, Aboriginal men, when Congress started, life expectancy was 47 years, it's now 65, and women are living to 70.

— John BoffaActing chief executive of Congress, detailing life expectancy improvements.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Australia. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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