No Improvement in Life Expectancy Gap for Indigenous Australians in Two Decades

What has changed, however, are the main causes of death.

The study, conducted by the Department of Health and Community Services in Darwin, found that the contribution to the gap, of deaths due to communicable diseases, maternal, perinatal and nutritional conditions, halved between 1981 and 2000, while deaths due to non-communicable diseases and conditions increased.

"Mortality rates due to infectious diseases, respiratory infections and diseases declined considerably", Health Department senior health economist Dr Yuejen Zhao said.

However, the improvements were offset by large increases in the contribution to the life expectancy gap by deaths of Indigenous women from cardiovascular disease and diabetes, and of Indigenous men from cardiovascular disease, cancer and digestive disease.

"We showed that mortality from diseases or conditions associated with poor living conditions declined in their contribution over time, whereas diseases associated with lifestyle factors increased," Dr Zhao said.

"The reasons for this are manifold, with a mix of social, economic and educational disadvantages resulting in whole-of-life poor nutrition, systematic infections and adverse health behaviours in adulthood, further aggravated by poor access to primary health care services."

"The expansion of effective and sustained primary care programs to address these unmet needs for preventative, early diagnostic measures and prompt intervention is a matter of urgency," the study leader said.

"As gains in life expectancy are made, public health initiatives must remain focused on preventing and managing chronic diseases."

The Medical Journal of Australia is a publication of the Australian Medical Association.