18 years

Crude rates are calculated for Indigenous Australians.

Age-standardised rates are calculated for Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.

95% confidence intervals (CI) and relative standard errors are calculated for crude and age-standardised rates.

Rate ratios and rate differences are calculated for comparisons between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians (using age-standardised rates).

Presentation: percentage, rate per 100 persons, rate ratios, rate differences, relative standard errors and 95% CIs.

Crude rate: 100 x (Numerator ÷ Denominator).

Age-standardised rate: calculated using the direct method, with the Australian standard population as at 30 June 2001 as the standard. Ten-year age groups are used up to 55 and over to be consistent with estimates published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). For this indicator, the age groups used are: 18–24; 25–34; 35–44; 45–54; 55 and over.

Rate ratio: Indigenous age-standardised rate divided by non-Indigenous age-standardised rate.

Rate difference: Indigenous age-standardised rate minus non-Indigenous age-standardised rate.

People aged 18 and over assessed as having engaged in risky or high risk alcohol consumption.

Total populations (Indigenous and non-Indigenous) aged 18 and over.

National, state/territory, remoteness area: by alcohol risk level for Indigenous Australians (crude rates).

National, state/territory, remoteness area: by alcohol risk level, by Indigenous status (age-standardised rates).

There are no new data available for this cycle of reporting.

Most recent data available are for the 2012–13 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey (NATSIHS) component of the AATSIHS for Indigenous data and the 2011–12 National Health Survey (NHS) component of the AHS for non-Indigenous data.

Risky and high risk alcohol consumption based on estimated average daily consumption.

This indicator meets two Council of Australian Governments (COAG) specific outcome areas: Indigenous people remain healthy and free of preventable disease, and alcohol and other drug abuse among Indigenous people is overcome.

At this stage, data are available for persons aged 15 and over only. Data from the AATSIHS are available for very remote areas. The AHS does not cover very remote areas.

Baseline year for the COAG National Indigenous Reform Agreement target (Close the life expectancy gap within a generation) is 2006 using the 3-year average of 2005–2007; baseline for this indicator is the financial year 2004–05; target year is 2031.

Risky or high risk alcohol consumption is measured by the concept of ‘Lifetime risk of alcohol harm’ which is currently based on the 2009 National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) guidelines. According to these guidelines, the consumption of 2 or more standard drinks on any day increases the lifetime risk of harm for both men and women. This has been operationalised as: for both males and females, an average of more than 2 standard drinks per day in the last week.

Data for risky/high risk alcohol consumption based on the 2009 NHMRC Guidelines are not comparable with data based on the 2001 NHMRC Guidelines.

The term ‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’ is preferred when referring to the separate Indigenous peoples of Australia. However, the term ‘Indigenous’ is used interchangeably with ‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander’ in this indicator set to assist readability.

N[N].N

National Indigenous Reform Agreement.

Australian Bureau of Statistics

NHMRC (National Health and Medical Research Council) 2001. Australian alcohol guidelines: health risks and benefits. Canberra: NHMRC.

NHMRC 2009. Australian guidelines to reduce health risks from drinking alcohol. Canberra: NHMRC.