Australian Aboriginal mortality and coronary heart disease : a demographic inquiry

Abstract

This thesis has attempted to evaluate whether Australian Aboriginal mortality patterns are different from those exhibited by indigenous groups in other countries or by the general Australian population; and whether the high rate of coronary heart disease among Australian Aborigines is attributable to the underlying prevalence of specific lifestyle (risk) factors. At a macro-level, I have compared contemporary mortality patterns of and risk factor prevalence levels among Australian Aborigines and other indigenous groups. At a micro-level, I have made the same comparisons between Aborigines living in western New South Wales (especially those in Bourke) and other Australians. This study has made four important points regarding these issues. The first point is that although Australian Aborigines and other indigenous groups have similar patterns of high adult mortality, the relative importance of some more notable causes of death is strikingly different. The second point is that Aborigines have much higher total and age-specific death rates than other Australians, especially during adulthood and most notably from circulatory system diseases. The third point is that, compared with the general Australian population, Bourke Aborigines have much higher risk factor prevalence levels for a number of coronary heart disease risk factors. The fourth and final point is that Bourke Aboriginal risk factor prevalence levels tend to vary quite considerably by several demographic, environmental, and social-cultural conditions (risk markers) — more specifically, by age, location, employment status, and pay period. Overall, these findings suggest that the mortality pattern of Australian Aborigines is experienced by no other population; and that lifestyle factors, which are influenced by often uncontrollable conditions, can at least partially account for the observed high rate of coronary heart disease. Show more