The Health of Young Aborigines - A Report on the health of Aborigines aged 12 to 25 years

Prepared for the National Youth Affairs Research Scheme (NYARS) in 1992 by Maggie Brady

This report is the property of the National Youth Affairs Research Scheme.

Contents of Report

As a result of earlier work undertaken for NYARS, the Youth Bureau determined that an overview of the current health issues affecting young Aborigines between the ages of 12 and 25 should be undertaken, with particular emphasis on the social issues associated with ill health. This was thought to be important because, while there had been considerable research into health problems, little attention had been paid to social causes. A primarily medical approach characterised most existing research, which had been largely based on surveys, producing (in some cases) conventional wisdoms.

The main aim of the research was to provide an overview of the current health issues affecting young Aboriginal people (12-25 years). Its objectives were:

1. to identify and document major health issues affecting young Aboriginal people across various groups;
   
2. to analyse current strategies addressing these issues; and
   
3. to recommend strategies to improve the health of young Aboriginal people.

Special attention was to be paid to the differences between groups of young Aborigines residing in rural, remote and metropolitan areas, and to matters specifically affecting young women and young men.

The study was conducted under the administrative oversight of the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, where the author is a Research Fellow. Warwick Dix (then Principal), Tibor Varga and David Firth (Finance Officers) and the Research Section of the Institute have all been extremely helpful during the period of the research.

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The Health of Young Aborigines – PDF (626kb)