2.1: Strategic Change Indicators of Social Inclusion

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2.1 Strategic Change Indicators of Social Inclusion

In 2007, the Australian Government adopted a new approach to tackling social disadvantage and social inclusion. The Government’s policy vision is a society in which all Australians feel valued and are able to participate fully by learning, working, engaging in their community and having a voice in decisions that affect them.

Since 2011, Australian Government departments are held accountable for their progress on social inclusion through reporting on strategic change indicators of social inclusion relevant to their portfolio in their annual reports. Strategic change indicators are short-term progress measures of potential progress in relevant areas of government policy and service delivery.

The Department reports against seven strategic change indicators on health risk factors for social inclusion and the outputs of government health and ageing programs designed to improve inclusion outcomes.

The indicators are reported by socio-economic status using Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA) and remoteness, subject to data availability. Not all data for the social change indicators can be expressed in the same categories.

Indicators

Mortality Rate

Mortality rate is a summary measure of the overall health status of a population. Improvements rely not just on access to health services but on a range of factors including living conditions, and economic and social circumstances. This indicator will measure progress towards the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) target to close the life expectancy gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians within a generation.

Source: AIHW analysis of ABS Mortality Database (unpublished). Data reported are for the jurisdictions with adequate levels of Indigenous identification (NSW, Qld, WA, SA, and NT combined).

1. SEIFA and remoteness data not available.

Child Mortality Rate

The child (0-4 years) mortality rate is an important indicator of the health of pregnant women, newborns and children. Halving the gap in mortality rates for Indigenous children under five within a decade (that is, by 2018) is one of the COAG targets to reduce disadvantage among Indigenous Australians. Indigenous child mortality rates are currently within the range required to meet the target.

Source: AIHW analysis of ABS Mortality Database (unpublished). Data reported are for the jurisdictions with adequate levels of Indigenous identification (NSW, Qld, WA, SA and NT combined).

1. SEIFA and remoteness data not available.

Obesity

Obesity is a major risk factor for multiple chronic diseases which in turn are major causes of disability. There is a clear socio-economic gradient in obesity and its causes are exacerbated by social disadvantage and remoteness.

Source: CRC 2010/ABS (unpublished) National Health Survey, 2007-08.

1. See source publication for notes.
2. Data are for adults and children.
3. Data for very remote not available.
4. No new data available..

Smoking

Smoking is a major risk factor for multiple chronic diseases and is thus a major cause of disability. There is a clear socio-economic gradient in smoking and, as for obesity above, its causes are exacerbated by social advantage and remoteness.

Source: CRC 2010/ABS (unpublished) National Health Survey, 2007-08.

1. See source publication for notes.
2. Data are for adults and are age standardised.
3. Data for very remote is unavailable.
4. No new data available.

People Deferring Recommended Treatment

Deferring recommended treatment increases the chances that a medical condition will deteriorate. Social disadvantage contributes to treatment deferral, particularly in relation to purchasing medications.

Source: CRC 2012 /ABS (unpublished) Patient Experience Survey 2010-11.

1. See source publication for notes.
2. Data are for persons aged 15 years and over, and age standardised to the 2001 Estimated Resident Population.
3. Data are not available for Indigenous Australians.
4. Very remote data were not collected in the 2010-11 Patient Experience Survey.

Potentially Preventable Hospitalisations

Preventable hospitalisations can indicate that illness and treatment are poorly controlled and therefore more likely to impact on a person’s ability to participate in work and social life. Social disadvantage and remoteness are strongly associated with avoidable hospitalisations.

Source: CRC 2012/AIHW (unpublished) National Hospital Morbidity Database; ABS (unpublished) Estimated Resident Population, 30 June 2009; ABS (2009) Experimental Estimates and Projections, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, 1991 to 2021, 30 June 2009, Series B, Cat no. 3238.0.

1. See source publication for notes.

Treatment Rates for Mental Illness

Increasing numbers of people receiving treatment for mental illness may indicate improved access to services and better targeted services, or higher rates of mental illness. However, the Government’s 2011-12 Budget initiatives, which span five years, aim to build the capacity of the mental health care system so that Australians with, or at risk of, mental illness receive treatment. Improving mental health contributes towards engaging socially and participating in work.

Treatment rates for mental illness (Commonwealth funded Medicare services) 2009-10

Source: CRC 2012/State and Territory (unpublished) community mental health care data; Private Mental Health Alliance (unpublished) Centralised Data Management Service data; Department of Health and Ageing (unpublished) MBS Statistics; Department of Veterans’ Affairs (unpublished) data; ABS (unpublished) Estimate Resident Population, 30 June 2009.

1. See source publication for notes.

References

Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (2010), A Stronger, Fairer Australia: National Statement on Social Inclusion, accessed 20 July 2012, www.socialinclusion.gov.au/sites/www.socialinclusion.gov.au/files/publications/pdf/brochure_stronger_fairer_australia.pdf

COAG Reform Council (2012), Healthcare 2010–11: Comparing performance across Australia,
Statistical supplement, COAG Reform Council, Sydney, accessed 20 July 2012, www.coagreformcouncil.gov.au/reports/docs/healthcare_10-11/Healthcare_2010-11-statistical_supplement.pdf

COAG Reform Council (2010) National Healthcare Agreement: Baseline performance report for 2008-90, Volume 2 Performance data, COAG Reform Council, Sydney, accessed 20 July 2012,
www.coagreformcouncil.gov.au/reports/docs/healthcare_agreement_report_2008-09_vol2_sec1.pdf

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