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Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander Community Insights
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Adults

25–49 years

Wellbeing

For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, good health is more than just the absence of disease or illness; it is a holistic concept. This section outlines some of the positive and negative factors that impact on the wellbeing of Indigenous Australians aged 25–49.

Culture

65% (157,600) of Indigenous Australians aged 25–49 identified with a tribal group, language group or clan in 2018–19.

Rate of identification with a cultural group was higher in remote areas (87% or 43,100) than in non-remote areas (60% or 114,600) (Figure AD 2).

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In 2018–19, among Indigenous Australians aged 25–49:

  • 75% (or 181,900) recognised homelands or traditional country.
  • Those living in remote areas (90% or 45,400) were more likely to recognise homelands or traditional country than those living in non-remote areas (71% or 136,500) (Figure AD 3).
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Language

At the time of the 2016 Census, 12% (22,660) of Indigenous Australians aged 25–49 spoke an Indigenous language at home.

Rates of Indigenous Australians aged 25–49 speaking an Indigenous language at home were highest among those living in remote areas (52% or 19,370) and in the Northern Territory (69% or 12,679) (Figure AD 4).

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In 2014–15, among Indigenous Australians aged 25–49, 21% (42,700) spoke an Indigenous language, 22% (45,600) understood an Indigenous language and 8% (16,400) were learning an Indigenous language (Figure AD 5).

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Psychological distress

In 2018–19, a majority of Indigenous Australians aged 25–49 (68% or 163,200) had experienced low (the lowest category) or moderate levels of psychological distress in the last 4 weeks.

Indigenous females (35% or 44,100) were more likely to have experienced high or very high (the highest category) levels of psychological distress than males (28% or 31,600) (Figure AD 6).

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Stressors

In 2014–15, 72% (149,800) of Indigenous Australians aged 25–49 had experienced personal stressors in the last 12 months.

The most common stressors experienced were death of a family member (30% or 62,400), not being able to get a job (19% or 38,200), mental illness (12% or 24,900), serious illness (12% or 23,800) and alcohol related problems (8% or 16,800) (Figure AD 7).

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Unfair treatment and racism

In 2018–19, among Indigenous Australians aged 25–49:

  • 25% (57,800) had experienced unfair treatment in the last 12 months because they were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander.
  • Those living in Major cities (27% or 24,300) were more likely to have experienced unfair treatment compared to those living in Very remote areas (19% or 5,800) (Figure AD 8).
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