4727.0.55.002 - Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey: Users' Guide, 2012-13  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 27/11/2013  First Issue
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Contents >> Health Risk Factors

HEALTH RISK FACTORS

A range of genetic, social, economic and environmental factors are recognised as increasing the risk of developing a particular health condition. Specific lifestyle and related factors which have been identified as negatively impacting health include:

  • being overweight or obese
  • smoking, substance use, and excessive alcohol consumption
  • poor diet and nutrition
  • lack of physical activity.

Health risk factor topics included in both the 2012-13 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey (NATSIHS) and National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey (NATSINPAS) were:
  • tobacco smoking
  • physical activity and sedentary behaviour (non-remote 5-17 years and 18 years and over, and remote 5 years and over)
  • dietary behaviours
  • body mass and physical measurements (e.g. height, weight, waist and hip circumference)
  • blood pressure
  • food security.

Health risk factor topics specific to the NATSIHS were:
  • alcohol consumption
  • substance use
  • family stressors
  • contraception
  • immunisation.

Health risk factor topics specific to the NATSINPAS were:
  • household rules and screen-based equipment (2-17 years)
  • physical activity (non-remote 2-4 years)
  • pedometer steps (non-remote)
  • 24-hour dietary recall (Nutrition).

Most of the specific risk factors covered have been addressed in previous ABS Health Surveys, either at national, remoteness or State/Territory levels. Major changes in the coverage of risk factors are summarised in the tables below for comparisons between:
  • the 2012-13 NATSIHS/NATSINPAS (referred to in the table as the AATSIHS) and the 2011-12 National Health Survey (NHS)/National Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey (NNPAS) (referred to in the table as the AHS)
  • the 2012-13 NATSIHS and 2004-05 NATSIHS
MEASUREMENT IN 2012-13 AATSIHS AND 2011-12 AHS

Topic Measurement

Tobacco smoking Similar, with additional questions in AATSIHS added for specific other tobacco products
Alcohol consumption NHS and NATSIHS only - Similar, with additional questions in NATSIHS on binge drinking
Substance useNot collected in AHS
Physical activity (non-remote Adult)NHS and NATSIHS - Directly comparable, although NHS collected for 15 years and over
NNPAS and NATSINPAS - Directly comparable
Physical activity (non-remote 5-17 years)Directly comparable between AATSIHS and NNPAS. NHS did not collect for this age group. NNPAS and NATSINPAS comparable for household rules and screen-based equipment
Physical activity (non-remote 2-4 years)Directly comparable between NNPAS and NATSINPAS. Not collected in NHS and NATSIHS
Physical activity (remote 5 years and over)Not comparable to AHS
Dietary behaviours (Consumption of milk, fruit, vegetables and salt) Similar, with some questions removed and differences in milk and salt collection between surveys
Food securityDirectly comparable between NNPAS and AATSIHS. Not collected in NHS
Height, weight, waist, hip circumference and BMI Directly comparable, but AHS did not collect hip measurements
Blood pressure Directly comparable
Family stressorsSimilar between NHS and NATSIHS, although NATSIHS has additional response categories. Not collected in NNPAS and NATSINPAS
ContraceptionNot collected in AHS
ImmunisationNot collected in AHS


MEASUREMENT IN 2012-13 NATSIHS AND 2004-05 NATSIHS

Topic Measurement

Tobacco smoking Similar, with additional questions in 2012-13 added for specific other tobacco products
Alcohol consumption Similar, with additional questions in 2012-13 on binge drinking
Substance useSimilar, only collected for non-remote in 2004-05
Physical activity2004-05 NATSIHS collected for persons 15 years and over only in non-remote and remote areas. Some comparability to 2012-13 NATSIHS non-remote adult topic, although different reference periods with last week for 2012-13, last two weeks for 2004-05.
Dietary behaviours (Consumption of milk, fruit, vegetables and salt) Similar, with more detailed milk and salt questions in 2012-13
Food securityNot comparable
Height, weight, waist, hip circumference and BMI Not comparable, height and waist measurements were primarily self-reported in 2004-05. Hip and waist not collected in 2004-05
Blood pressure Not collected in 2004-05
Family stressorsSimilar, although 2012-13 has additional response categories
ContraceptionSimilar, only female data collected in 2004-05
ImmunisationAdult data comparable. Additional questions in 2004-05


Where appropriate to the survey vehicle and consistent with the data requirements of users, similar methodologies were employed in the 2012-13 NATSIHS and NATSINPAS to those used in the 2011-12 AHS and previous NATSIHS or National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Survey (NATSISS) surveys to enhance comparability and enable use of the data for analysing changes over time. More detailed information regarding comparability to the 2011-12 AHS and previous surveys (2004-05 NATSIHS and 2008 NATSISS) is contained in the individual topic descriptions which follow.




This section contains the following subsection :
      Tobacco smoking
      Alcohol
      Substance use
      Physical activity and sedentary behaviour
      Pedometer Steps
      Dietary behaviours
      Food security
      Body mass and physical measures
      Blood pressure
      Family stressors
      Contraception
      Immunisation

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