The following symbols and abbreviations are used in this publication:
| ABS | Australian Bureau of Statistics |
| ACT | Australian Capital Territory |
| ARIA | Accessibility/Remoteness Index of Australia |
| ASGC | Australian Standard Geographical Classification |
| BMI | body mass index |
| CAI | computer assisted interviewing |
| CD | Collection District |
| CDEP | Community Development Employment Projects |
| CHINS | Community Housing and Infrastructure Needs Survey |
| CIF | Community Information Forms |
| CURF | Confidentialised Unit Record File |
| GP | General Medical Practitioner |
| GSS | General Social Survey |
| Hib | Haemophilus influenzae (type B) |
| ICD-10 | International Classification of Diseases 10th Revision |
| ICF | Indigenous Community Frame |
| NAGATSIHID | National Advisory Group on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Information and Data |
| NATSIHS | National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey |
| NATSISS | National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Survey |
| NDSHS | National Drug Strategy Household Survey |
| NHMRC | National Health and Medical Research Council |
| NHS | National Health Survey |
| NHS(I) | National Health Survey (Indigenous) |
| NSW | New South Wales |
| NT | Northern Territory |
| OHP | Other health professional |
| PAPI | pen-and-paper interview |
| Qld | Queensland |
| RADL | Remote Access Data Laboratory |
| RSE | relative standard error |
| SA | South Australia |
| SE | standard error |
| SF-36 | Medical Outcome Short Form Health Survey |
| Tas. | Tasmania |
| Vic. | Victoria |
| WA | Western Australia |
| WHO | World Health Organization |