Surgical deaths: Life expectancy gap in NT still no closer

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LETTER TO THE EDITOR
 
Sir – A twelve-year gap in life expectancy still exists between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, according to a recent study comparing surgical deaths in the Northern Territory.
 
The results give an insight into the physical disadvantages and difficulties that still exist within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
 
No deficiencies of surgical care were identified as contributing to this gap, despite the purpose of the study being to analyse in-hospital surgical deaths between 2010 and 2013.
 
The more likely contributing factor was a greater burden of disease amongst Aboriginal people, particularly diabetes, renal and liver disease.
 
When adjusted for age and gender, Aboriginal people were almost four times more likely to have serious cofactors at death.
 
Dr John Treacy
Northern Territory Medical School of Flinders University

1 COMMENT

  1. Ho Hum. Nothing has changed although I did read that maternal and infant deaths had dropped slightly during the last few years.

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