Eye health measures for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people 2024: interactive data

The number and proportion of First Nation people who had a First Nations-specific health assessment: Measure 2.1.1

All First Nations people, regardless of age, are eligible for a First Nations-specific health assessment which should include an eye health check.

This measure includes in-person health assessments (Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) item 715 or 228), and assessments provided via videoconference or teleconference (MBS item 92004, 92011, 92016, 92023). Note that MBS items 92016 and 92023 were removed from the MBS as of 1 July 2021. 

Latest data

In 2022–23, just over one-quarter (246,707 or 27%) of First Nations people had a health assessment. This included over 2,500 health assessments provided via videoconference or teleconference (Figure 13).

Figure 13: Annual health assessments, 2021–22 and 2022–23

Notes

1. 'MBS health assessment' includes MBS items 715 and 228.
2. Includes telehealth assessments (items 92004, 92011, 92016 and 92023).
3. Counts have been adjusted to avoid double counting patients across age groupings, geographical classifications and assessment types.
4. Data reported by date of service.

Source: AIHW analysis of Medical Benefits Schedule data.

By remoteness

In 2022–23, the proportion of First Nations people who had a health assessment was highest in Outer regional and Remote areas (35% and 29%, respectively); it was 27% in Inner regional areas and around 25% in Major cities and 23% in Very Remote areas (Figure 14 – remoteness).

By jurisdiction

In 2022–23, the proportion of First Nations people who had a health assessment was highest in Queensland (34%) and the Northern Territory (28%), (Figure 14 – jurisdiction).

By age and sex

In 2022–23, the number and proportion of First Nations males aged 0–14 who had a health assessment was slightly higher than the number and proportion of females of the same age – 38,188 (26%) and 34,092 (24%), respectively. For all other age groups, health assessments for First Nations females outnumbered those for First Nations males (Figure 14 – population groups). 

By Primary Health Network

In 2022–23, the Primary Health Networks (PHN) with the highest proportion of First Nations people who had a health assessment were Northern Queensland (38%) and Darling Downs and West Moreton (37%) (Figure 14 – geography).

Time trend

The age-specific proportion of First Nations people who had a health assessment was between 10% and 14% in 2011–12 for age groups 44 years and under, it increased to between 22% and 28% for age groups 44 years and under in 2022–23. The proportion of First Nations people in all age groups aged 45 and over who had a health assessment rose from between 17% and 23% in 2011–12 to between 33% and 43% in 2022–23 (Figure 14 – time trend). 

Figure 14: Annual health assessments: interactive data