Mind the gap on indigenous health

Importantly, school-based programs must include culturally relevant material and be presented in a way that is culturally sensitive and appropriate. These should be available and easily accessible in schools with a high Indigenous youth population. This will increase Indigenous children's knowledge and understanding of mental health issues.

In-school programs such as the Aussie Optimism program, created to strengthen social and emotional skills and reduce the effects of risk factors, have been found to be effective in youth populations. Developing these prevention and intervention programs and increasing their availability can increase the number of Indigenous and non-Indigenous youths with positive SEWB and help build strong and healthy generations of young people for years to come.

Closing the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth suicide rates requires a strong and long-term commitment from the entire nation: governmental organisations; local community services; and individuals themselves.

Yet without adequate funding or allocation of resources, the ability to fuel people's desire to make and see changes within a generation will be limited.

Indigenous people must take the lead in addressing youth suicide and develop appropriate and culturally sensitive prevention and intervention programs, in order to adequately target the underlying issues involved in poor SEWB.

Mind the Gap on Indigenous Health
By Billi McCarthy-Price

There remains a 10-year gap in life expectancy between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in Australia.

Around 12 per cent of this difference has been attributed to mental health conditions, with four per cent to suicide and six per cent to alcohol and substance abuse.

Australians must start paying attention. What's more, they must be made more aware of the phenomenally high rates of Indigenous youth suicide that contribute to this gap.

Male Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth aged 15-19 are more than four times more likely to attempt suicide than non-Indigenous males. Meanwhile, female Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth are almost six times more likely to attempt suicide than non-Indigenous females.

To put this in real terms, between 2000 and 2010 there were 106 young Indigenous men and 43 young Indigenous women who committed suicide.

That's 149 kids.