A SURVEY OF CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS ON QUEENSLAND ABORIGINAL SETTLEMENTS, 1967*

Abstract

In this survey of health in Aboriginal children on 12 settlements and missions in Queensland, the reported births and deaths suggest an infant mortality rate six times higher than the Queensland average, with diarrhoeal disease, respiratory infection, and diseases of the neonatal period accounting for 75% of infant deaths.Children in the post‐weaning period showed retardation of growth, anaemia, and frequent respiratory or enteric infection. The prevalence of hookworm infection has, on the evidence of this and other studies, fallen to low levels, but other enteric parasites were common in this age group.Middle‐ear deafness and rheumatic heart disease are major problems of Aboriginal school children. Hepatomegaly of unknown aetiology was found in all the age groups studied.Laboratory studies showed elevated total serum protein and γ‐globulin fractions, elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rates in many asymptomatic children and, in a limited study, a high prevalence of eosinophilia. Marked geographical variation was found in the occurrence of cold agglutinins, and antibody to group A and B arboviruses. Serclogical reactions for treponemal infections indicated a low prevalence in these communities.General improvement in the health of Aboriginal children and adolescents in the last decade has resulted from control of many diseases, but there are still high morbidity and mortality rates in infants and young children.