Commentary: Closing the health gap for Indigenous Australians--will better counting mean better services and investment in the social production of health?

Abstract

[Extract] Australia enjoys one of the highest life expectancies and one of the best health care systems in the world. Yet the persistence of huge social, economic, educational and health gaps between the first Australians and the rest belies claims to inclusive social policy and universal access to health care. Where other OECD countries appear to have narrowed their Indigenous health gap over past decades, Australia seems uniquely unable to achieve this, and still reports a 17-year difference in life expectancy.