Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Identification

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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Identification

There are still gaps in health status and life expectancy. To know if these gaps are closing, and to know if we are providing services in the right way, we need to know if people are of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander origin. We also need to know so we can provide culturally capable healthcare to our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients, clients, their families and communities.

You cannot rely on a person’s appearance; the only way to know is to ask every patient.

How do I ask?

The exact wording to be used is: "Are you of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander origin?"

For a person who is unable to answer, the question is: "Is (name) of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander origin?"

Resources:

E-Learning Identification Module for health professionals. Click here.

Video: Are you of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander origin? Brochures and Posters: A series of brochures and posters are available for printing. 

To request print ready versions of print resources, please contact: cultural_pp@health.qld.gov.au

Please click on the images to access the resources:

Are you of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander origin 

Are you of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander origin - for public Is your baby of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander origin?Question Poster AquaQuestion Poster Orange

How can I further contribute to improving Identification?

A guide for improving the identification of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in health care in Queensland aims to assist health services to run a quality improvement project or process to improve the accuracy of identification of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the health system.

External Link: National best practice guidelines for collecting Indigenous status in health data sets

The Queensland Health Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Capability Team members acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we live and work to deliver services across Queensland and pay our respects to our Elders past and present.

Last updated: 1 May 2012