Introduction: The Australian Aboriginal population experiences significantly poorer health than the non-Aboriginal population. The contribution of environmental risk factors in remote communities to this health disparity is poorly understood.

Objective: To describe and quantify major environmental risk factors and associated health outcomes in remote Aboriginal communities in Western Australia.

Methods: The association between environmental health indicators, community infrastructure and reported health outcomes was analysed using linear and logistic regression of survey data.

Results: Housing/overcrowding was significantly associated with increased reports of hearing/eyesight (OR 3.01 95 % CI 1.58–5.73), skin (OR 2.71 95 % CI 1.31–5.60), gastrointestinal (OR 3.51 95 % CI 1.49–8.26) and flu/colds (OR 2.47 95 % CI 1.27–4.78) as health concerns. Dust was significantly associated with hearing/eyesight (OR 3.16 95 % CI 1.82–5.48), asthma/respiratory (OR 2.48 95 % CI 1.43–4.29) and flu/colds (OR 3.31 95 % CI 1.88–5.86) as health concerns.

Conclusion: Poor environmental health is prevalent in remote Aboriginal communities and requires further delineation to inform environmental health policy.

Item Type:	Refereed Article
Keywords:	environmental health, Aboriginal health, remote
Research Division:	Commerce, Management, Tourism and Services
Research Group:	Human resources and industrial relations
Research Field:	Occupational and workplace health and safety
Objective Division:	Indigenous
Objective Group:	Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health
Objective Field:	Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander determinants of health
UTAS Author:	Melody, SM (Dr Shannon Melody)
UTAS Author:	Bennett, E (Dr Ellen Bennett)
UTAS Author:	Johnston, FH (Professor Fay Johnston)
UTAS Author:	Zosky, GR (Professor Graeme Zosky)
ID Code:	109315
Year Published:	2016
Web of Science® Times Cited:	23
Deposited By:	Medicine
Deposited On:	2016-06-08
Last Modified:	2022-08-29
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