Tier 1—Human function—1.13 Community Functioning

Why is it important?:

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have long sought health outcomes encompassing the physical, social, cultural and emotional elements of life. This includes the ability to live proudly and freely as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Functioning is about the things people achieve or experience, consistent with their account of wellbeing. The conversion of capabilities into functioning is influenced by the values and personal features of individuals, families and communities and by the environment in which they live. Hence it is likely that different cultures will give greater or lesser priority to different aspects of functioning (Office of Aboriginal Health et al. 2004).

To develop a picture of family and community functioning from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' perspectives, workshops drawing together participants from across Australia were held in 2008 and 2010. Participants at the workshops described the various elements of family and community life essential for high levels of functioning. The workshops identified a number of key themes and weighted these functionings according to their relative value. In 2010 there were six themes identified by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participants and these have been used to analyse and present available data.

Participants were drawn from a number of jurisdictions and settings so the themes they identified appear to reflect widely held views among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Independently of these workshops a review of relevant research has supported the association between the functionings identified by the workshops and the achievement of health and wellbeing.Top of page

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have sought, and continue to seek, a quality of life where racism ceases to be a barrier. Racism in any of its institutional, interpersonal and internalised settings can deter people from achieving their full capabilities (Ziersch et al. 2011).

Findings:

Outlined below is a description of each of the six themes and the key findings for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, using data from the 2008 NATSISS:

Connectedness to country, land, and history; culture and identity

• Being connected to country, land, family and spirit
• Strong and positive social networks with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
• Strong sense of identity and being part of a collective
• Sharing; giving and receiving; trust; love; looking out for others

Data from the 2008 NATSISS show:

• 72% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples aged 15 years and over recognised their homelands.
• 62% identified with a clan or language group, up from 54% in 2002.
• 89% 'feel able to have a say with family and friends' some, most or all or the time. This is associated with excellent or very good self-assessed health status and low to moderate levels of psychological distress.
• 94% had contact with family or friends outside the household at least once per week.
• 75% had friends to confide in.
• 51% provided support to relatives outside the household.
• 63% had attended a cultural event in the last 12 months.

Resilience

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• Coping with the internal and external world
• Power to control options and choices
• Ability to proceed in public without shame
• Optimising what you have
• Challenge injustice and racism, stand up when required
• Cope well with difference, flexibility, accommodating
• Ability to walk in two worlds
• Engaged in decision-making
• External social contacts

Data from the 2008 NATSISS show:

• 69% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples aged 15 years and over reported that they did not avoid situations due to past discrimination.
• 80% agreed that their doctor could be trusted and 69% agreed that the local school could be trusted.
• 89% felt they were able to find general support from outside the household.
• 56% had provided support to someone outside their household in the last four weeks.
• 89% had participated in sport, social or community activities in the three months prior to the survey.
• 54% in non-remote areas knew someone in an organisation they would feel comfortable contacting.
• 44% of employed people said work allowed them to fulfil cultural responsibilities.

Leadership

• Strong elders in family and community, both male and female
• Role models, both male and female
• Strong direction, vision
• The 'rock', someone who has time to listen and advise

Data from the 2008 NATSISS show:

• 42% of children aged 3–14 years had spent time with an Indigenous leader or Elder in the last week. In remote areas this increased to 63%.

Additional data items which describe values of leadership would be useful in future social surveys.
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Having a role, structure and routine

• Having a role for self: participation, contributing through paid and unpaid roles
• Capabilities and skills derived through social structures and experience through non-formal education
• Knowing boundaries and acceptable behaviours
• Sense of place—knowing your place in family and society
• Being valued and acknowledged
• Disciplined

Data from the 2008 NATSISS show:

• 78% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples had lived in only one dwelling in the last 12 months. This was associated with low to moderate levels of psychological distress and being employed.
• 73% were in households that had not experienced cash flow problems in the last 12 months.
• 86% were in households in which there had been no days without money for basic living expenses in the last two weeks.
• Most children aged 0–14 years (94%) had participated in informal learning activities with their main carer.

Feeling safe

• Lack of physical and lateral violence
• Safe places
• Emotional security
• Cultural competency
• Relationships that can sustain disagreement

Data from the 2008 NATSISS show:

• 75% had not experienced physical and/or threatened violence in the last 12 months.
• 80% felt safe at home alone after dark. This was associated with excellent or very good self-assessed health and low to moderate levels of psychological distress.
• In the five years prior to the survey, 97% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples had not been incarcerated (91% had never been incarcerated in their lifetime).

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Vitality

The final theme, Vitality, covers community infrastructure, access to services, education, health, income and employment.

Data from the 2008 NATSISS show:

• half of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples aged 15 years and over had no disability or long-term health condition.
• 68% of those aged 15 years and over had experienced low/moderate levels of psychological distress in the four weeks before the survey.
• 76% of children aged 0–14 years did not have problems sleeping.
• 74% of children aged 4–14 years spent at least 60 minutes every day being physically active.
• 74% of people aged 15 years and over said they can easily get to places as needed. This was associated with feeling able to have a say with family and friends in the community and providing support to relatives.
• Many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were seeking to improve their knowledge, skills and qualifications, with 41% of those aged 15 years and over (who were not currently studying) intending to study in the future.
• Education was the main purpose of Internet use for children (54%), while 30% of those aged 5 years and over reported using the Internet for education or study.

Implications:

Community functioning for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples should be assessed within a framework that reflects their own values. Community functioning scores present a national quantitative measure of functioning and suggest differences between remoteness, sex, age groups, and states and territories. Policy makers need to listen carefully to the voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples when assessing community functioning and the approaches that will enhance functioningTop of page

Figure 51—Community functioning score by remoteness, proportions, Indigenous Australians aged 0-14 years, 2008

Figure 52—Community functioning score by remoteness, proportions, Indigenous Australians aged 15 years and over, 2008

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Table 13—Selected variables contributing to community functioning among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, 2008 and 2002

Connectedness to family land and history, culture, identity

Community functioning theme and associated variables	2008 Number	2008(a) %	2002(a) %
Recognises homelands	234,383	72	70
Speaks an Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander language	62,629	19	21
Attended Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural event in last 12 months	205,674	63	68
Identifies with clan group or language group	203,106	62	54
Feels able to have a say with family and friends some, most or all of the time	292,375	89
Feels able to have a say within community on important issues some, most and all of the time	157,312	48
Contact with family or friends outside household at least once per week	307,515	94
Has friends can confide in	246,649	75
Able to get support in time of crisis from outside household—from family member	261,506	80
Provides support to relatives outside household	166,892	51

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Resilience

Community functioning theme and associated variables	2008 Number	2008(a) %	2002(a) %
Did not feel discriminated against in last 12 months	237,812	73
Did not avoid situations due to past discrimination	225,507	69
Can visit homelands	146,017	45	46
Involvement with Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander organisation	59,516	18	26
Work allows for cultural responsibilities to be met (employed persons)	75,028	44	22
Household member(s) used strategies to meet basic living expenses in last 12 months	119,147	36	49
No community problems reported	84,327	26	25
Community problems reported, but less than three types	73,788	23	29
Theft not reported as a neighbourhood/community problem	192,535	59	57
Alcohol not reported as a neighbourhood/community problem	192,138	59	67
Illegal drugs not reported as a neighbourhood/community problem	208,039	64	68
Family violence not reported as a neighbourhood/community problem	245,938	75	79
Assault not reported as a neighbourhood/community problem	253,009	77	80
Sexual assault not reported as a neighbourhood/community problem	288,926	88	92
Total persons who reported a community problem	232,592	71	74
Agrees that most people can be trusted	118,975	36
Agrees that their doctor can be trusted	260,777	80
Agrees that the hospital can be trusted	204,189	62
Agrees that police in the local area can be trusted	170,317	52
Agrees that police outside the local area can be trusted	133,362	41
Agrees that the local school can be trusted	224,734	69
Knows someone in organisation that is comfortable contacting (non-remote areas)	132,011	54
Felt able to find general support from outside the household	291,459	89
Provided support to someone outside household in last 4 weeks	184,537	56
Participated in sport/social/community activities in last 3 months	289,381	89
Recreational or cultural group	46,263	14
Community or special interest group activities	42,274	13
Church or religious activities	49,393	15	24
Watched Indigenous TV	177,695	54
Listened to Indigenous radio	85,682	26

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Leadership

Community functioning theme and associated variables	2008 Number	2008(a) %	2002(a) %
Child spent time with an Indigenous leader or elder in last week (3-14 years)	65,035	42
Encouragement from elders and council would help child to complete Year 12 (2-14 years)	7,504	5
Encouragement from elders and council would help child in secondary school to complete Year 12 (15-19 years)	3,251	5
Structure and routine/having a role
Can communicate with English speakers without difficulty (Indigenous language is main language spoken at home)	27,179	72
Has lived in only one dwelling for the past year or longer	255,157	78	69
Child involved in informal learning activities with carer in last week (0-14 years)	180,736	94

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Feeling Safe

Community functioning theme and associated variables	2008 Number	2008(a) %	2002(a) %
Felt safe at home alone during the day	305,892	94
Felt safe at home alone after dark	261,414	80
Felt safe walking alone in local area after dark	172,047	53
Not a victim of physical or threatened violence in the last 12 months	246,372	75	76
Indigenous culture taught at school	87,833	53
Was taught Indigenous culture at school or as part of further studies	148,592	45
Learnt about own Indigenous clan/language	55,947	17
Child neither bullied nor treated unfairly at school because Indigenous	112,159	81
Not incarcerated in the last 5 years	316,033	97	93
Never incarcerated	297,030	91

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Vitality

Community functioning theme and associated variables	2008 Number	2008(a) %	2002(a) %
Self-assessed health status excellent or very good	143,004	44	44
Has no disability or long-term health condition	164,157	50	64
Does not have an education restriction due to disability (15-64 years)	143,701	46
Does not have an employment restriction due to disability (15-64 years)	126,681	41
Low/ moderate level of psychological distress (5-11 K5 score)	221,717	68
Employed (persons aged 15-64 years in the labour force)	167,416	54
Year 12 highest year of school completed (excluding secondary school students)	66,220	22	18
Has a non-school qualification (25-64 years)	83,257	40	32
Living in a dwelling that has no major structural problems (all ages)	370,606	71	60
Household members used telephone(s) in last month	317,203	97
Used computer in last 12 months	218,006	67	56
Used Internet in last 12 months	192,852	59	41
Has access to motor vehicles whenever needed	215,689	66	55
Can easily get to places needed	241,481	74	70
Equivalised gross household income is within the 3rd quintile or above (persons in households with all income reported)	74,628	29	25
Total persons aged 15 years and over	327,101	100

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