The Overview of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health status 2021 (the Overview) aims to provide a comprehensive outline of the most recent indicators of the health and current health status of Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The initial sections of the Overview set out information about the context of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, social determinants, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population and measures of population health status including births, mortality and hospitalisation.

The remaining sections consist of selected health conditions and risk/protective factors that contribute to the overall health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. These sections include an introduction and provide evidence of the extent of the condition or risk/protective factor and burden of disease. Information is provided for states and territories, Indigenous regions and remoteness, and for demographics such as sex and age, when the information is available and appropriate.

The Overview is a key element of the Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet’s commitment to authentic and engaged knowledge development and exchange. The HealthInfoNet actively participates in discussions and seeks advice on data sovereignty and governance in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health. In this Overview, the HealthInfoNet continues to strive to develop its capacity to accurately and authentically represent the data and statistics that impact on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities. 

The 2021 Overview presents the impact of COVID-19 among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities, including background information, the extent, and programs that address vaccination rates and messaging in the population.

The Overview is a resource relevant for the health workforce, students and others requiring access to up-to-date information about the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.