These researchers describe their systematic synthesis of population data reporting the health and wellbeing of Indigenous adolescents (aged 10–24 years) in Australia. They first defined a reporting framework around three key domains: health outcomes (mortality and morbidity relating to disease and injury); health risks (risk factors for adverse outcomes in adolescence, adulthood, or the next generation); and sociocultural determinants of adolescent health and wellbeing. A national advisory group (6 Indigenous young people, 3 Indigenous adult community members, 3 researchers, 3 policy makers, and 2 service providers, all aged ≥16 years) provided input about the reporting framework, interpretation of findings, and policy recommendations. Available data (primary data from national surveys and administrative datasets, and available published data) were available for 184 (79%) of 234 elements of the defined reporting framework. According to the evidence, the health profile of Indigenous Australian adolescents differs markedly from that of non-Indigenous adolescents, with high rates of communicable, nutritional and reproductive diseases, noncommunicable diseases, and excess intentional and unintentional injuries. Almost a third of Indigenous adolescents aged 18–24 years reported high levels of psychological distress (twice the non-Indigenous rate). The researchers conclude that the early onset of health risks, high adolescent birth rates, and heavy disease burden suggest that without a priority focus on adolescents, Australia will not redress Indigenous health inequalities.
