The 1994 NATSIS yielded information on self-reported recent illness and long-term health conditions. This has been summarised by the ABS (1996) and provided the basis for establishing a morbidity profile in Deeble et al. (1998). While the distinction between recent and long-term conditions was also sought in the 1995 NHS, it is considered that a combination of these conditions provides the most useful information from the NHS, given the somewhat artificial distinction between them, certainly in the minds of many respondents (ABS 1999: 5).

The majority of Indigenous and non-Indigenous males and females in every age group reported at least one recent or long-term condition in the 1995 NHS. Overall, more than three-quarters of Indigenous people (76%) reported a recent or long-term condition, although this was lower than the proportion of non-Indigenous people (86%). However, since the proportion of people reporting such conditions increases with age, true comparison requires age adjustment. This reveals that the reported levels of illness were equivalent among Indigenous and non-Indigenous respondents, although cross-cultural comparison of self-reported conditions is problematic.

As in the NATSIS, diseases of the respiratory system were the most commonly reported types of condition by Indigenous people (37% of reported cases) but, unlike in the NATSIS, a much greater incidence of diseases of the nervous system was reported (34 per cent of cases). These were also the two most commonly reported disease categories for the rest of the population. Typical respiratory conditions included asthma, sinusitis, bronchitis, emphysema and influenza, with little variation in prevalence observed across age groups. As for diseases of the nervous system, these referred mostly to eye and hearing problems, which both increased markedly with age.

Among specific conditions, asthma was more commonly reported for Indigenous people than for non-Indigenous people in every age group, and was particularly prevalent among children and youth below the age of 25 years. More striking was that the reporting of diabetes was seven to eight times higher for Indigenous people between the ages of 25 and 55 years. Overall, diseases of the circulatory system were reported by 15 per cent of Indigenous people. While this was less than for the non-Indigenous population (21%), hypertension was notably higher among Indigenous people, especially in young adult to middle age groups (25–55 years) where reported levels were three times higher than for the rest of the population.

Contrary to what might be expected from morbidity statistics and continuing high levels of mortality, almost three-quarters (73%) of NHS Indigenous respondents reported their health status as ‘good’, ‘very good’ or ‘excellent’. However, this was notably lower than the proportion of non-Indigenous respondents (83%). It is also the case that Indigenous males and females were far more likely than their non-Indigenous counterparts to report their health as ‘poor’ or ‘fair’ at all age groups, especially over the age of 25 years. Even though objective statistics might suggest greater difference between Indigenous and non-Indigenous self-assessed health status, the fact that some difference is evident is in itself significant, given that self-assessments may be affected by individual awareness and expectations about health, and factors such as differential access to health care and health information.