Community attitudes and Indigenous health disparities: evidence from Australia's Voice referendum

Abstract

Background: Community attitudes influence health outcomes especially for racially diverse and minority groups exposed to the detrimental effects of racism and discrimination. Using the results from Australia's national referendum to establish an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament (‘the Voice’) as a proxy for attitudes to Indigenous Australians, this study examined health outcomes for Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians according to levels of opposition to the Voice. Methods: The regional share of votes against the Voice was linked to 2021 data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia survey, a large, national probability sample (n∽17,000) of Au..