About 2.5 per cent of OZ population is formed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. And due to the consequences of European settlement, they continue to suffer disproportionately.

In Indigenous Australians, the life expectancy as compared to others is 10 years lower. Across all age groups the death rates for Indigenous people are twice, and the main cause of death from external causes between 2001 and
2005 was intentional self-harm for Indigenous males.

There is no data available on the incidence and prevalence of mental health disorders among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, but it is clear that in mental health outcomes for Indigenous people there are enormous disparities.

The major causes of low life expectancy were no infrastructure available to maintain well being and health, sheer poverty and disadvantage all pose major challenges to mental health service delivery and the extra-ordinarily high levels of morbidity and mortality.

Experts also stated that due to mental health professional not having much knowledge and understanding of Indigenous Australian history, culture, and society, resulting in frequent misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatment.