Objective: This research seeks to identify climate‐sensitive infectious diseases of concern with a present and future likelihood of increased occurrence in the geographically vulnerable Torres Strait Islands, Australia. The objective is to contribute evidence to the need for adequate climate change responses. Methods: Case data of infectious diseases with proven, potential and speculative climate sensitivity were compiled. Results: Five climate‐sensitive diseases in the Torres Strait and Cape York region were identified as of concern: tuberculosis, dengue, Ross River virus, melioidosis and nontuberculous mycobacterial infection. The region constitutes 0.52% of Queensland's population but has a disproportionately high proportion of the state's cases: 20.4% of melioidosis, 2.4% of tuberculosis and 2.1% of dengue. Conclusions: The Indigenous Torres Strait Islander peoples intend to remain living on their traditional country long‐term, yet climate change brings risks of both direct and indirect human health impacts. Implications for public health: Climate‐sensitive infections pose a disproportionate burden and ongoing risk to Torres Strait Islander peoples. Addressing the causes of climate change is the responsibility of various agencies in parallel with direct action to minimise or prevent infections. All efforts should privilege Torres Strait Islander peoples’ voices to self‐determine response actions.

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Background: The prevalence of dementia is generally reported to be higher among Indigenous peoples. Objective: The rates and coding of dementia mortality were compared between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. Methods: De-identified individual records on causes of death for all people aged 40 years or more who died in Australia between 2006 and 2014 (n = 1,233,084) were used. There were 185,237 records with International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, codes for dementia (Alzheimer’s Disease, vascular dementia, or unspecified dementia) as the underlying cause of death or mentioned elsewhere on the death certificate. Death rates were compared using Poisson regression. Logistic regression was used to assess whether dementia was more likely to be classified as ‘unspecified’ type in Indigenous Australians. Results: The rates of death with dementia were 57% higher in Indigenous Australians, compared to non-Indigenous, relative rate (RR) 1.57, 95% confidence interval (CI) (1.48, 1.66), p <  0.0001. This excess of deaths was highest at ages below 75 (RRs >  2, test for interaction p <  0.0001), and among men (test for interaction p <  0.0001). When the underreporting of Indigenous status on the death certificate was taken into account the relative rate increased to 2.17, 95% CI (2.07, 2.29). Indigenous Australians were also more likely to have their dementia coded as ‘unspecified’ on their death certificate (Odds Ratio 1.92, 95% CI (1.66, 2.21), p <  0.0001), compared to the non-Indigenous group. Conclusion: This epidemiological analysis based on population level mortality data demonstrates the higher dementia-related mortality rate for Indigenous Australians especially at younger ages.

In 2008, the Australian Government committed to working with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples of Australia to achieve equality in health status and life expectancy between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. 1 Yet, for Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, life expectancy is still 10 years less than that of non-Indigenous Australians, with little improvement over the past 25 years. 2 Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are responsible for 75% of this gap, with poor diet among the leading modifiable risk factors. 3,4 Governments are obliged to ensure that a healthy and culturally acceptable diet is accessible for Indigenous peoples. 5 Australia's National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan 2013-2023 6 recognises the importance of improving Indigenous peoples' physical and economic access to healthy foods.

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