FINANCIAL STRESS
Definition
The Financial Stress indicator used in the 2012-13 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey (NATSIHS) looks at the ability of a household to meet urgent financial commitments. This is determined through a question that asks whether people thought their household had access to, or the ability to raise, $2,000 within a week for something important. The inability to access funds in an emergency is considered a form of financial exclusion.
Population
Information was collected for the household in the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey (NATSIHS).
Methodology
A responsible adult (ARA) within each household was asked if all of a sudden, they or their household had to get $2,000 for something important, could the money be obtained within a week. An example could be to pay unexpected bills. The households may get the money from any source e.g. they may draw on their savings, or they may get a loan from a financial institution or family. Responses could be yes, no or don’t know.
Respondents were then asked whether the household had any days without money for basic household expenses (food, clothing, bills) in the last 12 months. Those answering yes were then asked if they had any days in the last 2 weeks that they were unable to pay for these expenses.
Data Items
The data items and related output categories for this topic will be available in Excel spreadsheet format from the Downloads page of this product.
Interpretation
Points to be considered in interpreting data for this topic include the following:
- 'something important' was left for the respondent to interpret.
- the respondent may get the money from a number of sources such as family or a financial institution.
- the reason for raising the money was left open to interpretation, with the object being to determine whether people thought their household had access to, or the ability to raise, these resources within a week for something important.
Comparability with 2004-05 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey (NATSIHS)
Data for common items are considered comparable between the 2004-05 NATSIHS and the 2012-13 NATSIHS.
Comparability with 2008 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Survey (NATSISS)
Data for common items are considered comparable between the 2008 NATSISS and 2012-13 NATSIHS.
Comparability with 2011-12 National Health Survey (NHS)
Data for common items are considered comparable between the 2008 NATSISS and the 2012-13 NATSIHS. It should be noted, that the ability to raise $2000 in an emergency was the only financial stress item output in the 2011-12 NHS.
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