Key things to know:

Sudan
There is great diversity and change within communities and people do not fit into a pre-determined
and unchanging cultural box or stereotype. The information presented here will not apply to all
people from Sudan† in Australia and this profile should be considered as guidance only. For example,
while the 2011 Census provides useful and reliable data on a large number of characteristics, the
dynamic nature of the communities means that important demographic changes may have occurred
since 2011.
Key things to know:
 There are important differences
between communities from Sudan
and South Sudan, which became
independent from Sudan in 2011
after years of civil war.‡
 The most common language
spoken in Sudan is Sudanese
Arabic. Sudanese Arabic is different
to standard Arabic. Dinka is more
commonly spoken in South Sudan.
 It is very important to provide an
interpreter when needed, and to
make sure the interpreter speaks
the right language. People who
speak Sudanese Arabic may not be
able to communicate with a
standard Arabic interpreter.
 The most common religion in
Sudan is Islam. Christianity and
indigenous beliefs are more
common in South Sudan.
 Most Sudanese asylum seekers and
refugees in Australia identify as
South Sudanese, but people from
Sudan may also have a history of
trauma and displacement.i
 People from Sudan may be
unfamiliar with the Australian
health system.
 Sudan-born people may wish to
take traditional medicines to help
them recover from some illnesses.
 Make sure patients feel
comfortable to ask questions
about their treatment if needed.
 People from Sudan, especially
women, may prefer to be seen by
health staff of the same gender.
 Cost of services or treatments may
be a concern for Sudan-born
people. Make sure patients know
about out-of-pocket costs up front.
For an interpreter, call 131 450 for the Translating and
Interpreting Service (TIS).
If you don’t know your TIS client code, contact the Multicultural Health Policy Unit
by phone on (02) 6205 1011 or email at multiculturalhealth@act.gov.au.
†
i
Excludes people born in South Sudan (3,486 people in Australia in 2011), although country of birth figures as
completed by individuals at the time of the 2011 Census may not fully reflect Sudanese or South Sudanese
†
affiliations, given South Sudan’s independence in the same year.
‡ More information about South Sudan can be found in the ACT Health Community Profile – South Sudan.
Sudan
2011 Census data: Sudan-born people
Population (Australia):
19,369 peopleii
Population (ACT):
364 peopleii
Gender ratio (Australia):
103.2 males per 100 femalesiii
Median age (Australia):
The median age of Sudan-born people was 28 years compared with 45
years for all overseas-born peopleiii and 37 years for the total Australian
population.iv
Age distribution of Sudan-born people (ACT,
2011):iii
Age (years)
Number
Per cent
0-19
73
20
20-39
197
54
40-59
79
22
60+
13
4
Sudan -born arrivals, past five yearsv
Year
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
Australia
868
643
598
347
523
ACT
16
18
21
8
5
Migration history
Sudan’s first civil war began shortly after
independence from joint British-Egyptian
administration in 1956 and continued until 1972.
A second civil war broke out in 1983 and
continued until 2005.vi,vii
Sudan also experienced major famines largely as
a result of extended periods of drought in the
1980s and 1990s.viii War and famine combined
are estimated to have caused almost two million
deaths and four million displaced people.ix
Large numbers of Sudan-born refugees have fled
to neighbouring countries, and many were
resettled in Australia. Before 2001, Sudan-born
people arriving in Australia were mainly skilled
migrants. By 2001, when the Census recorded
4,910 Sudan-born people in Australia, more than
98 per cent had arrived under the Humanitarian
Program.
Arrivals to Australia peaked between 2002 and
2007. South Sudan gained independence from
Sudan on 9 July 2011.x
Ethnicity
The concept of ethnicity in Sudan is complex and
is often based on cultural affiliations. There are
many different ethnic and tribal groups in
Sudan.xi
While the population of Sudan predominately
descends from both indigenous African groups
and Arabs, today (post-South Sudanese
independence) Arab culture predominates.xii
Language
Arabic and English are the official languages of
Sudan, and most people speak Arabic. Sudanese
Arabic is a distinct dialect to other forms of
Arabic. Other languages, such as Nubian, Ta
Bedawie and Fur, are also spoken.xiii,xiv
Religion
The vast majority of Sudanese people are Sunni
Muslim (97%), with a small proportion of
Christians.xv
Ancestry, language and religion
in the ACT (2011 Census data)ii
Please note: 2011 Census data is reported by
country of birth, but this may not reflect
community affiliations given the recent
establishment of South Sudan. For example,
Sudan-born people who are Christian and/or
speak Dinka at home may identify as South
Sudanese, although their country of birth (at the
time of their birth) was Sudan and is reported as
such.
Sudan
The most common ancestry responses§ of
Sudan-born people in the ACT were:
Ancestry
Sudanese
African, so described
South Sudanese
Arab, not further defined
Peoples of the Sudan, nfd
Percentage of
population
51
11
7
5
5
An additional 71 people in the ACT, who were
not born in Sudan, identified Sudanese ancestry;
and an additional 23 people identified ancestry
as peoples of the Sudan (nfd/nec).
The most common languages spoken at home by
Sudan-born people in the ACT were:
Language
Percentage of
population
Arabic
49
Dinka*
33
English
7
African languages, nfd
2
African languages, nec
2
*There may be significant differences in accent
and vocabulary among Dinka speakers.
Sudan-born people in the ACT spoke English at
the following levels of proficiency:
Proficiency
Very well
Well
Not well
Not at all
Not stated/not applicable
Percentage of
population
39
33
15
1
12
The most common religions of Sudan-born
people in the ACT were:
Religion
Anglican Church of Australia
Islam
Western Catholic
Coptic Orthodox Church
Presbyterian
§
Percentage of
population
34
28
14
5
4
Communication and respect
If an Arabic interpreter is needed for a Sudanese
Australian person, a Sudanese Arabic interpreter
should usually be arranged. The Sudanese Arabic
dialect is distinct and the person may not
understand an interpreter using another Arabic
dialect.xvi
There may be a reluctance of Muslim men and
women from Sudan to shake hands with
members of the opposite gender outside their
family. Sudanese women often prefer to be
treated by female health care providers.xvii
Members of the same family may appear to have
different surnames in Australia as a result of the
recording of names during immigration. In
Sudan, family names are silent and, as a result,
many Sudanese Australians will have their
middle name recorded as their surname on
official documents.xviii
Health in Australia
In 2012, average life expectancy in Sudan was 63
years (61 years for males, 65 years for females)
compared to 83 years for the total Australian
population (81 years for males, 85 years for
females).xix
Current research on common health issues for
people in Australia from Sudan specifically (as
opposed to South Sudan) is rare. The following
information may be more applicable to people
from South Sudan rather than Sudan, and should
be used as a guide only.
In a study of common medical conditions
diagnosed in newly arrived African refugees in
Melbourne, the major health issues included a
lack of immunity to common vaccinepreventable diseases, vitamin D deficiency,
infectious diseases (such as gastrointestinal
infections, schistosomiasis and latent
tuberculosis) and dental issues. Musculoskeletal
and psychological problems were common in
adults.xx
At the 2011 Census, up to two responses per person were allowed for the ancestry question. These figures
represent people that identified the given ancestry in either response.
Sudan
A Western Australian infectious disease
screening study of over 2000 refugees and
humanitarian entrants in 2003-2004 also
reported a high prevalence of infectious diseases
in people from sub-Saharan Africa including
hepatitis B, syphilis, malaria, intestinal infections
(including giardia, schistosomiasis, hookworm
and strongyloidiasis), and tuberculosis.xxi
Other health concerns for Sudanese refugees
include complications of broken bones and other
injuries that have occurred as a consequence of
torture, flight or accident. Common health
concerns in women include the physical and
psychological consequences of rape, menstrual
problems and pelvic pain. Women may have not
had any preventive screening such as Pap tests,
breast examination or mammography.xxii
Sudanese refugees settling in Australia have
been shown to have high rates of depression,
anxiety and post traumatic stress disorder.
However, many Sudanese Australians may report
more concern about current stressors such as
employment, housing and transport than past
trauma.xxiii
Health beliefs and practices
Sudanese refugees may be unfamiliar with a
formal health system, Australian medical
practices or being treated by a doctor of the
opposite gender.xxiv
Traditional medicine is widely practised in Sudan
and has roots in Islamic and West African
medicine. There is wide experience with the use
of herbal medicines, which are an integral part of
the health care system. Many families specialise
in herbal medicines and this knowledge is passed
on from one generation to another. Patients may
travel to different regions to consult herbalists,
especially for difficult diseases.xxv
Sudanese Muslim patients may fast (i.e., not eat,
drink or take medicine) from sunrise to sunset
during the month of Ramadan. This may affect
the treatment of conditions such as diabetes.xxvi
**
People aged 15+ years who can read and write.
Female genital cutting (FGC), also known as
female genital mutilation (FGM) or female
circumcision,xxvii is known to occur in Sudan.
However, not all women from Sudan will have
undergone this practice.
The term FGC comprises procedures that involve
partial or total removal of the external female
genitalia, or other injury to the female genital
organs (such as small cuts or nicks) for
non-medical reasons.xxviii
FGC can affect women’s reproductive health,
although some women who have undergone the
practice do not experience complications.
Impacts of FGC can include complications in
pregnancy and childbirth, difficulties with
menstruation and urination, pain during sexual
intercourse, chronic infections, and damage to
the reproductive system, including infertility.xxix
FGC may also have psychological and mental
health impacts such as anxiety, depression
phobias and post-traumatic stress disorder
(PTSD).xxx Women should be forewarned and well
prepared around any interventions that involve
this area of their bodies.
Many women prefer the term ‘female genital
cutting,’ as ‘female genital mutilation’ can be
seen as offensive or stigmatising.xxxi It may be
appropriate to ask questions such as, “I
understand that female circumcision happens in
your country – have you ever been cut down
there?” or “Are you closed/open?”
It is illegal to undertake FGC in Australia.xxxii
Health providers should notify Care and
Protection Services (CPS) if you have concerns
that a female child is at risk of FGC, following the
ACT Health Child Protection Policy and Children
and Young People Act 2008.
More information on FGC can be found in ACT
Health Standard Operating Procedure – Female
genital mutilation.xxxiii
Social determinants of health
The overall literacy** rate in Sudan in 2011 was 72
per cent (81 per cent for males, 63 per cent for
females).xxxiv
Sudan
In 2011, 44 per cent of Sudan-born people aged
15 years and over in Australia had some form of
higher non-school qualifications compared to 56
per cent of the total Australian population. Of
the Sudan-born aged 15 years and over, 30 per
cent were still attending an educational
institution. The corresponding rate for the total
Australian population was 9 per cent.
Among Sudan-born people aged 15 years and
over in Australia, the participation rate in the
labour force in 2011 was 49 per cent and the
unemployment rate was 25 per cent. The
corresponding rates in the total Australian
population were 65 per cent and 6 per cent
respectively.
The median individual weekly income in 2011 for
Sudan-born people in Australia aged 15 years
and over was $294, compared with $538 for all
overseas-born and $597 for all Australia-born.
The total Australian population had a median
individual weekly income of $577.xxxv
Utilisation of health services in
Australia
The use of hospital services among people born
in refugee-source countries, including Sudan, is
lower or similar to that of the Australia-born
population.xxxvi,xxxvii
A small study of sub-Saharan African refugees,
including from Sudan, showed difficulties in
accessing health care in Sydney, including at
times when a family member was sick.
Barriers to health care access included language
difficulties, lower levels of education and literacy,
financial disadvantage, lack of health
information, and limited understanding of how
to seek help and access health services.xxxviii
A study of Sudanese, Afghan, Pacific Islander and
Burmese people in Logan, Queensland, revealed
issues common to all four communities: (1)
unfamiliarity with health services and difficulty
accessing them; (2) the need for doctors to
accept traditional healing methods alongside
orthodox medicine; and (3) language problems
impeding effective communication with health
professionals.
Sudanese study participants’ views of the
Australian health system were generally positive,
although they did feel that they needed more
information about their treatment (e.g., often,
more blood is taken for testing in Australia than
in Sudan, and this concerned participants). They
also reported that Australian health professionals
often overlooked or responded negatively to
their health beliefs, cultural values and
traditional health treatments. Integrating
traditional and Western treatments would help
them to develop trust in the Australian health
system. Participants also stated that they
preferred to use face-to-face interpreters when
visiting their GP.xxxix
Adapted by ACT Health Multicultural Health Policy Unit (2015) from Queensland Health
Multicultural Services (2011) Sudanese Australians: Community Profiles for Health Care
Providers. Brisbane: State of Queensland (Queensland Health).
A full list of references is available on request from the Multicultural Health Policy Unit at
multiculturalhealth@act.gov.au or (02) 6205 1011.
Date for review: March 2020
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ii Department of I mmigration and Border Protection (2 014 ). The Peo ple of the Australia n Ca pital Territory: Statistics from the 20 11 Cen sus. Canberra: D epartme nt of I mmigration and Bor der Prote ction.
iii 2011 Ce nsus data retrieved from Australian Bureau of Statistics (n.d.). Ta bleBuilder. A cce ssed 4 July 20 14 at http://www.a bs.gov.a u/web sitedbs/ce nsushome. ns f/home /tableb uilder
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