Asthma is associated with poorer quality of life. Disease severity and the level of control both have an impact.
People with asthma rate their health worse than people without the condition.
In 2007–08, people with asthma were more likely to have taken days off work, school or study in the last 12 months due to a long term condition than people without asthma (although these days off were not necessarily due to asthma).
Source tables
Self-assessed health in people with and without current asthma, 2007–08
| Self-assessed health |
With asthma |
|
Without asthma |
| Per cent |
95% CI |
Per cent |
95% CI |
| Excellent |
11.7 |
2.1 |
|
21.4 |
0.9 |
| Very good |
27.7 |
2.7 |
|
38.5 |
1.0 |
| Good |
35.6 |
3.2 |
|
28.2 |
1.0 |
| Fair |
16.3 |
2.2 |
|
10.3 |
0.7 |
| Poor |
8.7 |
1.7 |
|
3.5 |
0.4 |
Notes
1. Age standardised to the Australian population as at June 2001.
2. Ages 15 and over only.
Source: AIHW analysis of ABS National Health Survey 2007–08 confidentialised unit record files.
Social components of quality of life, age 5 years and over, 2007–09
|
With asthma |
Without asthma |
| Any days away from work/study in the last 12 months (due to any long term condition) |
24.2 |
8.8 |
| Confidence intervals |
2.0 |
0.6 |
Notes
1. Any long term condition includes cardiovascular disease, cancer, athritis, osteoporosis, sight/hearing conditions, mental problems, and any other long term condition.
2. Asthma was defined as doctor diagnosis of asthma together with symptoms or treatment for asthma in the last 12 months.
3. Ages 5 and over only.
Source: Australian Centre for Asthma Monitoring (ACAM) 2011. Asthma in Australia 2011, AIHW Asthma Series no. 4, cat. no. ACM 22, Canberra: AIHW.