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Prevalence, hospitalisations and deaths relating to cardiovascular disease can vary among subgroups of the Australian population. Populations of interest include:

Cardiovascular disease in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

Prevalence

More than 1 in 10 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have cardiovascular disease

In 2004–05 an estimated 12% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples had a long-term cardiovascular disease condition, 1.2% had coronary heart disease and 0.3% had cerebrovascular disease (with stroke the most common condition).

The age-adjusted prevalence of cardiovascular disease in the Indigenous population was 1.3 times as high as that of the non-Indigenous population. The prevalence of coronary heart disease and cerebrovascular disease was almost twice as high.

The prevalence of cardiovascular disease increased rapidly with age, from 21% among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples aged 35–44 years to 61% in those aged 65 years and over.

Figure: Proportion of people with cardiovascular disease, by age and Indigenous status, 2004–05

Vertical bar chart showing, for Indigenous and Non-Indigenous, per cent on y-axis and age group (years) on x-axis.

Note: High cholesterol was excluded from the CVD prevalence counts.

Source: AIHW analysis of ABS 2004–05 National Aboriginal and Torres Straits Islanders Health Survey Confidentialised Unit Record File. Source data (Table 4.1) (73KB XLS).

Hospitalisation

Cardiovascular disease hospitalisation rates twice as high for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

In 2007–08, there were more than 8,500 hospitalisations with a principal diagnosis of cardiovascular disease for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Of these, more than 3,700 were due to coronary heart disease and close to 600 were due to stroke).

Hospitalisation rates for cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease and stroke among Indigenous Australians were almost twice as high as those of other Australians.

Figure: Age-adjusted cardiovascular hospitalisation rates, by sex and Indigenous status, in 2007–08

Vertical bar chart showing, for Indigenous and Other Australians, hospitalisations on y-axis and males and females on x-axis.

Source: AIHW National Hospital Morbidity Database. Source data (Table 4.6) (73KB XLS).

Notes:

  1. Hospitalisations with a principal diagnosis of cardiovascular disease.
  2. Age-standardised to the 2001 Australian population
  3. Data from hospitals in NSW, Vic, Qld, WA, SA, and for NT public hospitals.

Hospitalisation rates for cardiovascular disease, heart disease and stroke were all higher for Indigenous males than Indigenous females.

Deaths

Cardiovascular disease death rates 1.8 times as high for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

Between 2004 and 2008, there were 2,908 deaths with an underlying cause of cardiovascular disease among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the jurisdictions with adequate Indigenous identification. Of these deaths, 1,559 were due to coronary heart disease and 428 due to stroke.

The cardiovascular disease death rate in the Indigenous population was 1.8 times as high as that of the non-Indigenous population. The same relative difference was found for coronary heart disease but was a bit smaller for stroke (1.6).

Figure: Age-adjusted cardiovascular death rates, by sex and Indigenous status, 2004–2008

Vertical bar chart showing, for Indigenous and Non-Indigenous, deaths on y-axis and males and females on x-axis.

Source: AIHW National Mortality Database. Source data (Table 4.9) (73KB XLS).

Notes:

  1. Age-standardised to the 2001 Australian population
  2. Data from NSW, Vic, Qld, WA, SA, and NT only.

Cardiovascular disease in people living in different areas of remoteness

Prevalence

Cardiovascular disease more common in regional and remote Australia

In 2007–08, the rates for CVD were lowest in Major cities (15%) and highest in Outer regional, Remote and Very remote areas (18%).

Figure: Age-adjusted prevalence of cardiovascular disease, by remoteness and sex, 2007–08

Vertical bar chart showing, for males and females, per cent on y-axis and remoteness on x-axis.

Source: AIHW analysis of ABS 2007–08 National Health Survey Confidentialised Unit Record File. Source data (Table 4.3) (73KB XLS).

Notes:

  1. Age-standardised to the 2001 Australian population
  2. Based on area of usual residence of patient.

No difference in coronary heart disease and stroke prevalence rates by remoteness

Coronary heart disease and stroke rates were generally similar for people living in different remoteness areas.

However, the prevalence of coronary heart disease among males in more remote areas (Outer regional and Remote and very remote areas) was higher (5.6%) than in Major cities and Inner regional areas (both 4.2%).

For men, the prevalence of stroke increased slightly the further they lived from Major cities.

Hospitalisation

Cardiovascular heart disease hospitalisation rate higher in remote Australia

In 2007–08, the rate of hospitalisations with a principal diagnosis of cardiovascular disease was lowest for Major cities and highest for Remote and very remote areas. Similarly coronary heart disease and stroke hospitalisation rates were higher for people living in regional Australia.

The higher proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples living in more remote areas partly explains the difference in cardiovascular disease hospitalisation rates by remoteness.

Figure: Cardiovascular disease hospitalisation rates, by remoteness and sex, 2007–08

Vertical bar chart showing, for males and females, hospitalisations on y-axis and remoteness on x-axis.

Source: AIHW National Hospital Morbidity Database. Source data (Table 4.6) (73KB XLS).

Notes:

  1. Hospitalisations with a principal diagnosis of cardiovascular disease.
  2. Age-standardised to the 2001 Australian population
  3. Based on area of usual residence of patient.

The rate of cardiovascular disease hospitalisations was higher among males than females in all remoteness areas. This was also the case for coronary heart disease and stroke hospitalisation rates.

Deaths

Higher cardiovascular disease death rates for people living in remote Australia

In 2005–2007, the overall cardiovascular disease death rate in Remote and very remote areas was 1.4 times as high as that in Major cities. Coronary heart disease death rates also followed this pattern.

Cardiovascular disease death rates in males were about 1.4 times as high as females across all remoteness areas and were highest in Remote and very remote areas. The same pattern was observed for coronary heart disease death rates.

There was little difference in the age-adjusted stroke death rates between males and females in Major cities, Inner regional and Outer regional areas but the rate in Remote/very remote areas was slightly higher for males than females.

Figure: Cardiovascular disease death rate, by remoteness and sex in 2007–08

Vertical bar chart showing, for males and females, deaths on y-axis and remoteness on x-axis.

Source: AIHW National Mortality Database. Source data (Table 4.9) (73KB XLS).

Notes:

  1. Age-standardised to the 2001 Australian population.

Cardiovascular disease in people from different socioeconomic groups

Prevalence

Cardiovascular disease higher among people from the lowest socioeconomic groups

In 2007–08, Australians in the lowest socioeconomic groups experienced a higher prevalence of cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease and stroke than those in the highest socioeconomic groups.

Cardiovascular disease prevalence rates were higher for females than males across all groups.

Figure: Cardiovascular disease prevalence, by socioeconomic group and sex in 2007–08

Vertical bar chart showing, for males and females, per cent on y-axis and socioeconomic group on x-axis.  

Source: AIHW analysis of ABS 2007–08 National Health Survey Confidentialised Unit Record File. Source data (Table 4.3) (73KB XLS).

Notes:

  1. Age-standardised to the 2001 Australian population.
  2. Based on the ABS 2006 population quintile of the Index for Relative Socioeconomic Disadvantage (IRSD).

In contrast, the prevalence of coronary heart disease was higher in males than females across all socioeconomic groups. The prevalence of stroke did not differ greatly between the sexes across socioeconomic groups.

Figure: Prevalence of coronary heart disease, by socioeconomic group and sex in 2007–08

Vertical bar chart showing, for males and females, per cent on y-axis and socioeconomic group on x-axis.

Source: AIHW analysis of ABS 2007–08 National Health Survey Confidentialised Unit Record File. Source data (Table 4.4) (73KB XLS).

Notes:  

  1. Age-standardised to the 2001 Australian population.
  2. Based on the ABS 2006 population quintile of the Index for Relative Socioeconomic Disadvantage (IRSD).

Hospitalisation

Cardiovascular disease hospitalisation rates increase with declining socioeconomic status

Hospitalisations with a principal diagnosis of cardiovascular disease were highest among those in the lowest socioeconomic group (2,358 per 100,000 people) and lowest for those in the highest socioeconomic group (1,859 per 100,000 people).

Figure: Cardiovascular disease hospitalisation rates, by socioeconomic group and sex in 2007–08

Vertical bar chart showing, for males and females, hospitalisations on y-axis and socioeconomic group on x-axis.

Source: AIHW analysis of ABS 2007–08 National Health Survey Confidentialised Unit Record File. Source data (Table 4.6) (73KB XLS).

Notes:  

  1. Hospitalisations with a principal diagnosis of cardiovascular disease.
  2. Age-standardised to the 2001 Australian population.
  3. Based on the ABS 2006 population quintile of the Index for Relative Socioeconomic Disadvantage (IRSD).

The same pattern was observed for coronary heart disease and stroke.

Cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease and stroke hospitalisation rates were higher for males than females in each group.

Deaths

Cardiovascular disease death rates rise with decreasing socioeconomic position

In 2007, the cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease and stroke death rates were highest among those in the lowest socioeconomic groups and lowest for those living in the highest socioeconomic groups.

For all socioeconomic groups, male rates were about 1.4 times as high as female rates.

Figure: Cardiovascular disease death rates, by socioeconomic group and sex in 2007–08

Vertical bar chart showing, for males and females, deaths on y-axis and socioeconomic group on x-axis.

Source: AIHW National Mortality Database. Source data (Table 4.9) (73KB XLS).

Notes:

  1. Age-standardised to the 2001 Australian population.
  2. Based on the ABS 2006 population quintile of the Index for Relative Socioeconomic Disadvantage (IRSD).