From 1989–90 to 2007–08, the prevalence of diabetes more than doubled, from 1.5% to 4.1% of Australians.
Why is this an important indicator for diabetes?
The prevalence of diabetes (excluding gestational diabetes mellitus) shows the burden of diabetes in the community. This indicator compares the proportion of people with diabetes among:
- the general population
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people / non-Indigenous people
- people of culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and
- people living in different geographic areas.
It also looks at how these proportions change over time.
What are the results?
The general population
Between 1989–90 and 2007–08, the prevalence of diabetes more than doubled, from 1.5% to 4.1% of Australians (Figure 1).
Other population groups
From 1995 to 2007–08:
- The prevalence of diabetes rose in all population groups (Table 1).
- Rates of diabetes were fairly similar across geographic regions.
Between 2001 and 2004–05, the prevalence of diabetes among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians was more than three times that of non-Indigenous Australians.
Table 1: Prevalence of diabetes, 1995 to 2007–08
| Population groups |
1995 |
2001 |
2004–05 |
2007–08 |
| Indigenous status |
|
|
|
|
| Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples |
n.a |
11.2 |
12.7 |
n.a |
| Non-Indigenous people |
n.a |
3.3 |
3.8 |
n.a |
| Culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds |
|
|
|
|
| Born in Australia |
2.1 |
3.2 |
3.6 |
4.0 |
| Overseas born population |
3.1 |
3.5 |
4.3 |
4.3 |
| Geographic areas |
|
|
|
|
| Major cities |
2.5 |
3.4 |
3.8 |
3.9 |
| Inner regional |
n.a |
3.0 |
3.9 |
4.4 |
| Outer regional and remote |
n.a |
3.5 |
4.0 |
4.9 |
| non-Major cities |
2.2 |
3.2 |
3.9 |
4.5 |
n.a = not available.
Notes
1. Directly age-standardised to the 2001 Australian standard population.
2. Based on self-reported data.
3. Diabetes by Indigenous status includes both diabetes and high blood sugar levels.
4. The ABS NHS excludes persons living in very remote areas of Australia.
Sources: AIHW 2011 analysis of ABS NHS 1995, 2001, 2004–05 and 2007–08 (reissue), ABS NHS–IS 2001 and NATSIHS 2004–05.
Diabetes by type
- Estimates of cases of Type 1 diabetes in 2007–08 range from about 87,000 (based on self-reported data from the National Health Survey (NHS)) to over 120,000 (based on diagnoses of diabetes as registered to the National Diabetes Services Scheme (NDSS)).
- Estimates of cases of Type 2 diabetes in 2007–08 were 718,000 (based on diagnoses of diabetes as registered to the NDSS) and 788,000 (based on self-reported data from the NHS).
What are the data sources?
There are three main data sources:
- The 1989–90, 1995, 2001, 2004–05 and 2007–08 (reissue) Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) National Health Survey (NHS) (ABS cat. no. 4634.0)
- The National Diabetes Services Scheme (NDSS), and
- The 2001 ABS Estimated Resident Population (ERP).
How is this indicator calculated?
All comparisons of diabetes prevalence over time are directly age-standardised to the 2001 Australian standard population.
In each of these population groups:
- the general population
- Aboriginal and Torres Straits Islander people / non-Indigenous people
- people from a culturally and linguistically diverse background
- people living in major cities, regional and remote areas
the rates compare
- numerator: the number of people with diabetes (from the NHS/NDSS), to
- denominator: the total number of people in the population (from the ABS ERP).
Are there any data limitations?
- Using self-reported data to estimate the prevalence of diabetes tends to underestimate the size of the problem. This is because some forms of diabetes do not have obvious symptoms and can go undiagnosed for many years.
- Differences in collection methods between surveys affect the ways these data can be compared. Changes in public awareness of diabetes over time may also affect this.
- Currently, some limitations in the data prevent comparisons between groups with different socio-economic status.
- Country of birth has been used as a proxy for cultural and linguistic diversity. This measure does not fully represent the complexity of cultural diversity in Australia.
Definitions
Prevalence of diabetes is the number or proportion of people with diabetes at a given time. This indicator looks only at people who report they have been told by a medical practitioner or nurse that they have diabetes. It does not include females with gestational diabetes.
Country of birth has been defined based on the ABS NHS, as either Australian-born or overseas-born. Australian-born includes Australia, Norfolk Island and Australian External Territories. Overseas-born includes all other countries/regions and those that were not stated or inadequately described.
Geographic areas have been defined based on Accessibility/Remoteness Index of Australia (ARIA). Three categories are used in this indicator: 'Major cities of Australia', 'Inner regional Australia' and 'Outer regional or Remote Australia' (which is a combination of Outer regional and Remote Australia).
Indigenous status is self-reported.
Where can I find more information?
AIHW 2007. National indicators for monitoring diabetes: report of the Diabetes Indicators Review Subcommittee of the National Diabetes Data Working Group. Diabetes series no. 6. Cat. no. CVD 38. Canberra: AIHW.
Abbreviations
- ABS
- Australian Bureau of Statistics
- AIHW
- Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
- NATISHS
- National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Survey
- NDSS
- National Diabetes Services Scheme
- NHS
- National Health Survey
- NHS–IS
- National Health Survey—Indigenous Supplement
Source data
Table 2: Trend in the prevalence of diabetes, 1989–90 to 2007–08
|
1989–90 |
1995 |
2001 |
2004–05 |
2007–08 |
| Proportion of Australians |
1.5 |
2.4 |
3.3 |
3.8 |
4.1 |
Notes
1. Age-standardised to the 2001 Australian standard population.
2. Based on self-reported data.
Sources: AIHW 2011 analysis of ABS NHS 1989–90, 1995, 2001, 2004–05 and 2007–08 NHS (reissue).