More Australians die from cardiovascular disease each year and
more money is spent on its health system costs than any other
disease or injury group, according to a report released today by
the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW).
Health System Costs of Cardiovascular Diseases and Diabetes
in Australia 1993-94 shows that as the leading cause of death
among Australians (54,000 deaths a year), cardiovascular disease is
also the most expensive disease group-costing the Australian
community $3.9 billion in direct health care costs during
1993-94.
The report also shows that diabetes mellitus has emerged as a
serious and growing health problem among Australians. When
complications from diabetes are taken into account, the total
health system costs of diabetes are estimated to be around $681
million.
According to Principal Research Fellow, Dr Colin Mathers,
diabetes affects more than 4% of Australians, at least 10% of the
elderly, and up to 30% of some Aboriginal communities.
'And what's more, diabetes causes further illness and deaths due
to eye and kidney diseases and limb amputations, and it
significantly increases the risk of cardiovascular disease,' Dr
Mathers said. `In fact, some of the health system costs of
cardiovascular disease can actually be attributed to diabetes'.
Overall, the report shows that coronary heart disease and
strokes are the most expensive cardiovascular diseases, costing
$894 million in direct health system costs (23% of total
cardiovascular disease costs) and $630 million (16%) respectively
during 1993-94. Prevention and treatment of high blood pressure and
high blood cholesterol cost $831 million and $199 million
respectively.
Other findings in Health System Costs of Cardiovascular
Diseases and Diabetes in Australia 1993-94 include:
- Average annual health costs per diagnosed diabetic person are
around $1,700 for men and $2,100 for women. On average, 29% of
these costs are for hospital care, 20% for pharmaceutical drugs,
and 14% for medical services.
- Estimated lifetime costs of Type 1 (insulin dependent) diabetes
are about $190,000, compared with around $25,000 for Type 2
(non-insulin dependent).
- Health system costs of cardiovascular disease rise with age,
reaching around $1,700 per capita per year on average for men and
women aged 75 years or over.
7 May 1999
Further information: Dr Colin Mathers, AIHW,
ph. 02 6244 1138.
For media copies of the report: Mrs Lena Searle,
AIHW, ph. 02 6244 1032.
Availability: Check the AIHW Publications
Catalogue for details.