The importance of tackling chronic diseases - conditions such as
heart disease, diabetes and arthritis, which tend to be
long-lasting and persistent - is highlighted in a new report which
shows that Australians are not doing enough to guard against these
diseases.
More than three-quarters of Australians have at least one
chronic condition, says the report released today by the Australian
Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW).
Head of the Institute's Population Health Unit, Mr Mark
Cooper-Stanbury, noted that the costs associated with these
conditions were a drain on the health system.
'In 2000-01 chronic diseases accounted for nearly 70% of the
total health expenditure that can be allocated to diseases.
'Common examples of chronic conditions are asthma, which affects
about 10% of the total population, osteoarthritis which affects
nearly 8% of the population, and depression, which over 5% of
Australians experience,' he said.
Chronic diseases can be a problem at all ages, with almost 10%
of children 14 years and younger having three or more long-term
conditions. For those aged 65 years and over this figure is more
than 80%.
'Older people carry a relatively large share of coronary heart
disease, stroke, diabetes, osteoarthritis and osteoporosis, but the
middle ages are not exempt, with depression, chronic kidney disease
and coronary heart disease prevalent in that age group,' Mr
Cooper-Stanbury said.
The report highlights that Australians are not doing enough
about the lifestyle risk factors associated with chronic
diseases:
- More than 85% of adults are not consuming enough
vegetables.
- Almost 50% of adults are not consuming enough fruit.
- About 54% of adult Australians are either overweight or
obese.
- Around 21% of adults smoke tobacco.
Compared with major cities, regional areas of Australia
experience higher prevalence of many of the risk factors for
chronic disease - smoking rates for example are 11% higher in
regional areas.
Socioeconomic status also correlates with higher levels of
smoking, physical inactivity and obesity. People who live in lower
socioeconomic areas experience higher prevalence of chronic
diseases such as diabetes, asthma, and heart disease, and have
higher death rates.
The report, Chronic diseases and associated risk factors in
Australia, 2006, focuses on patterns of disease and the
prevalence of risk factors across different age groups,
geographical areas, and socioeconomic status, and reports on the
health services used in preventing and managing these
conditions.
16 November 2006
Further information: Mr Mark Cooper-Stanbury,
tel. 02 6289 7027 or mob. 0408 417 340
For media copies of the report: Publications
Officer, AIHW, tel. 61 2 6244 1032.
Availability: Check the AIHW Publications
Catalogue for availability of Chronic diseases and
associated risk factors in Australia, 2006.