A new report released today by the Australian Institute of
Health and Welfare (AIHW) shows that almost 9% of hospital
admissions in Australia in 2001-02 could have been avoided.
The report, Atlas of Avoidable Hospitalisations in
Australia: ambulatory care-sensitive conditions, examines
hospitalisations which should be avoidable with preventive
care and early disease management.
'This is primarily an issue of access to health care,' said Mr
John Glover from the AIHW's Public Health Information Development
Unit based at the University of Adelaide.
'The report describes conditions that with appropriate primary
care, delivered, for example, by a general practitioner or at a
community health centre, should not become serious enough to
require admission to a hospital,' Mr Glover said.
It showed that key factors important in the number of avoidable
hospitalisations are age, socioeconomic status, and remoteness.
Other factors include individuals' own perceived health needs and
their choices about seeking health care.
The report showed that the highest rates of avoidable
hospitalisations occurred among the oldest and most disadvantaged
Australians.
In 2001-02, 8.7% or 552,000 hospital admissions were potentially
avoidable, with 27.1% of those occurring in the 75 years and over
age bracket.
It also showed that people from the most disadvantaged areas had
61% more avoidable hospitalisations than those from the least
disadvantaged areas.
'There is a distinct, socioeconomic gradient evident in total
avoidable hospitalisation rates in Australia. Each increase in
disadvantage is accompanied by an increase in admissions from these
conditions,' Mr Glover said.
The Northern Territory (10.7%) and Tasmania (9.5%) both had
higher than national average avoidable hospitalisations, the ACT
(8.2%) was below the national average and the remaining states all
close to the national average.
Almost two-thirds of avoidable hospital admissions were
attributable to chronic conditions, with large numbers from
diabetes complications and circulatory and respiratory
conditions.
Just over one-third were attributable to acute conditions such
as dental conditions; dehydration and gastroenteritis; ear, nose
and throat infections; convulsions and epilepsy.
A small proportion of avoidable hospitalisations were due to
vaccine-preventable conditions, mainly influenza and pneumonia.
20 April 2007
Further information: Mr John Glover, AIHW, tel.
61 8 8303 6237, mob 0418 801 876
For media copies of the report: Publications
Officer, AIHW, tel. 61 2 6244 1032.
Availability: Check the AIHW Publications
Catalogue for availability of Atlas
of avoidable hospitalisations in Australia: ambulatory
care-sensitive conditions.