Rural, regional and remote health, a study on mortality: summary of findings
This report summarises the findings of the AIHW report Rural, Regional and Remote Health: A Study on Mortality. This report updates and builds on findings from the 1998 AIHW report, Health in Rural and Remote Australia, which identified higher death rates outside major metropolitan areas. However, it has been unclear how much of these higher death rates are due to rural health issues, or Indigenous health issues.This report largely resolves this uncertainty by controlling for Indigenous status and describing for each region: differences in death rates; trends in mortality over time; and how many more deaths occurred than were expected (if lower major cities rates had applied in each region).
Rural, regional and remote health, a study on mortality
This report updates and builds on findings from the 1998 AIHW report, Health in Rural and Remote Australia, which identified higher death rates outside major metropolitan areas. However, it has been unclear how much of these higher death rates are due to rural health issues, or Indigenous health issues.This report largely resolves this uncertainty by controlling for Indigenous status and describing for each region: differences in death rates; trends in mortality over time; and how many more deaths occurred than were expected (if lower major cities rates had applied in each region).
Indicators of health risk factors, the AIHW view
This information paper will be of interest to anyone who uses health information for research or policy making. It will facilitate discussion about the methods of collecting and reporting the information and how it is applied and interpreted. Presented in this report is the latest information about four health risk factors: alcohol consumption; physical inactivity; tobacco smoking; overweight and obesity.
Health at a glance: OECD indicators 2003
This second edition of Health at a Glance aims to build on the success of the inaugural edition by presenting an expanded set of indicators. In keeping with the original aim and as its name suggests, Health at a Glance presents key health indicators in charts and tables. It is designed to provide the basis for a better understanding of a range of factors which affect the health of populations and the performance of health care systems in OECD countries. The publication shows cross-country variations and trends over time in core indicators of health status, health care systems and non-medical determinants of health. It also provides a brief interpretation of these data. The statistical annex at the end of the publication offers additional data on these indicators in a set of more than 50 tables.The AIHW provided significant input for this publication, including all Australian data.This publication is also available in hard copy from the OECD.
Asthma in Australia 2003
Asthma is an important health problem in Australia. This report brings together data from a wide range of sources to describe the current status of asthma in Australia. It includes information on the number of people who have asthma, who receive various treatments for asthma, who have written asthma action plans, and who visit their GP, are hospitalised or die due to asthma.
Rural, regional and remote health: information framework and indicators. Version 1
Information about key rural health issues is frequently inadequate. This information framework describes which questions need answering; what data is available and pitfalls in its analysis; which questions can't be answered and what we can do about it. Based on the National Health Performance Framework and written in consultation with a wide range of data experts, 'Version One' of the framework is a 'living' document, designed to be updated as data sources are improved, further data gaps are identified and more advanced methodologies are developed.
2002 Influenza Vaccine Survey: summary results
This report was carried out as part of an evaluation of the National Influenza Vaccination Program for Older Australians. The program is a Commonwealth Government initiative designed to help reduce the impact of influenza.The survey itself involved 8000 participants across Australia, interviewed during October 2002, at the end of the winter flu season.People aged 40 years and over were asked whether they had been vaccinated against the flu, whether they had received the vaccine for free or had paid for it, and if they had any of the risk factors for flu infection or its complications.
Male consultations in general practice in Australia 1999-00
'Male consultations in general practice in Australia 1999-00' is a secondary analysis of data from the second year of the BEACH (Bettering the Evaluation and Care of Health) program, April 1999-March 2000. Based on 44,308 encounters with male patients and 59,366 encounters with female patients, it reports the characteristics of male patients who attended GPs in Australia, and the characteristics of these encounters. Comparisons are made between the encounters of male patients and female patients. The report also examines the age-related pattern of commonly managed problems and changes in management rates of specific illnesses across age groups at male patient encounters. Subsamples of encounters with male patients provide data on the management of work-related problems at GP encounters, and male patient body weight to height ratio, smoking status and alcohol use.
Health care usage and costs: a comparison of veterans and war widows and widowers with the rest of the community
The report presents the findings of a study comparing health care use and expenditure for veterans who hold Gold Cards, with the remainder of the community.The study focuses on the major components of Department of Veterans' Affairs health expenditure - local medical officer services, pharmaceuticals, private and public hospital services.
Trends in deaths: analysis of Australian data 1987-1998 with updates to 2000
Trends in Deaths is a comprehensive analysis of the patterns of death in Australia over the past 15 years. It presents contemporary data for 16 causes of death that are of particular interest in the health field or the influence of which could be reduced by behavioural changes.The data are analysed by socioeconomic status, country of birth, state/Territory and geographic area, Indigenous status and international comparison.
Seasonality of death
Deaths are predictable to some extent, in that they occur more often for particular causes such as cardiovascular disease or cancers, or at older ages, or within vulnerable population groups. Deaths also tend to occur more often at certain times of the year. In Australia, as in other developed countries, most deaths occur in colder months. Deaths attributable to a number of specific causes follow a yearly cycle, peaking in winter and occurring less frequently in summer. Deaths for some causes are also more frequent on certain days of the week, or even at certain times of the day.This bulletin will examine these patterns of death to see how deaths vary by day, by month and by season, and whether these patterns have changed over time.
Issues and priorities in the surveillance and monitoring of chronic diseases in Australia: report of a workshop held 8-9 November 2001, Canberra
Chronic diseases and their associated risk factors pose significant challenges for health planners and policy makers in Australia. One of these is the task of establishing a system for their regular surveillance and monitoring. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare and the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing co-hosted a workshop in November 2001 to examine the issues and priorities in setting up such a system. Among the issues discussed were frameworks for surveillance and monitoring, data requirements, and linkage of this information to public health interventions and policy development. The main priorities addressed were biomedical risk factors and markers, behavioural risks factors and other psychosocial variables, and the utilisation and harmonisation of various types of data. This report provides an account of the workshop, its deliberations and outcomes.
Australian health inequalities: birthplace
Persons born overseas generally enjoy better health than Australia-born persons do, if gauged by such measures as mortality and hospitalisations rates and the prevalence of lifestyle-related health risk factors.These inequalities are largely explained by the 'healthy migrant effect', which ensures that, for the most part, only those migrants in good health migrate to Australia.Inequalities in health status by birthplace, and changes in health advantage among migrants after arrival in Australia, provide insight into the effect of lifestyle-related health risk factors on health outcomes. They might also guide health professionals in targeting education, screening and other health interventions.
Chronic diseases and associated risk factors in Australia, 2001
Chronic diseases and associated risk factors in Australia, 2001 provides statistical overviews of a number of long-lasting conditions, disorders and illnesses that comprise the quality of life of a large number of Australians. In particular, the report examines the burden of disease associated with a set of chronic diseases in the context of their long course through life, persistent effects and associated disability. Heart problems, a variety of cancers, several lung diseases, diabetes, arthritis, depression and dental caries are some of the chronic disease and conditions covered. Risk factors leading to or contributing to these factors such as high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol and excess weight are also examined.
Vaccine preventable diseases and vaccination coverage in Australia, 1999 to 2000
This is the second comprehensive report on vaccine preventable diseases and vaccination coverage in Australia using multiple data sources. It provides a valuable comparison with the first report, as well as a baseline for ongoing measurement of trends and the impact of interventions.
Morbidity of Vietnam veterans: adrenal gland cancer, leukaemia and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, supplementary report 2
This report provides medical validations for three conditions of concern regarding the health of Vietnam veterans and their children - adrenal gland cancer in veterans' children, the four main types of leukaemia in veterans and their children, and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in veterans.It is the second supplementary report to Morbidity of Vietnam Veterans: Volume 3 Validation Study and responds to a recommendation of that study that 'cancer of the adrenal gland in veterans' children be further investigated and compared to a derived community standard'. Comparisons have also been made for the four leukaemia types to expand on the total leukaemia comparisons from the study, while the non-Hodgkin's lymphoma comparisons are revisions to those included in the validation report.This report further extends the knowledge about the health of Vietnam veterans and their families.
Australian health trends 2001
Australian Health Trends 2001 outlines key trends in the health of Australians using the latest statistics and other available information. In particular the report examines health status, health service utilisation and determinants of health.More than 80 different health 'indicators' are used, with each indicator presented as a combination of descriptive text, a table and a graph.This report will be useful for all people interested in public health, including students, academic researchers and policy makers, as well as the general public.
A prisoner health information system
This report describes key issues in the development, collection, use and management of health information relating to prisoners.It sets out methods by which information can be collected about health and risk factor status, health care needs and health service usage, and identifies the key stakeholders in the field. The report will be useful to policy makers, health administrators, health information managers and prison health service providers.
Morbidity of Vietnam veterans: multiple sclerosis and motor neurone disease in Vietnam veterans, supplementary report 3
This report provides medical validations for two conditions of concern regarding the health of Vietnam veterans - multiple sclerosis and motor neurone disease.It is the third supplementary report to Morbidity of Vietnam Veterans: Volume 3 Validation Study and fulfils the recommendation in Volume 1 of the study, the survey of male veterans, that the reported rates of multipe sclerosis and motor neurone disease be validated.This report further extends the knowledge about the health of Vietnam veterans and their families.
Morbidity of Vietnam veterans: suicide in Vietnam Veterans' children, supplementary report 1: a study of the health of Australia's Vietnam veteran community
Analyses suicide patterns among Vietnam veterans' children highlighting time trends, age and sex distribution, location and method of suicide.It is a supplementary report to Morbidity of Vietnam Veterans: Volume 3 Validation Study which recommended that suicide in veterans' children be further investigated and the result drawn to the attention of the Vietnam Veterans Counselling Service.This report extend the knowledge about the health of Vietnam veterans and their families.
Morbidity of Vietnam veterans, executive summary: a study of the health of Australia's Vietnam veteran community
Examines the health issues facing Vietnam veterans and their families. It reports on the medical validation of a number of selected conditions found to have a high prevalence in veterans and their children. The AIHW coordinated the medical validation through disease registers and clinicians with the consent of veterans and their children.
Social Health Atlas of Australia Volume 5: South Australia (PHIDU): Second edition
This volume forms part of a set of nine volumes which brings together a wide range of information about the health status and health service use of the population for each State and Territory and for Australia as a whole. It illustrates linkages between socioeconomically disadvantaged areas, poorer health status and greater use of services. This second edition was commissioned by the Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care and compiled by the Public Health Information Development Unit at the University of Adelaide. The reports are available in hard copy, on CD and from the Public Health Information Development Unit's web site: http://www.public health.gov.au
Social Health Atlas of Australia Volume 9: Australian Capital Territory (PHIDU): Second Edition
The Social Health Atlas forms part of a set of nine volumes which brings together a wide range of information about the health status and health service use of the population for each State and Territory and for Australia as a whole. It illustrates linkages between socioeconomically disadvantaged areas, poorer health status and greater use of services. This second edition was commissioned by the Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care and compiled by the Public Health Information Development Unit at the University of Adelaide. The reports are available in hard copy, on CD and from the Public Health Information Development Unit's web site: http://www.public health.gov.au
Social Health Atlas of Australia Volume 8: Northern Territory (PHIDU): Second Edition
The Social Health Atlas forms part of a set of nine volumes which brings together a wide range of information about the health status and health service use of the population for each State and Territory and for Australia as a whole. It illustrates linkages between socioeconomically disadvantaged areas, poorer health status and greater use of services. This second edition was commissioned by the Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care and compiled by the Public Health Information Development Unit at the University of Adelaide. The reports are available in hard copy, on CD and from the Public Health Information Development Unit's web site: http://www.public health.gov.au
Social Health Atlas of Australia Volume 6: Western Australia (PHIDU): Second edition
This volume forms part of a set of nine volumes which brings together a wide range of information about the health status and health service use of the population for each State and Territory and for Australia as a whole. It illustrates linkages between socioeconomically disadvantaged areas, poorer health status and greater use of services. This second edition was commissioned by the Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care and compiled by the Public Health Information Development Unit at the University of Adelaide. The reports are available in hard copy, on CD and from the Public Health Information Development Unit's web site: http://www.public health.gov.au