Chronic conditions

Overall, just over one-quarter (26%) of prison entrants reported currently having one or more chronic conditions. Asthma was the most common chronic condition (12%) for prison entrants who had ever been told that they had a chronic condition, followed by arthritis (8%) (Figure 1).

Asthma

Twenty-one per cent of the 610 prison entrants reported that they had ever been told they have asthma. Of these, 57% (or 12% of all entrants) still had the condition. A higher proportion of females (25%) than males (20%) reported ever having been told they have asthma.

Over one-quarter (26%) of entrants aged 18–24 years reported ever having been told they have asthma, compared with 16% of entrants aged at least 35 years.

Arthritis

Nine per cent of prison entrants reported ever having been told they have arthritis. The majority of these (8% of all entrants) reported that they still had the condition. One-quarter of entrants aged at least 45 years reported ever having been told they have arthritis, compared with less than 4% of those aged less than 35 years.

Non-Indigenous entrants were more than twice as likely as Indigenous entrants to report having ever been told they have arthritis (13% and 5% respectively).

Cardiovascular disease (CVD)

Eight per cent of prison entrants reported ever having been told they have CVD, and most reported still having the condition (5% of all entrants). CVD was much more common among older prison entrants (22% were aged 45 years or older). Indigenous entrants (9%) were slightly more likely than non-Indigenous entrants (7%) to report a history of CVD.

Diabetes

One in twenty (5%) prison entrants reported ever having been told they have diabetes and 4% of all entrants still had the condition at the time of reception assessment. Consistent with the increasing prevalence of diabetes with age, diabetes was reported by 9% of entrants aged 45 years and over, compared with 1% of those aged 18–24 years. Diabetes was also more common among Indigenous than non-Indigenous entrants.

Cancer

Few prison entrants reported having cancer. Of the 610 entrants taking part in the Census, 18 (3%) reported ever having been told they have cancer and 4 (less than 1%) currently had cancer.