Chronic conditions

Chronic conditions are complex, long lasting, and are a leading cause of illness, disability, and death in Australia (AIHW 2023).

Various factors can influence a person’s likelihood of developing a chronic condition. This can include the socioeconomic areas in which they live, and access to medical care (AIHW 2021).

Some risk factors associated with chronic conditions are considered preventable, including poor diet, physical inactivity, obesity, tobacco smoking, at-risk alcohol consumption, illicit drug use, and unsafe sexual practices (AIHW 2023).

The major chronic physical condition groups investigated as part of the NPHDC were asthma, arthritis, back problem, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, pulmonary disease, chronic kidney disease, osteoporosis and cancer. Mental health conditions, also a group of chronic conditions, are reported in Mental health and self-harm.

This section includes self-reported findings from prison entrants about chronic physical conditions. Information about people in prison taking prescribed medication for chronic conditions can be found in Medication.

Past diagnosis of a chronic condition for prison entrants

Prison entrants were asked whether they had ever been told by a doctor or nurse that they had any of the chronic physical health conditions investigated as part of the NPHDC and whether a condition was current.

Self-reported data rely on the respondents’ accurate recall and are likely to be an underestimate of true prevalence. Further, some prison entrants might have existing health conditions that have yet to be diagnosed because they have not accessed health services. This might be especially true for First Nations entrants, and those living in remote areas, where access to health services can be limited.

Just over half (52%) of prison entrants reported they had ever been told they had a chronic physical condition (Indicator 1.2.1)

The most common chronic physical conditions reported were asthma (27%) and back pain (27%) (Figure 3.1). Of the entrants who reported a chronic physical condition, more than 2 in 5 (42%) reported their chronic condition was current when they entered prison.

Almost two-thirds (61%) of female prison entrants reported a past diagnosis of a chronic physical condition, compared with half (50%) of male prison entrants. Almost 1 in 2 (45%) female entrants, and about 2 in 5 (41%) male entrants, reported the chronic physical condition was current when they entered prison.

Non-Indigenous entrants (54%) were more likely than First Nations entrants (49%) to report a past diagnosis of a chronic physical condition. However, the difference was slightly larger for those reporting a current chronic physical condition – Almost 2 in 5 (38%) of First Nations prison entrants, and almost half (45%) of non-Indigenous entrants.

Figure 3.1: Prison entrants, past diagnosis of a chronic physical condition, by selected chronic physical conditions and sex, 2022

This grouped horizontal bar chart shows the proportion of all prison entrants, and prison entrants by sex with a selected past chronic physical condition.

Notes

  1. Proportions are representative of this data collection only, and not the entire prison population.
  2. Excludes Victoria, which did not provide data for this item.
  3. ‘Any chronic condition’ does not represent a sum of the conditions, as 1 prison entrant might have multiple conditions.

Source: Entrants form, 2022 NPHDC.

Chronic conditions comparisons with general community

Figure 3.2 shows that back problem, asthma, cardiovascular disease and pulmonary disease were more common among prison entrants than the general community. Arthritis, osteoporosis, cancer and diabetes were more common among the general community than prison entrants.  

Direct comparisons between the general community and the prison population cannot be made due to non-random survey sampling and differences in the demographic profile of the populations. However, some conditions that are more common among older people (for example, arthritis or osteoporosis) may be more prevalent in the general community due to the prison population’s having a younger age profile.

Figure 3.2: Prison entrants (2022) and the general community (2020–21), current chronic physical condition, by selected chronic physical conditions

This grouped horizontal bar chart shows the proportion of prison entrants and the general community reporting a selected current chronic physical condition.

Notes

  1. Proportions are representative of this data collection only, and not the entire prison population.
  2. Excludes Victoria, which did not provide data for this item.

Source: AIHW analysis of ABS 2022, Table 1; Entrants form, 2022 NPHDC.