10% of the Australian population have asthma (based on the 2007–08 National Health Survey (NHS)).
Asthma is more common in females than males (11% compared with 9% in the 2007–08 NHS) . Females comprised 55% of all people with the condition in the 2007–08 NHS. This changes with age.
Based on the 2007–08 NHS, asthma was more common in males than females aged 0–14, but among those aged 15 and over, asthma was more common in females.
In 2004–05, the prevalence of asthma was higher among Indigenous males (12.5%) and females (19.9%) than among non-Indigenous males (9.0%) and females (11.4%) respectively. The difference exists across all age groups, but is more prominent in older adults, especially females.
According to the 2007–08 NHS:
- people born in non-English speaking countries had a lower prevalence of asthma than people born in Australia.
- people born in English speaking countries who migrated to Australia after 1985 had a lower prevalence of asthma than people born in Australia. However, people born in English speaking countries who migrated before 1985 had a similar prevalence of asthma to those born in Australia.
- people born overseas who migrated in 1985 or earlier had a significantly higher prevalence of asthma than those who arrived after 1985.
In 2007–08, the prevalence of asthma was significantly higher in people living in Inner regional areas compared with those living in Major cities.
In 2007–08, asthma was more common among people living in socioeconomically disadvantaged localities compared with those in the least disadvantaged localities.
Source tables
Prevalence of current asthma, 2001 to 2007–08
| NHS survey |
Per cent |
95% CI |
| 2001 |
11.6 |
11.3–11.9 |
| 2004–05 |
10.2 |
9.8–10.7 |
| 2007–08 |
10.0 |
9.4–10.5 |
Note: Age-standardised to the Australian population as at June 2001.
Source: Australian Centre for Asthma Monitoring (ACAM) 2011. Asthma in Australia 2011, AIHW Asthma Series no. 4, cat. no. ACM 22, Canberra: AIHW.
Prevalence of current asthma among males by age, 2007–08
| Males |
Per cent |
95% CI |
| 0–4 |
9.9 |
6.8–13.0 |
| 5–9 |
15.1 |
11.0–19.3 |
| 10–14 |
11.5 |
7.8–15.2 |
| 15–24 |
11.0 |
8.7–13.4 |
| 24–34 |
7.3 |
5.5–9.1 |
| 35–44 |
8.4 |
6.7–10.1 |
| 45–54 |
6.4 |
4.8–8.1 |
| 55–64 |
7.0 |
5.1–8.8 |
| 65–74 |
8.5 |
5.5–11.5 |
| 75+ |
6.9 |
4.4–9.4 |
Note: Age-standardised to the Australian population as at June 2001.
Source: Australian Centre for Asthma Monitoring (ACAM) 2011. Asthma in Australia 2011, AIHW Asthma Series no. 4, cat. no. ACM 22, Canberra: AIHW.
Prevalence of current asthma among females by age, 2007–08
| Females |
Per cent |
95% CI |
| 0–4 |
7.6 |
5.2–10.0 |
| 5–9 |
10.2 |
7.1–13.3 |
| 10–14 |
7.0 |
4.9–9.0 |
| 15–24 |
11.1 |
9.0–13.3 |
| 24–34 |
11.7 |
9.9–13.6 |
| 35–44 |
12.1 |
10.0–14.2 |
| 45–54 |
11.2 |
9.2–13.3 |
| 55–64 |
11.3 |
9.0–13.7 |
| 65–74 |
10.3 |
7.7–12.8 |
| 75+ |
13.4 |
10.3–16.5 |
Note: Age-standardised to the Australian population as at June 2001.
Source: Australian Centre for Asthma Monitoring (ACAM) 2011. Asthma in Australia 2011, AIHW Asthma Series no. 4, cat. no. ACM 22, Canberra: AIHW.
Prevalence of asthma among Indigenous and non-Indigenous people by age group, 2004–05
| Age group |
Indigenous males |
|
Indigenous females |
|
non-Indigenous males |
|
non-Indigenous females |
| Per cent |
95% CI |
Per cent |
95% CI |
Per cent |
95% CI |
Per cent |
95% CI |
| 0–14 |
15.5 |
12.8–18.2 |
|
12.4 |
9.9–15.0 |
|
12.7 |
11.1–14.3 |
|
9.8 |
8.3–11.4 |
| 15–34 |
10.7 |
8.1–13.3 |
|
20.2 |
17.0–23.3 |
|
9.2 |
8.0–10.5 |
|
13.8 |
12.3–15.2 |
| 35–54 |
7.4 |
5.4–9.4 |
|
23.2 |
19.6–26.8 |
|
7.0 |
6.0–7.9 |
|
10.8 |
9.5–12.1 |
| 55+ |
18.7 |
9.4–27.9 |
|
22.2 |
15.2–29.3 |
|
7.7 |
6.5–8.9 |
|
10.5 |
9.3–11.7 |
Note: Age-standardised to the Australian population as at June 2001.
Source: Australian Centre for Asthma Monitoring (ACAM) 2011. Asthma in Australia 2011, AIHW Asthma Series no. 4, cat. no. ACM 22, Canberra: AIHW.
Prevalence of current asthma by country of birth and year of arrival in Australia, 2007–08
| Origin |
Per cent |
95% CI |
| Born in Australia |
11.1 |
10.3–11.7 |
| English speaking born overseas, arrived on or before 1985 |
12.5 |
7.7–17.2 |
| English speaking born overseas, arrived on or after 1986 |
6.7 |
4.7–8.7 |
| Non English speaking born overseas, arrived on or before 1985 |
6.9 |
4.1–9.6 |
| Non English speaking born overseas, arrived on or after 1986 |
3.9 |
2.6–5.3 |
Note: Age-standardised to the Australian population as at June 2001.
Source: Australian Centre for Asthma Monitoring (ACAM) 2011. Asthma in Australia 2011, AIHW Asthma Series no. 4, cat. no. ACM 22, Canberra: AIHW.
Prevalence of current asthma by remoteness, 2007–08
|
Per cent |
95% CI |
| Major cities |
9.2 |
8.5–9.9 |
| Inner regional |
11.5 |
10.2–12.8 |
| Other areas |
11.4 |
9.7–13.1 |
Note: Age-standardised to the Australian population as at June 2001.
Source: Australian Centre for Asthma Monitoring (ACAM) 2011. Asthma in Australia 2011, AIHW Asthma Series no. 4, cat. no. ACM 22, Canberra: AIHW.
Prevalence of current asthma by socioecononic status, 2007–08
|
Per cent |
95% CI |
| SEIFA 1 (most disadvantaged) |
11.4 |
10.3–12.7 |
| SEIFA 2 |
11.0 |
9.8–12.2 |
| SEIFA 3 |
10.3 |
9.0–11.6 |
| SEIFA 4 |
9.6 |
7.8–11.4 |
| SEIFA 5 (least disadvantaged) |
7.7 |
6.7–8.7 |
Note: Age-standardised to the Australian population as at June 2001.
Source: Australian Centre for Asthma Monitoring (ACAM) 2011. Asthma in Australia 2011, AIHW Asthma Series no. 4, cat. no. ACM 22, Canberra: AIHW.