Long-term health condition(s)
Long-term health conditions are diagnosed by a doctor or nurse, last six months or longer and include health conditions that:
- may recur from time to time, or
- are controlled by medication, or
- are in remission.
These variables record the type of selected long-term health condition(s) a person has reported. Respondents can record multiple long-term health conditions including:
- arthritis
- asthma
- cancer (including remission)
- dementia (including Alzheimer’s)
- diabetes (excluding gestational diabetes)
- heart disease (including heart attack or angina)
- kidney disease
- lung condition (including COPD or emphysema)
- mental health condition (including depression or anxiety)
- stroke
- any other long-term health condition(s).
This report also presents data for those who had at least one long-term health condition (including any other long-term health conditions) and those who reported having 'heart disease or stroke'. A limitation of the long-term health condition variables in the 2021 Census is that the data rely on the responses from a single question, unlike the ABS surveys that have a detailed set of questions to capture the information on the conditions more accurately.
For more information on the purpose, collection method, advantages and limitations of the long-term health conditions in the Census see Comparing ABS long-term health conditions data sources.