Self-reported long-term health conditions
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Introduction
Self-reported long-term health conditions in humanitarian entrants
Self-reported long-term health conditions in humanitarian entrants by time since arrival in Australia
Self-reported long-term health conditions in humanitarian entrants by country of birth
In 2021, humanitarian entrants were less likely to self-report living with one or more long-term health condition(s) compared with the rest of the Australian population and more likely when compared with other permanent migrants.
Compared with the rest of the Australian population aged 50 and over, humanitarian entrants within the same age group were more likely to self-report living with one or more long-term health condition(s) (Figure 4.1).
The following data visualisation (Figure 4.1) provides a bar chart and data table, which can be accessed by using the tabs (top left-hand side).
Figure 4.1: Rate of one or more self-reported long-term health condition(s) by population cohort and age, 2021
For all age groups the rate is highest in those aged over 80 years. The rate is highest in the rest of the Australian population for age groups 0–49 years.
Self-reported long-term health conditions in humanitarian entrants
Based on data from the 2021 Census, humanitarian entrants self-reported a range of long-term health conditions including diabetes, mental health conditions, arthritis and asthma (Figure 4.2).
The following data visualisation (Figure 4.2) provides a bar chart and data table, which can be accessed by using the tabs (top left-hand side).
Figure 4.2: Rate of self-reported long-term health conditions in humanitarian entrants, 2021
Diabetes was the condition with the highest rate in humanitarian entrants.
For most of the self-reported long-term health conditions, the rate was higher in humanitarian entrants than other permanent migrants and lower than the rest of the Australian population (Table 4.1).
When the age-standardised rate of self-reported long-term health conditions was compared across the population groups:
- humanitarian entrants had a higher rate of diabetes, kidney disease, stroke, heart disease and dementia compared with the rest of the Australian population
- humanitarian entrants had a lower rate of arthritis, asthma, cancer, chronic lung conditions and mental health conditions compared with the rest of the Australian population
- humanitarian entrants and other permanent migrants had a higher rate of kidney disease compared with the rest of the Australian population.
Condition | Comparison to other permanent migrants | Comparison to the rest of the Australian population |
Diabetes | 70% higher | 80% higher |
Kidney disease | 130% higher | 80% higher |
Stroke | 80% higher | 40% higher |
Dementia | 60% higher | 30% higher |
Heart disease | 40% higher | 10% higher |
Arthritis | 50% higher | 20% lower |
Chronic lung conditions | 30% higher | 50% lower |
Mental health conditions | 50% higher | 50% lower |
Asthma | Equal rate | 60% lower |
Cancer | 40% lower | 60% lower |
Notes: Comparisons are based on the rate ratio of age-standardised rates in humanitarian entrants and age-standardised rate in the comparison cohort. For a rate ratio of 1.5 indicates a rate that is 50% higher than the comparison cohort.
Source: AIHW analysis of PLIDA, 2021.
Self-reported long-term health conditions in humanitarian entrants by time since arrival in Australia
Based on the Census 2021 data, humanitarian entrants who arrived less than 5 years ago, 5–10 years and more than 10 years ago self-reported a range of long-term health conditions (Figure 4.3)
For more information about reporting by time since arrival in Australia see Data sources and methods.
The following data visualisation (Figure 4.3) provides a bar chart and data table, which can be accessed by using the tabs (top left-hand side).
Figure 4.3: Age-standardised rate of self-reported long-term health conditions for the humanitarian entrant population by time since arrival in Australia, 2021
Humanitarian entrants who arrived less than 5 years ago were less likely to self-report mental health conditions.
Self-reported long-term health conditions in humanitarian entrants by country of birth
The rate of humanitarian entrants who reported living with one or more long-term health condition(s) differs by country of birth. In 2021:
- 41% of humanitarian entrants born in Bhutan were living with one or more long-term health condition(s)
- over 3 in 10 humanitarian entrants born in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Kuwait were living with one or more long-term health condition(s) (38%, 34%, 32% respectively).
For some countries of birth, some permanent migrant populations had a higher self-reported rate of one or more long-term health condition(s) than humanitarian entrants. For example:
- Permanent migrants born in Malawi had a higher rate of living with at least one long-term health condition(s) compared with humanitarian entrants born in Malawi (24% compared with 3.7%).
- Permanent migrants born in Malaysia, Zambia and Tanzania had a higher rate of living with least one long-term health condition(s) compared with humanitarian entrants born in these countries (5.3% compared with 17%, 6.0% compared with 24% and 6.7% compared with 20%, respectively).
Data on the self-reported rate of specific long-term health conditions by country of birth, including comparisons to other permanent migrants, can be explored using the Interactive data visualisation: Self-reported long-term health conditions by country of birth (Figure 4.7). Additional details including population sizes and numbers reporting each long-term health condition can be found in the supplementary data table S3.3.
For more information about reporting by country of birth see Data sources and methods.
References
Person-Level Integrated Data Asset (PLIDA), 2021, PLIDA Modular Product, ABS DataLab. Findings based on use of PLIDA data.