Tobacco
Tobacco smoking is the leading preventable cause of poor health and death in Australia (AIHW 2019b).
Around 1 in 6
Australian men smoke daily
The main data sources reporting on tobacco smoking in Australia are:
Based on the:
- 2017–18 ABS NHS, 16.5% of men aged 18 or over and 2.4% of boys aged 15–17 years smoked daily (ABS 2018)
- 2016 AIHW NDSHS, 14.6% of men aged 18 or over and 2.7% of males aged 14–19 smoked daily (AIHW 2017b).
Based on the NDSHS, there has been a long-term downward trend in tobacco smoking in Australia amongst males aged 14 and over, decreasing from 20.9% in 2001 to 13.8% in 2016. Younger males are starting smoking later, with the average age when a male had their first full cigarette increasing from 15.1 years in 2001 to 16.6 years in 2016 (AIHW 2017b).
In general, smoking rates among adult men (aged 18 years and over) varied by age-group, peaking during middle age and decreasing with increasing age, with rates lowest among men aged 75 and over (5.1%) (ABS 2018).
Daily smoking varied for some population groups. After adjusting for differences in age structure (ABS 2019a, AIHW 2017a):
- according to 2017–18 data, men living in Outer regional and remote areas were 1.5 times as likely to smoke daily as men in Major cities (23.5% and 15.7%, respectively)
- men living in the lowest socioeconomic areas were 3 times as likely to smoke daily as men in the highest areas (26.4% and 8.7%, respectively) (Figure 9)
- according to 2014–15 data, 43.9% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men aged 18 and over smoked daily. After adjusting for age, Indigenous men were 2.5 times as likely to smoke daily as non-Indigenous men.
Chart: AIHW. Source: ABS 2019a see (Table S8 for footnotes).
Alcohol
Excessive alcohol consumption is a major risk factor for a variety of health problems, including liver and heart conditions, and poor mental health. It also contributes to accident and injury, such as motor vehicle accidents, physical violence and homicide.
1 in 2
Australian men are exceeding single occasion risky drinking guidelines
The main data sources reporting on alcohol consumption in Australia are the AIHW National Drug Strategy Household Survey and the ABS National Health Survey. Although these surveys use different methodologies, they show similar results.
Based on the most recent data from the ABS NHS, in 2017–18:
- 1 in 4 men aged 18 and over (24%) exceeded the lifetime risk guideline—consuming more than two standard drinks per day, on average.
- more than 1 in 2 men (54%) exceeded the single occasion risk guideline—consuming more than four standard drinks on any one occasion (Figure 10) (ABS 2019a).
Based on the NDSHS, there has been a long-term downward trend in alcohol consumption at risky levels in Australia amongst men, with the proportion of males aged 14 and over who exceeded the lifetime risk guideline decreasing from 30% in 2007 to 25% in 2016. The proportion of men drinking alcohol daily has also decreased from 12% in 2004 to 7.6% in 2016 (AIHW 2017b).
Note: Totals may not add to 100% due to rounding.
Chart: AIHW. Source: ABS 2019a (see Table S9 for footnotes).
Lifetime risk
The proportion of men exceeding the lifetime risk guideline varied by age group. According to 2017–18 data from the ABS NHS, 3 in 10 men aged 55–64 (29%) exceeded the lifetime risk guideline compared with 3 in 20 men aged 18–24 (15%) (Figure 11) (ABS 2019a).
The proportion of men who exceed the lifetime risk guideline varied for some population groups. After adjusting for differences in age structure (ABS 2013, ABS 2019a):
- according to 2017–18 data, men living in Outer regional and remote areas were 1.6 times as likely to exceed lifetime alcohol risk guideline as men in Major cities (37% and 22%, respectively)
- In 2012–13, 29% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men exceeded the lifetime alcohol risk guideline. This was the same proportion as for non-Indigenous males.
Chart: AIHW. Source: ABS 2019a (see Table S9 for footnotes)
Single occasion risk
The proportion of men exceeding the single occasion risk guideline varied by age group. According to 2017–18 data, men aged 18–24 were 4 times as likely to exceed the single occasion risk guideline as men 75 and over (67% and 16%, respectively) (Figure 12) (ABS 2019a).
Exceeding the single occasion guideline varied for some population groups. After adjusting for age (ABS 2019a):
- men living in Inner regional areas were 1.3 times as likely to exceed this guideline as men in Outer regional and remote areas (66% and 53%, respectively)
- men living in the highest socioeconomic areas were 1.3 times as likely to exceed this guideline as men living in the lowest socioeconomic areas (61% and 48%, respectively).
Chart: AIHW. Source: ABS 2019a (see Table S8 for footnotes).
For more information, see Alcohol and Alcohol, tobacco & other drugs in Australia.
Illicit substances
Illicit substance use includes:
- use of illegal drugs, such as cannabis and heroin
- inappropriate use of prescription pharmaceuticals, such as sleeping pills
- inappropriate use of other substances, such as naturally occurring hallucinogens.
Illicit use of drugs can cause death and disability and is a risk factor for many diseases. The effects of short and long-term illicit drug use can be severe and can lead to poisoning, heart damage, mental illness and other adverse outcomes (AIHW 2017b). Illicit drug use is also associated with risks to users' families and friends and to the community. It contributes to social and family disruptions, violence, and crime and community safety issues. The AIHW National Drug Strategy Household Survey reports on illicit drug use in Australia.
In 2016, around 1 in 5 (18%) of Australian males aged 14 years and over had used an illicit drug or substance in the previous 12 months (AIHW 2017b).
The pattern of illicit drug or substance use differs by age groups—around 1 in 3 men aged 20–29 (32%) had used illicit drugs or substances in the previous 12 months, compared with around 1 in 13 men aged 60 or over (7.9%).
For more information, see Alcohol, tobacco & other drugs in Australia.