Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2021) Practice Incentives Program Quality Improvement Measures: National report on the first year of data 2020-21, AIHW, Australian Government, accessed 07 June 2023.
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2021). Practice Incentives Program Quality Improvement Measures: National report on the first year of data 2020-21. Retrieved from https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/primary-health-care/pipqi-measures-national-report-2020-21
Practice Incentives Program Quality Improvement Measures: National report on the first year of data 2020-21. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 27 August 2021, https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/primary-health-care/pipqi-measures-national-report-2020-21
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Practice Incentives Program Quality Improvement Measures: National report on the first year of data 2020-21 [Internet]. Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2021 [cited 2023 Jun. 7]. Available from: https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/primary-health-care/pipqi-measures-national-report-2020-21
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) 2021, Practice Incentives Program Quality Improvement Measures: National report on the first year of data 2020-21, viewed 7 June 2023, https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/primary-health-care/pipqi-measures-national-report-2020-21
Tobacco smoking is the leading cause of preventable diseases and death in Australia. Smoking was responsible for 9.3% of the total burden of disease in Australia in 2015, making it the leading risk factor contributing to disease burden. Almost three-quarters (73%) of the burden due to smoking was due to premature death (AIHW 2019). Successful public health strategies over many decades have resulted in a significant decline in daily smoking proportions. Despite these positive changes, the harm from tobacco smoking continues to affect current smokers and ex-smokers, as well as non-smokers through their exposure to second-hand smoke (AIHW 2019).
Where a smoking status was recorded elsewhere (for example, smoking rehabilitation centre, community health centre etc.) and the information is not recorded in the clinical information system of the client’s usual general practice (for example, due to incompatible clinical information system between a practice and another service), then these data may not be captured in the report.
Data on prevalence of health risk factors such as smoking status are captured in the National Health Survey (NHS) conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), the National Drug Strategy Household Survey (NDSHS) conducted by the AIHW and the survey on smoking conducted by the Cancer Council Victoria.
This indicator contains two parts:
As of July 2021, nationally, 66.1% of regular clients aged 15 years and over had their smoking status recorded in their GP record (where recorded means in the previous 12 months for those aged 15-29 and since the age of 30 for those aged 30 years and over). This varied from 55.4% to 73.7% across PHNs.
Figure 8: Proportion of regular clients aged 15 years and over with a smoking status recorded, in their GP record, by PHN, July 2021
Nationally between October 2020 and July 2021, the proportion of regular clients with a smoking status recorded in their GP record decreased by 2.3%, from 68.4% and 66.1% respectively.
Figure 9: National proportion of regular clients aged 15 years and over with a smoking status recorded, in their GP record, by PHN, July 2021
Separate graphs are provided for the 15-34 years and the 35 years and over age groups. It is difficult to compare the results captured in Figures 10a and 10b because the counting rules for whether smoking status is recorded changes from the age of 30 years. The age group most affected by this change, 25-34 years, cannot be separated due to the way the specifications were developed. The AIHW is working with stakeholders to review the counting rules behind these specifications and to align the data capture.
As of July 2021, nationally, the proportion of regular clients who were aged 15 to 34 years, whose most recent smoking status was recorded in their GP was:
Figure 10a: Proportion of regular clients aged 15-34 years with a smoking status recorded in their GP record, by age and sex, July 2021
As of July 2021, nationally, the proportion of regular clients who were aged 35 years and over (whose most recent smoking status was recorded in their GP record since turning 30 years) increased with age and was:
Figure 10b: Proportion of regular clients aged 35 years and over with a smoking status recorded in their GP record, since turning 30 years, by age and sex, July 2021
As of July 2021, nationally, 14.7% of regular clients aged 15 years and over, whose smoking status was recorded in their GP record, were classified as current smokers. This varied from 7.4% to 23.5% across PHNs.
Figure 11: Proportion of regular clients aged 15 years and over whose smoking status was recorded in their GP record who were classified as a “current smoker”, by PHN, July 2021
As of July 2021, nationally, 22.4% of regular clients aged 15 years and over whose smoking status was recorded in their GP record were classified as ex-smokers. This varied from 13.9% to 31.8% across PHNs.
Figure 12: Proportion of regular clients aged 15 years and over whose smoking status was recorded in their GP record who were classified as an “ex-smoker”, by PHN, July 2021
As of July 2021, nationally, 62.8% of regular clients aged 15 years and over whose smoking status was recorded in their GP record were classified as never having smoked. This varied from 50.8% to 74.9% across PHNs.
Figure 13: Proportion of regular clients aged 15 years and whose smoking status was recorded in their GP record who were classified as “never smoked”, by PHN, July 2021
As of July 2021, nationally, the proportion of regular clients whose smoking status was recorded in their GP record and who were classified as current smokers was:
Figure 14: Proportion of regular clients aged 15 years and over with a record of smoking status as “current smoker”, in their GP record, by age and sex, July 2021
As of July 2021, nationally, the proportion of regular clients whose smoking status was recorded in their GP record and who were classified as ex-smokers was:
Figure 15: Proportion of regular clients aged 15 years and over with a record of smoking status as “ex-smoker”, in their GP record, by age and sex, July 2021
As of July 2021, nationally, the proportion of regular clients whose smoking status was recorded in their GP record and who were classified as never having smoked was:
Figure 16: Proportion of regular clients aged 15 years and over with a record of smoking status as “never smoked”, in their GP record, by age and sex, July 2021
Nationally between October 2020 and July 2021, the proportion of regular clients with:
Figure 17: Proportion of regular clients aged 15 years and over with a record of smoking status, in their GP record, October 2020 to July 2021
QIM 2a: smoking status recorded
QIM 2b: smoking status result
AIHW 2019. Burden of tobacco use in Australia: Australian Burden of Disease Study 2015. Australian Burden of Disease series no. 21. Cat. no. BOD 20. Canberra: AIHW. doi:10.25816/5ebca654fa7de
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