Frequency of health services use by ex-serving members
The results in the previous section focused on the proportion of ex-serving ADF members who accessed health services. However, understanding how often health services are used helps identify overall service demand, typical use patterns among users and variation in healthcare use across the cohort. This section examines the average number of services used per person per year and average number of services used per person per year among those who used each health service type in that year.
On average, ex-serving members used 42.8 in-scope health services per person per year in 2019–20. This was higher than the 31.6 services per person per year used by ex-serving members in 2013–14. These averages reflect use across the entire cohort, including ex-serving members who did not access health services.
Females had lower average per person health service use than males in 2019–20 (39.8 compared with 42.8), consistent with trends observed across the period.
The average health services used per person per year increased with age. Ex-serving members aged 65 and older used over 6 times the amount of health services than ex-serving members aged 17 to 24 years in 2019–20. The average number of health services used per ex-serving member in 2019–20 by age group is shown in Figure 2. These patterns were generally similar with the Australian population (see comparing health services use) (AIHW 2024; AIHW 2025).
Figure 2: Average health services used per ex-serving member in 2019-20 by age group
Bar chart showing the volume of health services used in 2019-20 comparing by age group for males, females and all ex-serving members.
| Sex | 17–24 | 25–34 | 35–44 | 45–54 | 55–64 | 65+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male | 12.25 | 19.26 | 23.18 | 29.9 | 50.02 | 105.57 |
| Female | 29.8 | 35.03 | 32.25 | 37.39 | 47.41 | 69.01 |
| Persons | 16.33 | 21.61 | 24.76 | 31.33 | 49.6 | 103.32 |
Source: AIHW Veterans Health Dataset (VHD), July 2014–June 2020
The most used health service per person per year was PBS dispensings followed by MBS services and DVA-funded MBS equivalent services. Although MBS services were accessed by more ex-serving members overall (83% in 2019-20), PBS dispensings had a higher average use per person (15.1 dispensings per person in 2019–20). Table 1 shows the average number of health services used by health service type and Figure 3 shows this by age and sex.
Health service | 2013–14 | 2019–20 | Change from 2013–14 to 2019–20 |
|---|---|---|---|
PBS prescriptions dispensed | 12.1 | 15.1 | 25% |
MBS services | 11.7 | 13.9 | 18% |
- GP services | 4.4 | 5.1 | 17% |
- Specialist attendances | 0.9 | 1.0 | 15% |
- Allied health attendances | 0.6 | 0.8 | 24% |
DVA-funded MBS equivalent services* | 7.3 (29.2 for DVA clients only) | 13.1 (36.3 for DVA clients only) | 81% (24%) |
Hospital admissions | 0.3 | 0.4 | 30% |
ED presentations | 0.2 | 0.2 | 8% |
Source: AIHW Veterans Health Dataset (VHD), July 2014–June 2020. *Average volume for DVA-funded MBS equivalent services are presented based on all ex-serving members to provide them in the context of other health services used. They are also presented (in parenthesis) for DVA clients only given that only DVA clients can receive these services.
Figure 3: Average number of health services used per person per year among ex-serving members by year, 2013–14 to 2019–20
Chart showing the number of health services used and average health services used per ex-serving member for each year between 2013-14 and 2019-20, by service type, age and sex.
Note: Average volume for DVA-funded MBS equivalent services are presented based on all ex-serving members.
This report also considered the average health service use for only ex-serving members who had accessed each health service type. By this measure, the highest average number of health service use per user in 2019–20 was for DVA-funded MBS equivalent services (66 services per person), followed by PBS dispensings (22 per person) and MBS services (17 services per person). The lowest average number of health services per user was for ED presentations (1.6 services per person) and allied health (2.2 services per person).
Frequency of mental health service use
On average, ex-serving members used 3.7 in-scope mental health services per person per year in 2019–20. This was higher than the 2.8 per person per year used by ex-serving members in 2013–14. These averages reflect use across the entire cohort, including ex-serving members who did not access health services. Among only those who used mental health services, average use of mental health services per user per year was 12.5 services in 2019–20, up from 10.7 in 2013–14.
Females had higher average mental health service use than males in 2019–20 (4.8 compared with 3.5), consistent with trends observed across the period. However, average use was similar by sex among only those who used a mental health service.
Mental health service use was relatively consistent across age groups among ex-serving members aged 25 and older, ranging from 3.3 to 3.9 services per person in 2019–20. In contrast, ex-serving members aged 17 to 24 years used fewer mental health services on average (1.8 services per person in 2019–20).
Most mental health services that ex-serving members used in 2019–20 were for PBS services (2.6 per person, which accounted for 69% of all mental health services) followed by DVA-funded MBS equivalent services (0.7 services per person). Among DVA clients only, the average number of DVA-funded MBS equivalent mental health services was higher at 2.0 per person per year.
This report also considered the average number of health service use for only ex-serving members who had accessed each mental health service type. By this measure, the highest average number of mental health services per user per year in 2019–20 was for DVA-funded MBS equivalent services (10 services) and PBS dispensings (10 services).
Characteristics associated with higher use of health services
This section presents differences in average health services use per person per year across demographic and ADF-related characteristics.
For each characteristic, the average health service use per person was calculated for each subgroup, and results are presented as ratios relative to a designated reference group. Reference groups were selected based on the category with the largest number of individuals (most frequent group), to provide stable comparisons. For example, males, being aged 45–54 years and those who separated voluntarily from ADF were used as reference groups for sex, age and separation reason as these were the most common categories in the cohort.
Ex-serving members who used a higher average number of health services per person in 2019–20 for any health service (including mental and non-mental health) were:
- aged 65 years or over compared with 45–54 years (3.3 times higher)
- separated from the Air Force (1.3 times higher) and Navy (1.1 times higher) compared with Army (this association may partly reflect that those separated from the Air Force were older on average)
- Officer ranks compared with other ranks (1.2 times higher)
- in service for 20 or more years compared with 1 to 5 years (3.1 times higher) (this association may partly reflect that those who served for longer periods were older on average)
- involuntary medical separated compared to voluntarily separated (2.8 times higher)
- DVA clients compared with non-DVA clients (2.9 times higher)
- DVA Gold card holders compared with white card holders (3.3 times higher) (this association may partly reflect greater access to health services for DVA clients and Gold card holders).
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2024) Medicines in the health system, AIHW, Australian Government, accessed 08 August 2025.
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2025) General practice, allied health and other primary care services, AIHW, Australian Government, accessed 08 August 2025.