The Conversation
With one in two Australians now suffering from a chronic disease, it’s essential we have safety nets designed to protect patients who need ongoing, costly primary care or hospitalisation. – federal health minister, Sussan Ley, press release, October 21, 2015.
According to the Minister’s office, Minister Ley’s comment was based on the chronic disease data released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) in August this year.
The report looked at eight chronic diseases: arthritis, asthma, back problems, cancer, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), CVD (cardiovascular disease), diabetes and mental health conditions. Other notable chronic diseases such as kidney disease, oral disease and visual impairment were not included.
The report found that:
Nearly five in ten Australians (46%) have at least one of the eight selected chronic diseases.
What is a chronic disease?
Chronic diseases, also known as non-communicable diseases, are long term health conditions which usually develop slowly and are potentially preventable.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) focuses primarily on four non-communicable diseases - cardiovascular diseases, cancers, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes because they account for an estimated 56% of global deaths and 82% of non-communicable disease deaths.
The current public consultation draft of Australia’s National Strategic Framework for Chronic Conditions has used the term “chronic conditions” to describe a broad range of chronic and complex health conditions across the spectrum of illness, mental illness and injury in order to move away from a disease-specific approach.
Things could be worse than we think
The AIHW analysis that formed the basis of Ley’s assertion was based on self-reported data. Survey participants responded to questions on whether they had ever been told by a doctor or nurse that they had any of the eight listed health conditions.
The proportion of Australians with a chronic disease varies according to age group. Chronic disease is relatively uncommon in young people and becomes increasingly frequent with increasing age.
Verdict
The Minister’s statement is generally correct and indeed is likely to be an underestimate. The AIHW analysis suggests that almost half of all Australians have at least one of the eight selected chronic diseases.
It is likely that more than half of all Australians have a chronic disease, if chronic diseases other than those eight are also considered, and more accurate and reliable data such as biomedical testing and medical records are collected and used.
This is a considered analysis. It is concerning that one in two adult Australians have a chronic disease and that this shocking figure is likely to be an underestimate.
