The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) has published Australia’s Health 2008, and it is freely available online.
This 600 page publication provides a comprehensive and detailed statistical picture of what is happening in the Australian health care system.
This is the 11th biennial report, and the focus of this edition is on equity. The chapter entitled “Whose health?” examines population groups, and highlights health differentials and issues of equity.
For the first time, a key feature of this year’s report is the inclusion of data that reflects the measurement of performance against the set of National Health Performance Indicators developed by the National Health Performance Committee in 2002.
The report shows that Australians enjoy one of the highest life expectancies in the world - an average of 81.4 years, second only to Japan.
Australia is also a leader in vaccinating children, and in vaccinating older people against influenza. Over 90% of children are fully vaccinated against major preventable childhood diseases by the time they are two years of age.
The AIHW Director, Dr Penny Allbon, said it was clear from the report that there was great scope for health improvements through tackling the so-called 'lifestyle' health risk factors. "In rank order, the greatest improvements can be achieved through reductions in tobacco-smoking, high blood pressure, overweight/obesity, physical inactivity, high blood cholesterol, and excessive alcohol consumption."
"The prevalence of diabetes, which is strongly related to these risk factors, has doubled in the past two decades", Dr Allbon said.
"Of similar concern is that 7.4 million adults were overweight in 2004-05, with over 30% of those being obese. And close to 3 in 10 children and young people are overweight or obese."
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