A report pulling together a mass of Australian health statistics has revealed just how we’re travelling as a country when it comes to our health and well being, and overall the picture is positive, though there are some areas of concern too.
According to the report compiled by an online financial company, Australians can potentially expect to live to 83.2 years of age, which is 81.2 men and 85.3 for women. In 1990, men were expected to live 73.9 years and women 80.1.
Over the last century, there has been a dramatic increase in life expectancy. If you were born in the early 1900s you could expect to live to around 55.
One reason could well be the fall in tobacco use – that’s fallen to 11% of adults smoking now, down 24% since 1990.
People’s satisfaction with life overall has been rated at a 6.7 out of a possible 10 and the current cancer survival rate is 70% – up from 52% in 1989-1993.
The main causes of death in Australia vary by sex with the leading cause for men months being coronary heart disease followed by dementia (including Alzheimer’s disease), and lung cancer.
For women, the leading cause is dementia, followed by coronary heart disease, and cerebrovascular disease.
Chronic conditions are more prevalent in the over 45s, while external causes such as accidents and suicide are the leading causes for those aged under 44.
Australians spent an average of $7926 per person on health between 2019 and 2020 with 85% seeing a GP and only 48% seeking consultations with a dental professional. Some 16.6 million patients had a prescription filled, with 33% of medicines used to treat cardiovascular conditions (on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.)
There are 642,000 health practitioners working in their registered professions, which includes 350,000 nurses and midwives, 105,300 medical practitioners or doctors, and 21,500 dental practitioners.
Australia has nearly as many private hospitals as it does public hospitals with 2.5 hospital beds per 1000 population, spread across 695 public hospitals and 657 private hospitals.
Medicare was used 36.6 million times for subsidised medical specialist consultations provided to 34% of the population.
One really disturbing figure is the incidence of suicide and mental illness with an average of nine people dying every day by suicide in 2020.
More than half (52%) were people between the ages of 30-59, compared with 24% for those aged 15-29, and 23% for those over 60.
Suicide is the leading cause of death for young people aged 15-24, however, the suicide rates by comparison are higher for those in their 40s.
The highest suicide rate is found in men between the ages of 40-44 and 50-54.
According to the report, Australia performs above average or better than many countries with a more desirable rank in terms of life expectancy at birth, cardiovascular disease deaths, infant mortality, perceived health status, and tobacco smoking in the OECD.
However, we rate poorly in terms of cancer incidence (including skin cancer or melanoma), apparent alcohol consumption, and overweight/obesity.
The report was compiled by Savvy, an Australian online financial broker.
