Chronic Conditions in Australia

Chronic conditions, also known as non-communicable diseases, are prevalent in Australia. This article discusses their prevalence, risk factors, and policies to manage them. It also highlights the impact of chronic conditions on the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The article concludes with a comparison of Australia's performance in managing chronic conditions with other countries.

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Chronic Conditions in Australia
Also known as non-communicable diseases (NCDs), chronic conditions refer to medical illnesses
that are not transmittable from one person to another. These diseases can progress slowly and last
for a long period. These conditions include cancer, autoimmune diseases, stroke,and heart
disease as well as diabetes, just to mention a few (Hunter and Reddy, 2013).Australia is
considered one of the most developed countries in the world and therefore like many other
developed nations, it has a major problem with chronic illnesses. The most common chronic
disease among Australians is hypertension (high blood pressure).Hyperlipidemia (high
cholesterol), osteoarthritis, asthma, anxiety,and depression are also very common. An estimated
50.8 % of the Australian population has at least a single chronic condition. 17.4% of the
population have hypertension, 12.7% hyperlipidemia, depression (10.5%), osteoarthritis (11.1%),
and asthma (8.0%) (Harrison et al., 2013).
Biomedical risk factors are human conditions that pose specific and direct risks to health, for
example, hypertension. They are habitually influenced by health behaviors such as physical
activity and diet. Conversely, they can additionally be influenced by socioeconomic, genetic as
well as psychological aspects. Altering biomedical risk factors can diminish a person’s
possibility of developing a chronic condition.Certain chronic conditions influence the occurrence
of further illnesses, for instance, a larger percentage of people with cardiovascular disease have
abnormal blood lipids which can result in hyperlipidemia. That is, 78 percent compared with 63
% of adults in Australia with abnormal amounts of lipids in their blood but do not suffer from
heart disease. Other risk factors of chronic conditions relate to the behavior and the environment
of the individual (WHO, 2016). In addition, there are non-modifiable risk factors (person’s

psychological and physical aspects) as well as the social and economic determinants of health
which include education, income, cultures and beliefs of the individual (AIHW, 2012).
The chronic diseases affect older people more than younger individuals as 84 percent of the
burden of disease resulting from obesity and overweight is among persons aged between 45 and
84. The risk factors of these conditions are often overweight, obesity, lack of physical exercises
and other activities such as smoking and excessing alcohol consumption. 7 percent of the total
disease burden in Australia is due to overweight and obesity. 53 % of diabetes cases results from
these factors as well (AIHW, 2014). In addition, people in lower socioeconomic regions suffer
from chronic diseases more than their rich counterparts indicated by a 1.5 times differential in
the burden of disease. 1.7 times the rate of disease burden is experienced by people in very
remote regions in comparison with those in the major metropolitan areas of the country. Another
social group that is adversely affected by chronic conditions in Australia are the Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander people. These are Australia’s first peoples, also known as the indigenous
Australians who have undergone extreme adversities since the colonization of the nation by
European settlers. These hardships affect their health in addition to declining its abundance.
These indigenous Australians experience the burden of disease 2.3 times more as compared to
non-indigenous people (AIHW, 2014).
In 1999, Australia established an Enhanced Primary Care (EPC) to improve the coordination of
care among people with complex care requirements as well as those with chronic conditions. The
aim of this scheme was to provide a multidisciplinary approach to caring for individuals with
chronic conditions and to health care in general. It worked along other associations such as the
Practice Incentive Program (PIP) and Service Incentive Payments (SIP) to provide financial
incentives to General Practitioners (GPs) to promote coordination of health care services. There

were, however, inconsistencies in the uptake of these incentives by the GPs due to complex and
inflexible administration structures causing managerial issues (Nolte and Knai, 2008).
Australia is still trying to deal with chronic issues by coming up with various policies and
frameworks such as:the Australian National Diabetes Strategy 2016-2020, the National Strategic
Framework for Chronic Conditions and the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health
Plan 2013-2023.
The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan is an evidence-based directorial
framework which guides all policies, programs and stratagems developed to promote the health
of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. This group of people’s destitutionhas vastly
affected their health and wellbeing (Vos et al., 2009). These challenges include
institutionalization, abuse,and displacement from the country. One historical event that acts as a
trauma to this group of people is The Stolen Generations whereby the Australian State and
Federalgovernment organizations and church missions, under acts of their corresponding
parliaments removed children of the Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent
from their families. In 2008, a probable 8% of people from this group aged 15 and over
recounted being detached from their natural family and 38% had kinsfolks who had been
removed from their family (ABS 2009). This can be intergenerational trauma, affecting the
health and wellbeing of children of the subsequent generations (Atkinson, 2013).
More of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people suffer from chronic conditions than
non-indigenous Australians and also a larger percentage of them are involved in smoking and
alcoholism. Cardiovascular diseases lead to the death of 25% of this groups population while
cancer causes 20 %, making these two diseases the leading causes of death among the Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander people. Endocrine, nutritional and metabolic disorders,and respiratory

conditions are also conspicuous causes of death among these people as they lead to 8.9% and
7.9% of all deceases respectively (AIHW, 2016). The framework was developed as a part of the
efforts to close the gap between the health and life expectancy of the indigenous Australians and
non-indigenous Australians (ISLANDER, 2013). It advocates for accountability and partnership
with various organizations, the government and peak bodies of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander people to solve the varied health issues faced by this group of people (Kimpton, 2013).
Its vision is to ensure a health system lacking of racism and inequality and one that is affordable,
effective and appropriate to all Australians. Also, it takes into account the enhancement of the
social determinants of health among these people as these are the main causes of ill health among
them (Marmot et al., 2008).
The National Strategic Framework for Chronic Conditions was developed in response to
Australia’s obligation as a member state of the World Health Organization’s (WHO)Global
Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases 2013-2020. The
main reason for its establishment, however, was the fact that chronic conditions are the leading
causes of illnesses, death,and disability in Australia (AIHW, 2014).Chronic illnesses are
responsible for 9 of every 10 deaths in Australia in 2015. Cardiovascular diseases, chronic
respiratory disease, lung cancer, Alzheimer’s disease,and dementia are common causes of death
as together, they have a mortality rate of 37 percent among the Australian people (ABS, 2016).
The framework was thus also developed as a multisectoral collaborative agent to prevent and
manage chronic diseases all around Australia. It guides the formation of policies, principles,
strategies, actions,and services by other entities which are meant to enhance the outcomes of
people’s health in Australia. This framework is principally focused on health issues but also

takes into consideration the necessity of partnering with other sectors such as education and
housing to accomplish its goal (CSDH, 2008).
The Australian National Diabetes Strategy 2016-2020 is a program which summaries the
response by the nation in relation to diabetes and evaluates how the narrow assets available can
be better targeted and coordinated to manage diabetes across Australia at all levels of the
government. It highlights the appropriate and most effectual approaches to minimize the negative
effects of the disease and its associated complications. The framework calls upon collaboration
and effort by organizations, non-governmental associations, all levels of government, health care
professionals, families, people ailing from diabetes, carers and all other groups in the community
to help prevent the incidence of and manage this chronic condition (Wutzke et al., 2017).
Mortality rate from chronic conditions in Australia is very high as they are projected to account
for 89% of all deaths; cardiovascular diseases (28%), cancers (29%), communicable diseases,
nutritional conditions, perinatal and maternal deaths (5%), chronic respiratory diseases (7%),
diabetes (3%) and injuries (6%) while other NCDs are responsible for 23% of all deaths in
Australia (WHO, 2012). When compared with a country such as the United Kingdom, the death
rates resulting from chronic conditions are almost the same. NCDs are accountable for an
estimate of 89% of all deaths in the UK estimated as: 25% cardiovascular diseases, 1% diabetes,
28% cancers, 8% chronic respiratory conditions 8% maternal, perinatal, communicable diseases
and nutritional conditions and 3% of all deaths from injuries. Other non-communicable diseases
account for an estimate of 26% of all deaths in the UK.Additionally, the life expectancy in both
countries is estimated to be 72years of age and (WHO, 2012), indicates an increase in healthy
life expectancy within the last 3 years in both nations.

Australia in comparison with other countries is doing quite well in its battle with chronic
conditions.With the different frameworks and policies still in place for managing chronic
conditions, it is expected that the health of the country will continue to improve in the future.
Since the agendas take into account social determinants of health, the living standards and
lifestyles of people are also anticipated to progress to better states.

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