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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Framework - Summary report

Diabetes

Diabetes is a chronic condition that can cause serious health complications. Some types of diabetes can be prevented through a healthy lifestyle – getting enough exercise, having a healthy diet, and not smoking. Diabetes is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and can lead to kidney damage. Often, people have all three of these conditions (AIHW 2015a).

In 2018–19, about 65,300 (13%) First Nations adults reported having diabetes or high sugar levels. Based on age-standardised rates, in 2018–19, First Nations adults were 2.8 times as likely to report having diabetes or high sugar levels as non-Indigenous adults (17% compared with 6.1%).

The prevalence of diabetes/high sugar levels increases with age and was higher among First Nations people in remote areas than in non-remote areas (Figure 4.21).

Figure 4.21: Diabetes/high sugar levels among First Nations people, by remoteness and sex, and by remoteness and age group, 2018–19

The first column chart shows that for both First Nations males and females, the rate of diabetes/high sugar levels was higher in remote than non-remote areas. The second column chart shows that for First Nations people, the prevalence of diabetes/high sugar levels increased with age, and it was higher in Remote areas than non-remote areas. Among First Nations people aged 55 and over, 33% in non-remote areas and 45% in remote areas reported having diabetes or high sugar levels.

Source: Measure 1.09, Table D1.09.2 – ABS 2018–19 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey; Table D1.09.14 – AIHW and ABS analysis of National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey 2018–19.

In the 5-year period 2015–2019, 7.3% (1,124) of total deaths of First Nations people were due to diabetes. The proportion of total deaths due to diabetes was higher for First Nations females (608 deaths or 8.7% of all First Nations female deaths) than First Nations males (516 deaths or 6.1%).

Between July 2017 and June 2019, 7,664 First Nations people were hospitalised with a principal diagnosis of diabetes, corresponding to a rate of 4.6 hospitalisations per 1,000 population. Based on age-standardised rates, First Nations people were hospitalised due to diabetes at a rate nearly 4 times that of non-Indigenous Australians (6.7 compared with 1.8 per 1,000 population).

Between 2010 and 2019, the age-standardised death rate from diabetes for First Nations people did not change significantly. There was also no significant change in the age-standardised rate of deaths due to diabetes among non-Indigenous Australians. However, death rates from diabetes remain relatively high for First Nations people compared with non-Indigenous Australians, with First Nations people dying from diabetes at about 4.7 times the rate (age-standardised) of non-Indigenous Australians in the period 2015–2019 (data from New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, and the Northern Territory combined).

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