An increased focus on prevention and improving the management of chronic disease will be critical if our health system is to meet the challenges of the future, according to the Australian Health and Hospitals Association (AHHA).

The Australian Healthcare & Hospitals Association is the independent peak membership body and advocate for the Australian healthcare system and a national voice for universally accessible, high quality healthcare.

“AHHA welcomes the release of Australia’s Health 2012 from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. This comprehensive and well-researched document will be an invaluable reference for politicians, health care managers and policy makers,” Ms Prue Power AM, AHHA CEO said today.

“A key positive in the document is that overall Australians are enjoying good health and one of the highest life expectancies in the world.  We are also spending slightly less than the OECD average of our GDP on health care, a testament to the efficiency of our universal system of public health care.

“However, there are some key population groups whose health status lags significantly behind that of mainstream Australia. In particular, Indigenous Australians’ life expectancy is about 12 years shorter than for other Australians and they often report lower levels of access to health services. For example, in 2009–10, 36% of Indigenous women were screened for breast cancer, compared with 55% of non-Indigenous women. People with severe or profound disability also had a much lower health status with 46% of this group reporting poor or fair health, compared with 5% for those without disability.

“The Report also indicated some concerning trends for the future health of our community. For example, almost all Australians aged 15 and over (99%) had at least one risk factor for poorer health (such as high blood pressure or not eating enough vegetables), and about 1 in 7 people had 5 or more risk factors. Comparisons among OECD countries show that Australia has one of the highest rates of obesity with 1 in 4 Australian adults and 1 in 12 children reported as obese. This is reflected in an increased rate of chronic conditions related to obesity and overweight. In fact, between 1989–90 and 2007–08 the prevalence of diabetes more than doubled.

“Reversing these trends requires an increased focus on prevention and the management of chronic disease in the community. AHHA welcomes the Government’s commitment to strengthening Australia’s primary care system to focus on population health issues and supporting more consumer-focussed health care. Without urgent action in these areas, our future health system will be under unsustainable pressure to treat the numbers of people requiring care for preventable conditions.

"AHHA welcomes this new report from AIHW and looks forward to working with other health stakeholders towards a healthier future for our nation,“Ms Power said.

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