Health status

Self-rated health

Between 1997 and 2007, there has been no significant variation in the proportion of persons aged 45 years and over who rated their health positively (as excellent, very good or good). However, there was a significant decrease among females (77.7 per cent to 75.3 per cent), and a significant increase in persons aged 65-74 years (70.5 per cent to 75.1 per cent).

Asthma

Between 1997 and 2007, there has been a significant increase in the proportion of persons aged 45 years and over who had ever been told by a doctor or hospital they had asthma (13.2 per cent to 17.2 per cent). The significant increase was among males (11.6 per cent to 15.8 per cent) and females (14.6 per cent to 18.4 per cent), all age groups except 65-74 years, the first (11.0 per cent to 16.6 per cent) and fourth (14.4 per cent to 19.6 per cent) and fifth (12.7 per cent to 18.9 per cent) quintiles of socioeconomic disadvantage, and the major cities (12.4 per cent to 16.5 per cent) and inner regional (14.3 per cent to 17.8 per cent) categories of geographical accessibility.

Between 1997 and 2007, there has been no significant variation in the proportion of persons aged 45 years and over who have current asthma. However, there have been significant increases among persons aged 55-64 years (7.0 per cent to 10.2 per cent), and persons in the most disadvantaged quintile (8.4 per cent to 12.7 per cent).

Cardiovascular disease precursors

Between 1997 and 2007, there has been no significant variation in the proportion of persons aged 45 years and over who had their blood pressure measured in the last 2 years.

Between 1997 and 2007, there has been a significant increase in the proportion of persons aged 45 years and over who had ever been told by a doctor or hospital they had high blood pressure (29.8 per cent to 40.7 per cent). The significant increase was in males (29.2 per cent to 38.9 per cent) and females (30.4 per cent to 42.4 per cent), all age groups, all quintiles of socioeconomic disadvantage, and all categories of geographical accessibility.

Between 1997 and 2007, there has been a significant increase in the proportion of persons aged 45 years and over who had their cholesterol measured in the last 2 years (66.4 per cent to 79.2 per cent). The increase was significant among both sexes, all age groups, all quintiles of disadvantage, and all categories of geographical accessibility.

Between 1997 and 2007, there has been a significant increase in the proportion of persons aged 45 years and over who had ever been told by a doctor or hospital they had high cholesterol (30.4 per cent to 32.6 per cent). The significant increase was in females (29.9 per cent to 32.8 per cent), persons aged 65-74 (34.5 per cent to 40.1 per cent) and 75 years and over (27.1 per cent to 33.2 per cent), persons in the fourth quintile of socioeconomic disadvantage (27.0 per cent to 32.4 per cent), and persons in the inner regional (27.3 per cent to 31.9 per cent) and outer regional (26.3 per cent to 31.8 per cent) categories of geographical accessibility.

Diabetes or high blood glucose

Between 1997 and 2007, there has been a significant increase in the proportion of persons aged 45 years and over who had ever been told by a doctor or hospital they had diabetes or high blood glucose (8.5 per cent to 12.7 per cent). The significant increase was in males ((9.4 per cent to 14.4 per cent) and females (7.8 per cent to 11.1 per cent), all age groups, all except the fifth or most disadvantaged quintile, and all categories of geographical accessibility except remote/very remote.

Mental health

Between 1997 and 2007, there has been no significant variation in the proportion of persons aged 45 years and over with high or very high psychological distress according to the K10 measure. However, there has been a significant increase among persons aged 55-64 years (8.7 per cent to 12.2 per cent), and persons in the fourth quintile of disadvantage (9.5 per cent to 12.5 per cent), and a significant decrease among persons aged 75 years and over (10.8 per cent to 7.4 per cent).

Oral health

Between 2002 and 2007, there has been no significant variation in the proportion of persons aged 45 years and over who visited a dental professional in the last 12 months. However, there was a significant increase among persons aged 55-64 years (55.9 per cent to 62.2 per cent).

Between 1998 and 2007, there has been a significant decrease in the proportion of persons aged 45 years and over with all their natural teeth missing (17.5 per cent to 10.2 per cent). The significant decrease was among males (12.1 per cent to 7.8 per cent) and females (22.6 per cent to 12.5 per cent), all age groups, all quintiles of socioeconomic disadvantage, and all categories of geographical accessibility except remote/very remote.

Overweight or obese

Between 1997 and 2007, there has been a significant increase in the proportion of persons aged 45 years and over who were either overweight or obese, with a BMI of 25 or above calculated from self-reported height and weight (50.0 per cent to 59.4 per cent). The significant increase was in males (56.1 per cent to 67.0 per cent) and females (44.0 per cent to 52.2. per cent), all age groups, all quintiles of socioeconomic disadvantage, and all categories of geographical accessibility except remote/very remote.

Between 1997 and 2007, there has been a significant increase in the proportion of persons aged 45 years and over who were obese, with a BMI of 30 or above calculated from self-reported height and weight (14.7 per cent to 21.7 per cent). The significant increase was in males (13.9 per cent to 20.8 per cent) and females (15.6 per cent to 22.5 per cent), all age groups, all quintiles of socioeconomic disadvantage, and all categories of geographical accessibility except remote/very remote.

Hearing

Between 2004 and 2007, there has been a significant increase in the proportion of persons aged 45 years and over who ever had their hearing tested (52.6 per cent to 68.0 per cent). The significant increase was in males (64.9 per cent to 77.7 per cent) and females (41.0 per cent to 58.6 per cent), all age groups, all quintiles of socioeconomic disadvantage, and all categories of geographical accessibility.

Vision

Between 2004 and 2007, there has been no significant variation in the proportion of persons aged 45 years and over who had their eyesight tested in the last 2 years. However, there was a significant increase among persons in the fourth quintile of socioeconomic disadvantage (76.2 per cent to 81.9 per cent), and persons in the remote/very remote category of geographical accessibility (72.8 per cent to 82.5 per cent).

Graphs

Source:	New South Wales Population Health Survey 2007 (HOIST). Centre for Epidemiology and Research, NSW Department of Health.
Print version:	Although this page can be printed directly from your web browser, a higher quality version is available as a PDF file that can be printed or viewed on screen.
Produced by:	Centre for Epidemiology and Research, Population Health Division, NSW Department of Health.
Last updated on:	1 June 2008