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3. NSW Health Survey Program
4. Health services

Health services

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Health service use and access

Between 1997 and 2007, there has been a significant increase in the proportion of persons aged 45 years and over with private health insurance (48.5 per cent to 58.0 per cent). The significant increase was in males (50.9 per cent to 59.4 per cent) and females (46.2 per cent to 56.6 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 had difficulties getting health care when needing it (9.8 per cent to 16.6 per cent). The significant increase was in males (9.2 per cent to 14.4 per cent) and females (10.3 per cent to 18.8 per cent), all age groups except 75 years and over, all quintiles of socioeconomic disadvantage, and all categories of geographical accessibility.

Emergency department presentations

Between 1997 and 2007, there has been a significant increase in the proportion of persons aged 45 years and over who presented to an emergency department on 1 or more occasions in the last 12 months (11.5 per cent to 16.2 per cent). The significant increase was in males (12.6 per cent to 18.4 per cent) and females (10.5 per cent to 14.3 per cent), all age groups except 75 years and over, all quintiles of socioeconomic disadvantage, and all categories of geographical accessibility except remote/very remote.

Between 1997 and 2007, there has been no significant variation in the proportion of persons aged 45 years and over who gave a positive rating (excellent, very good or good) to the care they received in an emergency department. However, there were significant decreases among females (88.5 per cent to 83.6 per cent), persons in the third quintile of disadvantage (93.7 per cent to 86.1 per cent), and persons in the inner regional category of geographical accessibility (91.4 per cent to 83.2 per cent).

Hospital admissions

Between 1997 and 2007, there has been a significant increase in the proportion of persons aged 45 years and over who were admitted to hospital on 1 or more occasions in the last 12 months (15.1 per cent to 17.6 per cent). The significant increase was in males (15.5 per cent to 19.0 per cent), the first or least disadvantaged quintile (12.3 per cent to 16.1 per cent), and persons in the major cities category of geographical accessibility (13.9 per cent to 17.3 per cent).

Between 1997 and 2007, there has been no significant variation in the proportion of persons aged 45 years and over who gave a positive rating (excellent, very good or good) to the care they received in hospital. However, there were significant decreases among persons in the outer regional category of geographical accessibility (93.9 per cent to 88.3 per cent).

General practitioner visits

Between 1997 and 2007, there has been no significant variation in the proportion of persons aged 45 years and over who visited a general practitioner in the last 2 weeks, among males and females, all age groups, all quintiles of socioeconomic disadvantage, and all 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 visited a general practitioner in the last 12 months. However, there has been a significant decrease among persons aged 45-54 years (87.6 per cent to 84.9 per cent), and persons in the inner regional category of geographical accessibility (93.4 per cent to 89.0 per cent).

Public dental services

Between 2002 and 2007, there has been a significant increase in the proportion of persons aged 45 years and over who attended a public dental service in the last 12 months (3.7 per cent to 4.9 per cent). The significant increase was in males (3.3 per cent to 5.2 per cent), persons aged 55-64 years (2.7 per cent to 4.8 per cent), the most disadvantaged quintile (5.4 per cent to 7.7 per cent), and the major cities (3.7 per cent to 4.8 per cent) and inner regional (3.9 per cent to 5.2 per cent) categories of geographical accessibility.

Community health centres

Between 2002 and 2007, there has been a significant increase in the proportion of persons aged 45 years and over who attended a community health centre in the last 12 months (5.0 per cent to 7.1 per cent). The significant increase was in males (3.8 per cent to 6.5 per cent) and females (6.0 per cent to 7.6 per cent), the 45-54 years (4.5 per cent to 7.5 per cent) and 65-74 years (4.6 per cent to 7.3 per cent) age groups, all except the most disadvantaged quintile, and all categories of geographical accessibility.

Graphs

• Private health insurance by year
• Private health insurance by ARIA+
• Private health insurance by socioeconomic disadvantage
• Difficulties getting health care when needing it by year
• Difficulties getting health care when needing it by ARIA+
• Difficulties getting health care when needing it by socioeconomic disadvantage
• Emergency department presentation in the last 12 months by year
• Emergency department presentation in the last 12 months by ARIA+
• Emergency department presentation in the last 12 months by socioeconomic disadvantage
• Emergency department care rated as excellent, very good or good by year
• Emergency department care rated as excellent, very good or good by ARIA+
• Emergency department care rated as excellent, very good or good by socioeconomic disadvantage
• Hospital admission in the last 12 months by year
• Hospital admission in the last 12 months by ARIA+
• Hospital admission in the last 12 months by socioeconomic disadvantage
• Hospital care rated as excellent, very good or good by year
• Hospital care rated as excellent, very good or good by ARIA+
• Hospital care rated as excellent, very good or good by socioeconomic disadvantage
• Visited a general practitioner in the last 2 weeks by year
• Visited a general practitioner in the last 2 weeks by ARIA+
• Visited a general practitioner in the last 2 weeks by socioeconomic disadvantage
• Visited a general practitioner in the last 12 months by year
• Visited a general practitioner in the last 12 months by ARIA+
• Visited a general practitioner in the last 12 months by socioeconomic disadvantage
• Public dental service attendance in the last 12 months by year
• Public dental service attendance in the last 12 months by ARIA+
• Public dental service attendance in the last 12 months by socioeconomic disadvantage
• Community health centre attendance in the last 12 months by year
• Community health centre attendance in the last 12 months by ARIA+
• Community health centre attendance in the last 12 months by socioeconomic disadvantage

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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

• 45 Years and Over Adult Report

• Foreword
• Acknowledgements
• Introduction
• Methods
• Health behaviours
• Health status
• Health services
• Social capital
• Conclusion
•  

• In this section:

• NSW Health Survey Program
• NSW Population Health Survey
• NSW School Students Health Behaviours Survey
• Other Surveys
• Other Publications and Reports