30 November 2004

Living longer, healthier lives - Chief Health Officer's report

NSW residents are living longer healthier lives, with improving life expectancy, falling infant mortality, and declining numbers of deaths due to cancer and heart disease according to the findings of the latest comprehensive survey of public health in NSW.

Health Minister Morris Iemma today released the 2004 Report of the Chief Health Officer which tracks the health status of the NSW population including life expectancy, major causes of illness and injury and emerging health priorities.

“This landmark report gives us a clear picture of the state of health of the people of NSW,” Mr Iemma said

“It tells us that the people who work in our health system have much to be proud of and assists in determining where we need to direct future resources.

“Overall, the public health system in NSW is generating good outcomes, better health and better life expectancy,” Mr Iemma said.

The findings are clear:

• We are healthier;
• We are living longer;
• NSW Government health prevention strategies are working;
• There are fewer smokers;
• The number of deaths due to cancer and heart disease at record lows;
• Infant mortality rates are down, and
• Vaccination rates are up.

Highlighting health trends and tracking the outcomes of illness prevention strategies, the 2004 Report of the Chief Health Officer provides detailed information to assist health planners, policy makers and clinicians forge strategies to improve the health status of people living in NSW.

“We have the lowest rates of cancer death, the lowest rates of heart disease and the lowest suicide rates on record coupled with a growing life expectancy, ranked fourth in the world.

The Minister said the report also showed that almost one in five hospital admissions in NSW was potentially avoidable, caused by either smoking or alcohol related illnesses, or chronic conditions that could be better managed by access to a GP.

“But we have to keep an eye on emerging health issues particularly diabetes, HIV/AIDS and improving indigenous health.

Highlights of Chief Health Officer’s report

For the first time the 2004 Report of the Chief Health Officer has included dedicated chapters on the health of refugees, young people in custody and an analysis by Area Health Service using the new boundaries announced earlier this year. Major findings of the report include:

• Life expectancy at birth continues to rise with the gap between males and females closing. In 2002 life expectancy at birth was 78.1 years for males and 83.3 years for females – an increase of 11 years in men and 9.5 years in women since 1968.

• Heart disease death rates have reduced by more than half over the last 20 years with premature deaths (under 74 years of age) reduced by two-thirds over the same period – these results are attributed to improved clinical care and reduced risk factors including smoking and poor diet.

• Stroke related deaths have halved over the last 20 years with increased survival rates linked to improved medical treatment, dedicated stroke unit care and follow up therapy.

• Smoking rates have decreased and deaths from smoking related illness between 1983 and 2002 have almost halved in men (49 per cent) and have declined by more than a quarter in women (28 per cent).

• Suicide death rates in NSW are the lowest in 20 years but despite the overall decrease, young females (15-24 years) attempting suicide has increased.

• Immunisation rates in children have significantly improved with 91 per cent of both babies and two year olds fully vaccinated compared to 84 per cent and 72 percent respectively in 1999.

• Cancer deaths in 2002 were the lowest on record attributed to successful treatments in some childhood leukaemias, decreasing death rates for cancers of the testes and colon in young men, and decreases in cancers of the breast (down 17 per cent since 1993) and cervix for women. Cervical cancer death in women aged 20-69 years fell by 43 per cent and the incidence of new cases dropped by 46 per cent between 1993 and 2002 due in part to regular Pap testing and treatment monitored by the NSW Cervical Screening Program.

• Perinatal deaths in NSW declined from 1097 in 1992 to 626 in 2002 and the survival rates of newborns admitted to intensive care increased from 87.8 per cent in 1992 to 91.4 per cent in 2002. SIDS deaths have reduced by 66 per cent between 1991 and 2002 following a national education campaign to encourage placing babies on their backs when sleeping.

• Diabetes has increased with 6.7 per cent of men and 5.6 per cent of women reporting the disease in 2003 (previously 5.2 per cent for men and 4.3 per cent for women in 1997). Some Australian studies suggest the rate has doubled over the past 20 years.

• Refugees newly arrived to NSW self-reported poorer health status than the rest of the community with 36 per cent of individuals citing reasons such as the psychological impact of persecution, lack of access to medical care while in exile and poor oral health.

• Young people in custody reported symptoms consistent with a mental health disorder in 84 per cent of cases, one fifth reported injecting drugs in the 12 months prior to incarceration and 43 per cent reported a history of parental imprisonment.

• Prisoner health surveys found high rates of drug abuse with 53 per cent of males and 74 per cent of females reporting having injected drugs at some time in the past and 40 per cent of males and 64 per cent of females being positive to hepatitis C.

• HIV/AIDS and communicable disease notifications show 414 NSW residents were diagnosed with HIV for the first time in 2003 – an increase of 6 per cent on 2002 (390 cases), and an increase of 22 per cent on 2001 (338 cases). Rates of chlamydia in 2003 are up by 33 per cent to 7,562 cases from 5,649 in 2002, and syphilis cases in 2003 have increased by 29 per cent to 838 cases from 648 in 2002.

Related links:

For a range of health information, go online to www.health.nsw.gov.au