Census: Mental health an issue for one in 10

One in 10 Australians believe they have a mental health condition, with arthritis and asthma the two other top chronic illnesses.

The census revealed more than eight million people reported having a long-term health condition. Picture: istock

One in 10 Australians believe they have a mental health condition, with arthritis and asthma the two other top chronic illnesses, the census reveals.

Last year was the first time health questions had been ­included in the census, with the data revealing more than eight million people reported having a long-term health condition.

Of that number, about 4.8 million reported having one of the 10 long-term health conditions listed on the census form, 1.5 million suffered two of the conditions, one million people had three conditions and a further 750,000 suffered one of the conditions listed. Another one million people said they had at least one other long-term health condition other than those listed on the census form.

Through the current census, the Australian Bureau of Statistics was aiming for the first time to collect data on the listed health conditions of arthritis, asthma, cancer, dementia, diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, lung conditions, stroke and mental health.

As would be expected, the prevalence of long-term health conditions increased with age.

Almost two-thirds of people aged over 65 reported having at least one long-term health condition. But a surprising one in five young people aged 15 to 34 were also suffering at least one long-term health condition.

Those aged under 14 commonly suffered asthma.

Australia and New Zealand have the highest rates of asthma in the world and the condition was made significantly worse for many in the summer of 2019-20 due to bushfire smoke. Boys were more likely than girls to suffer asthma, with 7.4 per cent of boys aged under 14 suffering the condition compared with 5.3 per cent of girls.

The divide between men and women in terms of chronic illness was also highlighted by the census. More than a third of women reported suffering a long-term health condition compared with three in 10 males.

Mental health was one of the top two conditions nominated by both men and women. The other top health complaint reported by men was asthma, whereas women experienced arthritis in greater numbers. That census finding confirms other statistics that indicate women are more likely to suffer arthritis than men, being ­especially vulnerable to rheumatoid arthritis which is an auto­immune condition.

Doctors also report that women suffer a greater degree of joint pain and stiffness from ­arthritis than men. The census also provides insights on how country of birth affects the likelihood of suffering chronic illness.

Those born in Greece and Italy were most likely to report one or more long-term health conditions. More than 56 per cent of people born in Greece reported suffering a long-term illness, while 54 per cent of people born in Italy said they suffered with chronic illness.

Australian Statistician David Gruen said the new data provided depth to health statistics compiled and reported by other federal agencies including the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.

“For the first time, we have data on long-term health conditions across the whole population,” he said. “This is critical data to inform planning and service delivery decisions about how treatment and care is provided for all Australians.

“Census data will help provide a more detailed picture of Australians’ health. Census data complements existing ABS health surveys by providing additional insights about the communities that ­require services to support complex health needs.”