Chronic disease

Chronic diseases are leading causes of death and disability in Australia.

Chronic disease

. Asthma
. Cancer
. Cardiovascular disease
. Diabetes
. Musculoskeletal conditions – arthritis & osteoporosis

. Historical documents

Chronic diseases are also associated with high use of health care services, contributing to major funding pressures in Australian health care that are expected to rise over coming decades as prevalence increases.

The increased prevalence of chronic disease has been attributed to a range of causes including the ageing of our population and lifestyle factors such as smoking, physical inactivity and excess alcohol intake.

These pages provide information about chronic disease prevention and management.

Definition
Prevalence
Action by the Australian Government
National health priority areas
Common risk factors and prevention
Historical reference documents

Definition

Chronic diseases are illnesses that are prolonged in duration, do not often resolve spontaneously, and are rarely cured completely¹. Chronic diseases are complex and varied in terms of their nature, how they are caused and the extent of their impact on the community. While some chronic diseases make large contributions to premature death, others contribute more to disability. Some may last indefinitely, whereas others may resolve over time².

Features common to most chronic diseases include³:

complex causality, with multiple factors leading to their onset
a long development period, some of which may have no symptoms
a prolonged course of illness, perhaps leading to other health complications and
associated functional impairment or disability. Top of page

Prevalence

The results of the 2007-08 National Health Survey indicate a high prevalence of chronic diseases among Australians, including cancer (2% of the population), diabetes (4%), asthma (10%), long-term mental or behavioural conditions (11%), arthritis (15%), and conditions of the circulatory system eg high blood pressure (16%)⁴.

The ageing of our population has played a key role in the rise in prevalence of chronic disease. In the 2007-08 National Health Survey nearly all people aged 65 years and over reported having at least one long-term condition, and more than 80 per cent of people in this age group reported having three or more long-term conditions⁵.

Action by the Australian Government

Given the increasing prevalence of chronic disease and the enormous associated personal, social and economic cost to the community, a wide range of Australian Government programs and initiatives provide assistance in the area of chronic disease, including:

programs to increase access to care and medicines
initiatives to promote best-practice care
risk factor prevention and management
research programs and
programs providing support to people with specific chronic diseases with the aim of reducing the overall burden in these areas. Top of page

National health priority areas

8 health areas which contribute significantly to the burden of illness and injury, and which have potential for health gains and reduction in the burden of disease, have been identified as national health priority areas:

Common risk factors and prevention

A broad range of risk factors for chronic disease has been identified. These can be demographic, behavioural, biomedical, genetic, environmental, social or other factors, which can act independently or in combination, and some of which can be modified to reduce the risk of developing a chronic condition⁶. Common modifiable risk factors include tobacco smoking, excess weight, physical inactivity and poor diet.

The National Preventative Health Strategy provides a blueprint for tackling the burden of chronic disease currently caused by obesity, tobacco, and excessive consumption of alcohol. It is directed at primary prevention and addresses all relevant arms of policy and all available points of leverage, in both the health and non-health sectors. Top of page

Historical reference documents

In 2005, a national chronic disease strategy, a blueprint for a national surveillance system and national service improvement frameworks were developed to encourage coordinated action in response to the growing impact of chronic disease.

¹Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2002). Chronic diseases and associated risk factors in Australia 2001, Canberra: AIHW, page 2.
²Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2006). Chronic diseases and associated risk factors in Australia 2006, Canberra: AIHW, page 2.
³Ibid, page 2.
⁴Australian Bureau of Statistics. National Health Survey: summary of results, 2007-08, from Australian Bureau of Statistics website: www.abs.gov.au.
⁵Ibid
⁶AIHW (2006). Chronic diseases and associated risk factors in Australia, 2006. Canberra: AIHW, page 13.

Page last reviewed: 31 March 2011