Who’s sick with what?
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) has just released the third of its disease expenditure series, which provides a systematic analysis of Australian health expenditure in 2004-05, allocated by disease.
It shows that in 2004-05, the following seven disease groups accounted for more than half (57% or $29.8 billion) of allocated health expenditure in Australia:
- cardiovascular diseases $5.9 billion (11% of total allocated health expenditure)
- oral health $5.3 billion (10%)
- mental disorders $4.1 billion (8%)
- musculoskeletal diseases $4.0 billion (8%)
- neoplasms $3.8 billion (7%)
- injuries $3.4 billion (7%)
- respiratory diseases $3.3 billion (6%).
Over one-fifth (21%) of total allocated health expenditure ($11.0 billion) was for people aged 75 years and older, with more (18% higher) spent on females than for males – $28.6 billion compared with $24.1 billion.
On a per person basis, allocated health expenditure was:
- higher overall for females than for males—$2,781 for females compared with $2,380 for males. If maternal conditions are excluded, expenditure was $2,618 or 10% higher than for males
- higher for females than males for musculoskeletal diseases and genitourinary disorders, but lower for the cardiovascular and injury groups
- higher for males in the early stages of life (up to 14 years of age) , mainly due to a higher incidence of congenital conditions and chronic illnesses, such as asthma
- higher for females for all age groups between 15–24 years and 45–54 years, even when maternal conditions are excluded
- higher for males for all age groups 55 years and older, due in part to higher expenditure for cardiovascular diseases and neoplasms.
Above-average growth was recorded for the following disease groups:
- endocrine, nutritional and metabolic (32%)
- musculoskeletal (26%)
- diabetes mellitus (26%)
- neoplasms (23%), and
- injuries (22%).
On a per person basis and adjusted for inflation, allocated health system expenditure averaged $2,170 in 2004–05, which was $249, or 13%, higher than in 2000–01.
Allocated expenditure was also higher in 2004–05 than in 2000–01 for every age group.
