In SSROC region, the most common long-term health condition was arthritis, while 27.8% of the population reported one or more health conditions, a higher rate than in Georges River Council area (26.3%).
The 2021 Census looked for the first time at the level of incidence of selected long-term health conditions in the community. The Census question asked respondents if they have been diagnosed with a specific condition (or other condition) from a list of ten conditions plus "other". Combined, these ten conditions comprise approximately 60% of Australia's deaths, and even those which are not deadly contribute substantially to the burden of disease.
It is well known that socio-economic factors also contribute to morbidity and health outcomes, with lower-socio economic characteristics correlated with higher incidence of some health conditions. The inclusion of this topic in the Census enables these factors to be explored in more detail.
Also, in society, health conditions tend to increase with age. For these reasons, it is recommended that long-term health conditions data for be viewed at in conjunction with age structure, household income, educational qualifications, and need for assistance datasets, along with the SEIFA index of disadvantage.
Q:
Derived from the Census question:
'Has the person been told by a doctor or nurse that they have any of these long-term health conditions?'
Dominant groups
Analysis of the long term health conditions of SSROC region in 2021 compared to Georges River Council area shows that there was a higher proportion of people with a long-term health condition 27.8% compared to 26.3% in Georges River Council area.
The major differences in the long-term health conditions between SSROC region and Georges River Council area are:
- A larger percentage with Mental health condition (7.8% compared to 5.9%)
- A larger percentage with Asthma (6.4% compared to 5.3%)