The health status of Australians compared to other developed countries
Most indicators of health status show that Australia is a healthy country. But how do we compare to other countries that have similar economic and technological resources
to Australia? The health status of Australians is generally similar to that of other developed countries and in many cases, it is better.
LE
(2011)
HALE
(2007)
% pop
over weight
/obese
(2010)
Mortality rate
/100,000
(2008)
Cancer
Chronic
respiratory
25
Australia
male
female
72
75
61
68
55
149
79
84
Japan
male
female
73
78
23
30
15
150
79
86
New Zealand
male
female
72
74
65
69
60
149
79
83
78
82
71
73
61
65
57
150
male
female
USA
male
female
68
72
71
74
68
148
76
81
United Kingdom
24
26
48
48
Estimated
DALYs
/100,000
(2004)
Estimated
DALYs
Diabetes
/100,000
(2004)
Mortality rates
for diabetes (per
100,000 males
and females
(2004)
Adult male
mortality
(probability of
dying between
ages 15 – 60
/1000
(2009)
CVD &
diabetes
135
124
173
160
195
10,000
8,000
11,000
11,000
13,000
200
13.1
8
69
5.9
3.3
64
16.5
11.4
72
6.9
4.9
77
19.3
14.7
106
180
200
180
390
Estimated
DALYs/100,000
Communicable an
non-communicable
(2004)
Com
Non
500
8,000
500
6100
500
9,000
400
9500
800
11,000
Health and human development data can help to identify trends over time, or compare countries or population groups. Effective interpretation of this data is important for
improving the health and human development of the individuals or groups in question. Data in the form of tables, graphs and charts are useful for comparing the health
status experienced in different countries or between different groups.
To address this key knowledge; the health status of Australians compared with populations in other developed counties, you must be able to use and interpret data to
related to these countries.
Answer the following questions in your workbook.
1. Life expectancy
a. Define life expectancy
b. Identify the country that has the highest life expectancy for males and females in 2011
c. Identify the country that has the lowest life expectancy for males and females in 2011
d. Suggest a reason for this difference
e. The life expectancy for females in Australia in 2011 was ranked second when compared to the other developed countries. Identify two determinants together with
an example that may account for this high ranking.
2. Health Adjusted Life Expectancy (HALE)
a. Identify the country that has the highest HALE for males and females in 2011
b. Identify the country that has the lowest HALE for males and females in 2011
c. Using data from Table 1 explain the difference between life expectancy and HALE –
3. Mortality and Morbidity
a. Explain or define mortality and mortality rate
b. What is the relationship between life expectancy and mortality rates (P30 textbook)
c. Refer to the textbook page 30. How does depression and other mental illness contribute to morbidity in developed countries. List the examples of morbidity
that experienced by Japan, the USA and Australia.
d. Describe the difference between communicable disease and non-communicable diseases.
e. Refer to Table 1. Identify the country that has the highest burden of disease attributed to communicable diseases. Suggest reasons why this rate would be
higher in this country.
f. Refer to the data on cancer (2008). Identify a similarity and suggest a reason for this.
g. Refer to the data on chronic respiratory disease. Identify one similarity and one difference. Use data to support your answer. Suggest a reason for the
difference identified.
h. Refer to the data on CVD and diabetes. Rank the five countries from lowest to highest mortality rate. Describe the relationship between CVD and diabetes to
the percentage (%) of population overweight/obese (2010)
i. Indonesia, a developing country has a mortality rate of 29.45/100,000 for diabetes. Explain why developing countries such as Australia, Japan, NZ, UK and the
USA have high mortality rates for diabetes compared to a developing country such as Indonesia.
j. Identify Australia’s adult mortality rate.
k. Australia’s adult mortality rate is ranked second behind NZ, UK and the USA. Using data from Table 1 identify a reason for this difference.
4. Burden of Disease
a. In 2004 a total of 10,000/100,000 DALYs contributed to the burden of disease in Australia. Outline how DALYs are calculated and specifically what do DALYs
measure.
b. Refer to the work covered in class identify the three conditions that contribute most to the burden of disease in Australia.
c. Outline the benefit of looking at burden of disease data. Use data from Table 1, “Estimated DALYs diabetes/100,000 (2004)” and another example to explain
your answer.
5. Using data in Table 1 write a report that compares the health status of Australians with that of NZ, Japan the UK and the USA. Use data to support your answer.
6. Identify two areas of Australia’s health status where there is room for improvement. Suggest one way that each of these areas could be improved.