4914.0.55.001 - Newsletter: Age Matters, Sep 2006  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 11/10/2006   
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DID YOU KNOW?

The following are extracts from the series of health snapshots (cat. nos 4820.055.001 to 4833.0.55.001) that are available on the ABS website. See Selected ABS Release for more detail.

In 2004-05,
  • nearly 100% of people aged 65 years and over reported at least one long term health condition.
  • the prevalence rate of both type of diabetes increased with age and the proportion of Type 2 diabetes was much higher in the older age groups than the corresponding proportions for Type 1.
  • 16% of males aged 65 years and over reported diabetes compared with 12% of females of this same age group, both males and females in the age group 65-74 years and 75 years and over reported diabetes in the same proportions (i.e.16.3% and 16.1% respectively for males and 11.2% and 11.5% respectively for females).
  • 27% of those aged 65 years and over who reported diabetes also reported heart stroke or vascular disease.
  • the prevalence of cardiovascular disease also increases with age (13% for those aged 35-44 years and 63% for those aged 75 years and over).
  • the proportion of females aged 75 years and over reporting cardiovascular disease was less than the proportion of males in this age group. In all other age groups the proportion of females reporting cardiovascular disease was higher than for males.
  • 57% of all males aged 65 years and over reported diseases on circulatory system. This percentage, however, varied according to age group with only 51% of males aged 65-74 years reporting this condition compared with 65% of males aged 75 years and over who reported diseases of the circulatory system.
  • 58% of females reported diseases on circulatory system, and again this percentage varied with age, however not to the same extent as males. With 55% of females aged 65-74 years and 62% of females aged 75 years and over reporting diseases of the circulatory system.
  • cancer was most prevalent in the 65 years and over age group (11% of males and 4% of females).
  • the prevalence of mental or behavioural increased with age until the 35-44 age group and then declines with 10% of people aged 75 years and over reporting this condition.
  • organic mental health problems (cerebral disease leading to dysfunction and dementia) were more prevalent in those ages 75 years and over (1.9%) than those aged 65-74 years ( 0.2%).
  • 90% and 91% of males and females aged over 65 years and over respectively reported eyesight conditions, however this condition was reported in greater proportion by those aged 65-74 years than those aged 75 years and over (i.e. 91.3% and 87.3% for males respectively and 92.7% and 88.8% respectively for females).
  • the proportions of males and females drinking at risky and high risk levels were highest in the middle age groups and this proportion has increased over time.
  • for both men and women, smoking rates are the lowest in the older age groups. Males aged 18-24 comprised the higher proportion of smokers while for females it was the 25-34 year age group.
  • 10% of persons aged 65-74 years are smokers compared with 4% aged 75-84 years and 5% for those aged 85 years and over.