4839.0.55.001 - Health Services: Patient Experiences in Australia, 2009

ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 20/10/2011

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Contents >> Harm and harmful side-effects >> Experienced harm or harmful side-effect

EXPERIENCED HARM OR HARMFUL SIDE-EFFECT

Approximately 895,500 Australians aged 15 years and over (5%) reported that they had had medication, medical care, treatment or a test that had caused harm or a harmful side-effect at some time in the 12 months prior to the survey.

When people were asked where they had the medication, medical care, treatment or test the most recent time they had experienced harm or a harmful side-effect, the most common answer provided was at home (57%). This was consistent across all States and Territories, although rates were highest in Tasmania (79%) and lowest in NSW (51%) as can be seen in Figure 6.1.

6.1 Where had medication, medical care, treatment or test that caused harm or harmful side-effect (a), by State/Territory

(See Table 6.2 for more detail)

Around seven out of ten people aged 45 to 54 reported having the medication, medical care, treatment or test that caused harm or harmful side-effects at home. Men were slightly more likely than women to report this.

As shown in Figure 6.2, people aged 15 to 24 most commonly reported having the medication, medical care, treatment or test that caused harm or harmful side-effects in a GP clinic, hospital or other location, a pattern that was reversed for people aged 35 to 54.

6.2 Where had medication, medical care, treatment or test that caused most recent harm or harmful side-effect (a), by Age

(See Table 6.1 for more detail)