ABOUT THE AUSTRALIAN HEALTH SURVEY

The 2011-13 Australian Health Survey (AHS) is the largest and most comprehensive health survey ever conducted in Australia. The survey was designed to collect a range of information from Australians about health related issues, including health status, risk factors, socioeconomic circumstances, health-related actions and use of medical services. In 2011-13, the AHS collected new information on nutrition and physical activity. It also included the first national biomedical information collection.

These new components in the health survey were made possible by additional funding from the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing as well as the National Heart Foundation of Australia. The contributions of these two organisations to improving health information in Australia through quality statistics are greatly valued.

Results presented in this publication include:

• Australians' health service usage, such as consultations with health professionals and use of medical facilities;
• health-related actions, including medication use, self-management of long-term health conditions and days away from work or study/school due to ill-health;
• breastfeeding information for children aged 0-3 years;
• numbers of people with hypertension, calculated from data on measured blood pressure and hypertension medication; and
• information about Australians' private health insurance membership.

The statistics presented in this release are indicative of the extensive and diverse range of data available and demonstrate some of the analytical potential of the survey results. Further results will be released progressively through 2013-14 and will cover topics such as:

• detailed information on dietary intake;
• comprehensive information on physical activity and sedentary behaviour;
• information on biomedical health measures; and
• representative results for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population.

The 2011-13 AHS was developed with the assistance of an advisory group comprised of experts in health issues. Members of this advisory group were drawn from Commonwealth and state/territory government agencies, non-government organisations and relevant academic institutions. The valuable contributions made by members of the survey advisory group are greatly appreciated.

Finally, the success of the 2011-13 AHS was dependent on the very high level of cooperation received from the Australian public. Their continued cooperation is very much appreciated; without it, the range of statistics published by the ABS would not be possible. Information received by the ABS is treated in strict confidence as required by the Census and Statistics Act 1905.

This section contains the following subsection :

Structure of the Australian Health Survey

Release schedule

Previous Page

Next Page