Information and support for healthcare providers and the community can encourage healthier lifestyles and reduce disease, and help people manage conditions such as diabetes and diseases of the circulatory and respiratory systems.


Opportunities


Many chronic diseases share risk factors. These risk factors include obesity, smoking, high alcohol consumption, low exercise rates and poor nutrition, as well as the physical and socio-economic environment. Addressing the underlying risks can improve health outcomes for both the individual and the community.


Potential focus areas include:


  • developing further understanding of mechanisms to decrease risk and prevent chronic conditions or further complexity of care needs
  • creating regional partnerships for innovative action, guided by the Global Obesity Centre
  • rolling out regional education and support for initiatives to reduce alcohol consumption and smoking.


Collaborative partners

  • Hospital and Health Services
  • Local Governments
  • Peak bodies and service partners
  • Accreditation and training agencies.


The outcomes of these actions will be seen in:

  • increased life expectancy (decreased rates of premature death from chronic conditions)
  • decreased rates of obesity, smoking and alcohol consumption
  • increased rates of physical activity.


Our progress

  • Rates of deaths from diabetes, and circulatory and respiratory system diseases have remained higher than national levels since the 2019–21 HNA. Addressing the risk factors that contribute to chronic conditions and promoting healthy lifestyles will continue to be an important focus for the region.


Related priorities

Chronic conditions and diseases

Chronic conditions and diseases include arthritis, asthma, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, respiratory disease, stroke and mental health conditions.

Our area of focus

Our region has high rates of premature death from diabetes, and circulatory and respiratory system diseases (AIHW 2021f). Many of the regional areas with the highest rates of chronic disease are areas of socio-economic disadvantage.

Evidence

  • In 2021, 61% of adults in the region reported having a long-term health condition, compared with 52% nationally (AIHW 2021f, ABS 2021).

  • It is estimated that around 24% of people in the region have a mental health condition, 16% arthritis, 13% asthma, 5% diabetes, 5% cardiovascular conditions, 4% chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and 4% osteoporosis. The prevalence of each of these chronic diseases is higher than the national average (PHIDU 2021).

  • Higher rates of chronic disease were experienced in the Banana, Goondiwindi, Somerset, South Burnett and Western Downs regional areas. The community of Cherbourg also experienced very high rates, for a small population (PHIDU 2021). 

  • Around 7600 hospital admissions in 2018–19 might have been prevented if more people with a chronic condition had accessed appropriate preventive health interventions and earlier disease management (PHIDU 2021).

  • Residents told us that when it comes to supporting their long-term illness, they want to be involved in their care management, and have access to information and advice that will help them make decisions about their care (Health Consumers Queensland 2021a). 



Risk factors

Many chronic conditions share risk factors. Key risk factors for chronic disease include obesity, smoking, high alcohol consumption, low rates of exercise and poor nutrition. These can all increase an individual’s risk of diabetes, circulatory and respiratory disease. Reducing these risk factors can significantly improve health outcomes for both the individual and community.

Our area of focus

Our region has very high rates of obesity in both adults and children, and very low rates of physical activity in adults. Although smoking and alcohol consumption rates are moderate on average across the region, in some regional areas these rates are very high.

Evidence

  • In 2018, around 80% of adults reported their own health as excellent, very good or good. This is slightly lower than the Queensland average of 83% (PHIDU 2021) (PHIDU 2021).

  • In the 2019–20 Queensland preventive health survey, one in two (52%) adults in the region indicated they had sufficient physical activity in the past week (150 minutes of activity over five or more sessions). Similarly, 53% of children in the region were active for 60 minutes or more each day in the past week (Queensland Health 2020).

  • In 2020, 11.5% of people in the region were daily smokers, compared with 10.3% across Queensland. Smoking rates were higher in the Western Downs (15.2%), Southern Downs (12.2%), Ipswich (11.9%) and Goondiwindi (11.6%) regional areas (Queensland Health 2020).

  • Around 33% of adults in the region were risky alcohol drinkers, exceeding guidelines about the regular consumption of alcohol. This was below the Queensland average of 38%. Rates were higher in the Goondiwindi (44%), Scenic Rim (41%) and Western Downs (40%) regional areas (Queensland Health 2020).

  • Rates of smoking and the regular consumption of alcohol in the region were similar to the Queensland average in 2017–18, at 17% each. The Goondiwindi, Somerset, South Burnett, Southern Downs and Western Downs regional areas reported higher percentages of people who smoked daily, had at-risk alcohol drinking behaviours and were overweight than the Queensland average (PHIDU 2021).

  • Residents told us that when it comes to supporting their health, they want outdoor and indoor opportunities for physical activities, including community infrastructure such as gardens and playgrounds, especially in rural and remote towns (Health Consumer Queensland 2021a).


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