4-1

4-1. Living with multiple chronic and long-term health conditions

In 2017, around one in five (21.9%) South Australians aged 18 years or more were living with two or more of the following chronic health conditions: diabetes, asthma, cardiovascular disease, arthritis, osteoporosis and/or a mental health condition¹.
The rate varies between the local health networks (LHNs) from 12.9% in the Riverland Mallee Coorong LHN to 27.0% in the Yorke and Northern LHN¹.
The Country SA rate (20.4%) is statistically significantly lower than the metropolitan Adelaide rate of 22.6%¹.
A statistically significant increasing trend over the last decade in the proportion of people living with two or more chronic health conditions was identified in the metropolitan Adelaide time series but not Country SA¹.

4-1-1

Data source: SA Health 2018

In 2017, the proportion of the population that was living with multiple (two or more) chronic health conditions was higher among females aged 18 years and over (27.0%) than males (17.0%)¹.
The chronic health conditions included in this measure are: diabetes, asthma, cardiovascular disease, arthritis, osteoporosis and/or a mental health condition¹.
Prevalence is correlated with age¹.

4-1-2

Data source: SA Health 2018

In 2017, there was a statistically significant inverse correlation between the proportion of people aged 18 years and over who are living with multiple chronic health conditions and the socio-economic status of the area in which they live¹.
"Multiple chronic health conditions" is two or more of the following: diabetes, asthma, cardiovascular disease, arthritis, osteoporosis and/or a mental health condition¹.

4-1-3

Data source: SA Health 2018

Data presented here is from the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ 2017-18 National Health Survey for people of all ages who report living with two or more chronic conditions. This is a more comprehensive measure of multiple long-term health conditions than that used for the state-wide survey results in 4-1-1 to 4-1-3 above. Figures are therefore not comparable.
Chronic conditions in this measure are medical conditions that have lasted or which the survey respondent expects to last six months or more, such as: arthritis; asthma; back problems (dorsopathies); cancer (malignant neoplasms); chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); diabetes mellitus; hayfever and allergic rhinitis; heart, stroke and vascular disease; hypertension; kidney disease; mental and behavioural problems; and osteoporosis².
According to the national survey, more than one in five (20.4%, age-standardised) of South Australia's population is estimated to be living with two or more chronic conditions. This is above the Australian average (18.7%, age standardised)².
The South Australian rate is ranked second-highest of the states and territories².

**Living with two or more chronic conditions (all ages), 2017–18 (age-standardised)**
State/Territory	%
Northern Territory	15.5%
Western Australia	17.0%
New South Wales	17.8%
Victoria	19.1%
Queensland	20.0%
Australian Capital Territory	20.2%
South Australia	20.4%
Tasmania	22.0%
Australia	18.7%

4-1-4

Data source: ABS 2018

Almost a quarter (24.6%, not age standardised) of Aboriginal people in South Australia report living with two or more chronic conditions, above the national rate for Aboriginal people (20.0%, not age standardised)³.
The chronic conditions considered are: arthritis; asthma; back problems (dorsopathies); cancer (malignant neoplasms); chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); diabetes mellitus; heart, stroke and vascular disease; kidney disease; mental and behavioural conditions; and osteoporosis³.
Compared to Aboriginal people in other states and territories, South Australia is ranked third-highest for this indicator³.
The 24.6% (not age standardised) of Aboriginal people in 2018-19 living with two or more chronic conditions is higher than the 20.4% (age standardised) all-person rate for South Australia recorded in 2017-18 (see 4-1-4 above)³.

**Living with two or more chronic conditions - Aboriginal people (aged 15+ years), 2018-19 (crude rates)**
State/Territory	%
Northern Territory	11.3%
Western Australia	15.9%
Queensland	16.6%
New South Wales	23.5%
Victoria	23.6%
South Australia	24.6%
Tasmania	29.2%
Australian Capital Territory	36.4%
Australia	20.0%

4-1-5

Data source: ABS 2019

Based on South Australian Monitoring and Surveillance System customised extract 2018, Prevention and Population Health, SA Health, Adelaide, 16 August 2018.
Based on Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS 2018), ‘Table 2.3 Summary health characteristics — States and territories, Proportion of persons’, National Health Survey: First Results, 2017-18, cat. no. 4364.0.55.001, 12 December 2018.
Based on Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS 2019), 'Table 3.3 Selected health characteristics, by State/Territory, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons, 2018–19, Proportion of persons,' National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey, 2018-19, cat. no. 4715.0, 11 December 2019.