4-5

4-5. Diabetes prevalence

In 2018, around one in ten (10.8%) South Australians aged 18 years or more had ever been told by a doctor that they had diabetes¹.
The rate varies between local health networks (LHNs) from 8.1% in the Central Adelaide LHN to 15.5% in the Riverland Mallee Coorong LHN¹.
The metropolitan Adelaide rate (10.0%) is statistically significantly lower than the Country SA rate (12.8%)¹.
No time series is available for this indicator due to a change in survey methods. In 2018, SA Health discontinued the South Australian Monitoring and Surveillance System (SAMSS) and moved to the improved South Australian Population Health Survey (SAPHS). Results between the collections are not comparable.

* Relative standard error is between 25% and 50%. Please treat the estimate with caution.

Note: Data are weighted which can result in rounding discrepancies.

Data source: SA Health 2020

In 2018, the proportion of the population aged 18 years and over that had ever been told by a doctor that they have diabetes was statistically significantly higher for males (11.9%) than females (9.9%)¹.
The prevalence of diabetes is correlated with age¹.

4-5-2

* Relative standard error is between 25% and 50%. Please treat the estimate with caution.

Note: Data are weighted which can result in rounding discrepancies.

Data source: SA Health 2020

In 2018 there was no statistically significant correlation between the proportion of people aged 18 years and over who have ever been told by a doctor that they have diabetes and the socio-economic status of the area in which they live (SES)¹.

4-5-3

Note: Data are weighted which can result in rounding discrepancies.

Data source: SA Health 2020

Data presented here is from the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ 2017-18 National Health Survey for people of all ages who are or had been living with diabetes mellitus and is not directly comparable with data presented from the state-wide survey for ages 18 years and over in 4-5-1 to 4-5-3 above.
The national survey finds that around one in 20 (5.1%, age-standardised) of the South Australian population is living with diabetes mellitus. This is self-reported and includes Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, and type unknown. Estimates also include persons who reported they had diabetes but that it was not current at the time of interview².
The South Australian rate is above the Australian average (4.3%, age standardised) and is ranked second highest of the states and territories².

**Living with diabetes mellitus (all ages), 2017–18 (age-standardised)**
State/Territory	%
Western Australia	3.8%
Australian Capital Territory	4.0%
Queensland	4.0%
New South Wales	4.3%
Tasmania	4.3%
Victoria	4.6%
South Australia	5.1%
Northern Territory	6.3%
Australia	4.3%

4-5-4

Data source: ABS 2018

The prevalence of diabetes mellitus in the South Australian Aboriginal population was 8.6% in 2018-19, 3.5 percentage points higher than that of the all-population prevalence (5.1%, age standardised) for this state in 2017-18 (see 4-5-4 above)^2 3.
Compared to Aboriginal people in other states and territories, South Australia is ranked in the highest four for this indicator³.
The South Australian rate is above the national average for Aboriginal people (7.9%)³.

**Living with diabetes mellitus - Aboriginal people (all ages), 2018–19 (crude rates)**
State/Territory	%
Tasmania	4.7%
Australian Capital Territory	5.2%
Victoria	5.5%
New South Wales	6.3%
South Australia	8.6%
Queensland	8.7%
Northern Territory	11.0%
Western Australia	11.0%
Australia	7.9%

4-5-5

Data source: ABS 2019

Based on South Australian Population Health Survey customised extract 2020, Prevention and Population Health, SA Health, Adelaide, 3 February 2020.
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.