Indigenous Australians at higher risk of death from diabetes, heart and kidney diseases: AIHW

Cardiovascular disease, diabetes and chronic kidney disease were found to be the leading health risks for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, leading to hospitalisations and potentially death at younger ages. A new report from the AIHW shows that Indigenous Australians have a greater risk of having all three conditions potentially due to their lifestyle.

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) has found that the number of Indigenous adults who had diabetes and kidney disease was about 13 percent higher than non-Indigenous adults.

The report shows that 18 percent of Indigenous adults had diabetes, while only 5 percent of non-Indigenous adults had the condition. Chronic kidney disease occurred in 22 percent and 10 percent of Indigenous and non-Indigenous adults, respectively.

Between 2011 and 2013, the number of Indigenous adults with cardiovascular disease was 6 percent higher, compared to 21 percent of non-Indigenous adults.

There were also higher death rates among Indigenous Australians. Cardiovascular disease killed 280 Indigenous people, while there were 183 non-Indigenous deaths per 100,000 people.

Diabetes covered 21 percent of all Indigenous deaths, and chronic kidney disease contributed 16 percent. Non-Indigenous deaths from both diseases were 10 percent.

“The gap in death rates between non-Indigenous and Indigenous Australians was widest among younger age groups,” said AIHW spokesperson Sushma Mathur. “For example, the cardiovascular disease death rate for Indigenous people aged 35-44 was 8 times as high as for non-Indigenous people, falling to 4 times as high for the 55-64 year old age group.”

The report highlighted that more than 10 percent of Indigenous deaths had all three conditions. For non-Indigenous Australians, the three conditions accounted just 3 percent of deaths.

AIHW has found that Indigenous Australians have high levels of risk factors that may promote the conditions. These include 42 percent who smoke daily, 72 percent were overweight or obese, and 25 percent have high blood pressure.

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