A significant proportion of the Australian population has asthma. The prevalence of asthma in Australia is high by international standards
In Australia in 2004, there were approximately 2.2 million people with asthma (11% of males and 13% of females). Asthma affects 14–16% of children (approx 1 in 6) and 10–12% of adults (approx 1 in 9)
The prevalence of asthma in Australia increased through the 1980s and 1990s (8% in 1989-90 and 11% in 1995), but evidence suggests there has been no further increase in recent years
In Victoria approximately 600,000 people are currently receiving treatment for asthma
Overall, the prevalence of asthma does not differ substantially among the states or territories or between major cities, inner regional areas and outer regional and remote areas
Asthma is less common among Australians who were born in non-English-speaking countries than among other Australians
Asthma is more common among Indigenous Australians, particularly adults, than among other Australians
Approximately one-third to one-half of adults with asthma have moderate or severe disease

Deaths due to asthma

In 2005, 318 Australians died from asthma, representing 0.3% of all deaths (81 in Victoria). The number of deaths due to asthma has continued to decline
Asthma deaths increased from 1979, peaking in 1989. Since 1989 the death rate has decreased markedly, but the rate of asthma deaths in Australia is still high in comparison to other countries
Asthma deaths occur in all age groups, while very few deaths occur in childhood, the risk of dying from asthma increases with age. 62% of all deaths due to asthma occur in people aged 65 years and over. Older people with asthma have an increased risk of dying from asthma during winter

Children and asthma

Estimates of the prevalence of current asthma in children range from 14% to 16%
The prevalence of asthma in children in Australia is high compared with most other countries
In primary school-aged children, asthma is more common among boys than among girls. After teenage years, more women have asthma than men
Children more frequently attend emergency departments for asthma in the few weeks after the beginning of each school term. This may be due to increased spread of respiratory infections when children go back to school

Health care for people with asthma

Asthma is commonly managed in general practice. General practitioners (GPs) are usually the first point of contact for asthma management and also provide support and ongoing care.
On average 3% of all GP consultations were asthma-related (14.5 asthma-related GP visits per 100 population) during the period 1998–99 to 2003–04
Asthma is one of the most common reasons for visiting a doctor, being the 7th most frequently managed problem by GPs in 2002-03
Asthma can be largely controlled by good management, under the guidance of a GP. Written asthma action plans have been shown to greatly improve the outcomes of asthma and reduce attacks. Despite this, very few children or adults with asthma have these plans
Children aged 0 to 4 years are the group that most commonly visits GPs or emergency departments or is hospitalized for asthma

Impact of asthma on quality of life

People with asthma report poorer general health and quality of life than people without asthma
More people with asthma suffer with anxiety and depression than people without asthma
Disturbed sleep is a common problem among both adults and children with asthma
Asthma can result in time off work or school and some restriction of participation in physical and social activities. A greater proportion of people with asthma report having days away from work or study over a 2-week period (11.4%) than people without asthma (7.9%)

Smoking and asthma

Despite the known additional health risks, just as many people with asthma smoke as people without asthma
Overall, around 40% of children who have asthma live with smokers and are likely to be exposed to passive smoke

Reference:

ABS 2002, National Health Survey: Summary of Results, 2001, cat. no. 4364.0, ABS, Canberra

AIHW Australian Centre for Asthma Monitoring 2005, Asthma in Australia 2005. AIHW Asthma Series 2. AIHW cat. no. ACM 6. Canberra: AIHW

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2004, Australia's Health 2004. Canberra: AIHW

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2005. Chronic respiratory diseases in Australia: their prevalence, consequences and prevention. AIHW Cat. No. PHE 63. Canberra: AIHW.

Department of Human Services 2004, Victorian Populations Health Survey 2003, State Government of Victoria

Woolcock, AJ, Bastiampillai, SA, Marks, GB & Keena, VA 2001, The Burden of Asthma in Australia, Cooperative Research Centre for Asthma

Australasian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW)

www.aihw.gov.au/publications/index.cfm/title/10158

Australian Centre for Asthma Monitoring (ACAM)

www.asthmamonitoring.org

Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)