Asthma in Australia 2005 

Table 8.1
Self-assessed health in adults with and without current asthma, Australia, 1998–2004

 

 

Results (%)

Population/ study

Response

With asthma

(95% CI)

Without asthma

(95% CI)

In general, would you say your health is: excellent, very good, good, fair or poor?

National Health Survey 2001 (1) Excellent
10.8
(9.3–12.4)
19.9
(19.2–20.6)
Age 15 years and over Very good
27.5
(25.2–29.8)
33.5
(32.6–34.3)
  Good
34.0
(31.6–36.4)
29.8
(28.9–30.6)
  Fair
20.0
(18.0–22.0)
12.5
(11.9–13.1)

 

Poor

7.6

(6.3–8.8)

4.4

(4.0–4.8)
   
(n=3,116)
(n=26,863)
  

WA Health and Wellbeing Surveillance System 2004 (2)

Excellent
19.5
(16.0–23.1)
30.4
(29.0–31.9)
Age 15 years and over Very good
33.7
(29.5–37.9)
39.1
(37.5–40.6)
  Good
28.6
(24.6–32.6)
21.9
(20.4–23.1)
  Fair
11.0
(8.2–13.7)
7.0
(6.2–7.8)

 

Poor

7.2

(4.8–10.4)

1.8

(1.4–2.2)
   
(n=399)
(n=3,607)

Queensland Omnibus Survey 2004 (3)

 Excellent
10.4
(7.1–13.7)
17.4
(15.7–19.1)
Age 18 years and over Very good
34.2
(29.1–39.3)
38.1
(35.9–40.3)
  Good
33.6
(28.6–38.7)
30.0
(27.9–32.1)
  Fair
15.5
(11.6–19.4)
10.9
(9.5–12.3)
  Poor
5.4
(3.0–7.8)
3.5
(2.7–4.3)

 

 

(n=336)

 

(n=1,895)

 

NSW Health Survey 1998 (4)

Excellent
9.9
(8.1–11.7)
19.1
(18.2–19.9)
Age 16 years and over Very good
33.8
(30.7–36.8)
35.8
(34.8–36.8)
  Good
32.2
(29.2–35.1)
29.8
(28.9–30.8)
  Fair
16.9
(14.8–18.9)
12.1
(11.4–12.7)
  Poor
7.2
(5.8–8.7)
3.0
(2.7–3.4)

 

 

(n=3,764)

 

(n=15,597)

 

Victorian Population Health Survey
2003 (5)
Excellent
9.5
(4.5–11.5)
13.0
(11.8–14.2)
Age 18 years and over
Very good
29.0
(25.8–32.1)
34.9
(33.3–36.5)
 
Good
42.3
(39.0–45.6)
37.7
(35.9–39.4)
 
Fair
14.4
(12.2–16.6)
12.3
(11.1–13.5)
 
Poor
4.6
(4.2–5.0)
2.1
(0.7–3.5)

 

 

(n=877)

 

(n=6623)

 

Overall, how would you rate your health during the past 4 weeks? Excellent, very good, good, fair, poor or very poor?

NSW Health Survey 2003 (4)
Excellent
14.6
(11.8–17.5)
23.3
(22.2–24.5)
Age 16 years and over
Very good
25.9
(22.5–29.3)
31.0
(29.7–32.2)
 
Good
30.1
(26.6–33.5)
27.6
(26.5–28.8)
 
Fair
19.4
(16.6–22.2)
12.6
(11.7–13.4)
 
Poor
7.5
(5.8–9.1)
4.2
(3.7–4.7)
 
Very poor
2.5
(1.6–3.4)
1.2
(0.9–1.4)

 

 

(n=1,524)

 

(n=11,484)

 
NSW Health Survey 2002 (4) Excellent
13.0
(10.4–15.5)
24.5
(23.3–25.7)
Age 16 years and over Very good
24.5
(21.2–27.8)
30.0
(28.7–31.2)
  Good
31.6
(28.0–35.3)
27.8
(26.6–29.0)
  Fair
19.9
(16.8–23.1)
12.3
(11.4–13.2)
  Poor
8.2
(6.4–9.9)
4.0
(3.5–4.5)
  Very poor
2.8
(1.9–3.7)
1.3
(1.0–1.7)

 

 

(n=1,468)

 

(n=11,154)

 

Note: The definitions for current asthma were: NSW Health Survey, Queensland Omnibus Survey and WA Health and Wellbeing Surveillance System: Doctor diagnosis of asthma plus treatment or symptoms of asthma in the last 12 months; Victorian Population Health Survey: Doctor diagnosis of asthma plus symptoms of asthma in the last 12 months; National Health Survey: ‘Yes’ to the question ‘Have you ever been diagnosed by a doctor with asthma?’ and ‘Yes’ to ‘Do you still get asthma?’

Sources:
(1) ABS National Health Survey 2001 (CURF);
(2) Health and Wellbeing Surveillance System 2004, Health Information Centre, Department of Health WA, (unpublished data) 2004;
(3) Queensland Omnibus Survey 2004, Health Information Branch, Queensland Health, (unpublished data) 2004;
(4) Centre for Epidemiology and Research 2003, 2004; Public Health Division 2001;
(5) Victorian Population Health Survey 2003, Department of Human Services (unpublished data).

© Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2005