Leslie Massey
Diabetes is a global epidemic, with an estimated 537 million adults affected worldwide in 2021. In Australia, the condition affects a significant number of people and imposes a substantial burden on individuals' well-being, healthcare costs, and social productivity. The prevalence of diabetes in Australia has been increasing over the past few decades, with a two-fold increase in mortality rates. The impact of diabetes is far-reaching, with various factors influencing an individual's likelihood of developing the condition, including age, gender, geographical location, and socio-economic status.
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What You'll Learn
- In 2021, 49,900 people were newly diagnosed with diabetes in Australia
- Diabetes is the seventh most common cause of death in Australia
- The total annual cost impact of diabetes in Australia is $17.6 billion
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians are three times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes
- Diabetes is the leading cause of preventable blindness in working age Australians
In 2021, 49,900 people were newly diagnosed with diabetes in Australia
Type 1 diabetes accounted for 3,000 of these new diagnoses, which equates to 12 per 100,000 of the population. This form of diabetes was responsible for around 19,800 years of healthy life lost and contributed to 0.3% of Australia's total disease burden.
Between 2000 and 2021, 1.3 million people were newly diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in Australia, averaging 60,000 people each year. Type 2 diabetes was responsible for around 128,000 years of healthy life lost and contributed 2.2% to the total disease burden in Australia. It was the twelfth leading contributor to the country's disease burden in 2022.
The prevalence of diabetes in Australia has been increasing over the past few decades, with more than one million people living with the condition. In 2021, almost 1 in 5 Australians aged 80-84 were living with diabetes, which was almost 30 times higher than those aged under 40.
Diabetes imposes a significant burden on individuals' well-being, healthcare expenditure, and social productivity. The economic cost of diabetes-related foot disease in Australia is estimated at $1.6 billion annually. Additionally, people with diabetes are two to four times more likely to develop heart disease, which is the leading cause of death for those with Type 2 diabetes.
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Diabetes is the seventh most common cause of death in Australia
Diabetes is a serious health issue in Australia, affecting a significant portion of the population. In 2022, it was ranked as the seventh most common cause of death in the country, with 6,050 deaths attributed to the disease. This accounts for 11% of all deaths in Australia, highlighting the significant impact of diabetes on public health. The prevalence of diabetes in Australia has been steadily increasing over the past two decades, rising from 3.3% in 2001 to 5.3% in 2022. This trend underscores the growing challenge posed by diabetes to the healthcare system and the overall well-being of Australians.
The impact of diabetes goes beyond these statistics. It is a contributing factor to various health complications, including heart disease and kidney disease. People with diabetes are two to four times more likely to develop heart disease, which is the leading cause of death for individuals with type 2 diabetes. Additionally, diabetes-related foot ulcers result in thousands of hospital admissions each year, and in some cases, lead to limb amputations. The financial burden associated with diabetes-related foot disease is also significant, costing Australia approximately $1.6 billion annually.
Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of the disease, accounting for 87.6% of cases, while Type 1 diabetes represents 9.6%. However, it is important to note that Type 1 diabetes has been on the rise, currently affecting around 134,000 Australians. This equates to 10% of all diabetes cases and is increasing annually. The incidence of diabetes varies across different demographic groups. For instance, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians are three times more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes than non-Indigenous Australians. Additionally, individuals living in remote or very remote areas are 2.5 times more likely to be hospitalised for diabetes when compared to those living in major cities.
While the management of diabetes is a ongoing challenge, many Australians are actively addressing the condition. Over three-quarters of people with diabetes take one or more actions to manage their condition, such as controlling blood glucose levels and improving insulin effectiveness. However, there is still a significant proportion, approximately one in seven, who are not currently taking action to manage their diabetes. This highlights the need for continued awareness, education, and support to ensure effective diabetes management and improve overall health outcomes for those affected by this disease in Australia.
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The total annual cost impact of diabetes in Australia is $17.6 billion
Diabetes is a growing problem in Australia, with a slow but steady increase in prevalence over the last two decades. In 2022, it was the seventh-leading cause of death in the country, with 6,050 fatalities. Type 2 diabetes was the twelfth leading contributor to Australia's total disease burden, causing around 128,000 years of healthy life lost. Type 1 diabetes was responsible for 19,800 years of healthy life lost.
The condition disproportionately affects certain demographics. For instance, in 2022, those born overseas were more likely to have diabetes (6.7%) than those born in Australia (4.7%). People living in areas of disadvantage had a higher prevalence (8.6%) than those in areas of advantage (3.1%). Additionally, those living with a disability were more likely to have diabetes (10.8%) compared to those without (2.8%).
In 2020-21, diabetes accounted for an estimated $3.4 billion in health system expenditure, representing 2.3% of total disease expenditure. Medications dispensed through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme were the highest area of spending, accounting for 28% ($952.7 million). Hospital services spending accounted for 36% ($1.2 billion), including public hospital admitted patients ($752.2 million) and outpatients ($376.7 million).
The cost of diabetes is not limited to the healthcare system. For every person diagnosed with diabetes, there is often a family member or carer who also "lives with diabetes" in a support role. This means that an estimated 2.4 million Australians are affected by diabetes daily. The condition imposes a substantial financial burden on individuals and the government, with costs being higher for those with complications.
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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians are three times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes
In Australia, diabetes is a significant health concern, with an estimated 120,000 new cases each year. The impact of this disease extends beyond those diagnosed, affecting the lives of approximately 2.4 million Australians, including family members and carers. Type 2 diabetes is a pressing issue, with 1.3 million new diagnoses between 2000 and 2021, averaging 60,000 people per year.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians are particularly vulnerable to type 2 diabetes, facing a risk three to four times higher than that of non-Indigenous Australians. This disparity is driven by a combination of genetic predisposition and lifestyle factors. The genetic makeup that once aided Indigenous people's survival during food scarcity now contributes to weight increases and associated conditions, such as high blood pressure and heart disease. Additionally, the adoption of a Westernised lifestyle has led to high obesity rates, impaired glucose tolerance, elevated blood fat levels, and insulin resistance, further exacerbating the risk of type 2 diabetes.
The impact of type 2 diabetes on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities is severe, with diabetes being the third leading cause of death in 2019. The prevalence of diabetes in these communities is estimated at 8%, rising to 12% in remote areas, with specific communities reporting rates as high as 33%. The condition also tends to develop at an earlier age in Indigenous populations, increasing the risk of complications at a younger age.
Addressing this health disparity requires a multifaceted approach. While lifestyle modifications, including weight loss, dietary changes, and increased physical activity, are crucial for treatment and prevention, they must be coupled with broader interventions. Economic and social factors, along with political action, play a significant role in the successful prevention and management of diabetes in these communities.
Furthermore, the principles of a traditional Aboriginal lifestyle can offer valuable insights. Adopting a low-fat, high-fibre diet, maintaining physical activity, and sustaining a healthy weight can improve metabolic control, regardless of cultural background. By integrating these principles with modern health strategies, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians can effectively reduce their risk of type 2 diabetes and mitigate the impact of this devastating disease.
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Diabetes is the leading cause of preventable blindness in working age Australians
Diabetes is a growing problem in Australia, with almost 120,000 new cases in the past year and an estimated 2.4 million people affected daily. The prevalence of diabetes has increased over the last two decades, from 3.3% in 2001 to 5.3% in 2022. It is a leading cause of death, hospitalisation, and disease burden in the country.
Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a frequent complication of diabetes mellitus and is the leading cause of blindness among working-age Australians. The condition can progress undetected until irreversible damage occurs, as the current screening process is not sufficiently effective. DR is clinically defined as a microvascular disease that involves damage to the small blood vessels in the retina. This damage can lead to proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), an advanced form of diabetic eye disease characterised by retinal neovascularisation and excessive mitochondrial and retinal cell damage.
The risk of developing DR is associated with diabetes-associated small vessel disease and neuroretinal changes. These changes create a cycle that contributes to the development of PDR and result in characteristic ocular attributes, including chronic inflammation, reduced visual field, and retinal cell damage. PDR is considered an independent predictor of other severe diabetic complications, such as ischemic stroke.
Effective treatments for DR-related vision impairment and blindness are available, but they may not be sufficiently tailored to individual patients. For example, a study by Wykoff et al. found that 1.2% of patients with newly diagnosed DR became legally blind during an average follow-up time of approximately 1.4 years. This highlights the importance of addressing vision loss in diabetic patients and improving the effectiveness of screening and treatment processes.
Additionally, diabetes has other severe consequences for Australians, including foot ulcers, limb amputations, and an increased risk of heart disease. The financial cost of diabetes-related foot disease is significant, estimated at around $1.6 billion annually. Furthermore, people with diabetes are two to four times more likely to develop heart disease, which contributes to about two-thirds of all deaths in this population.
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Frequently asked questions
It is estimated that 2.4 million Australians are affected by diabetes every year. In 2021, there were 3,000 new cases of type 1 diabetes, and between 2000 and 2021, 1.3 million people were newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, averaging 60,000 people each year.
In 2021-22, there were 47,600 diabetes-related hospitalisations in remote and very remote areas of Australia. Overall, around 1.3 million people are hospitalised with diabetes-related conditions every year.
Diabetes-related foot disease costs Australia around $1.6 billion every year. In 2015, the economic cost associated with diabetic macular oedema alone was estimated at AU$2.07 billion.
According to statistics, 76.2% of people with diabetes in Australia take one or more actions to manage their condition. However, 13.7% are not taking any current action to manage their diabetes.
