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Commonwealth Health Partnerships 2015

C ommo nwe a l t h memb e r c o u n t r i e s diseases, which accounted for 31 per cent of total deaths across all age groups in 2012, and cancer, accounting for 29 per cent of all deaths. Non-communicable variants of respiratory diseases and diabetes contributed seven per cent and three per cent to total mortality, respectively (2012). Communicable diseases, along with maternal, perinatal and nutritional conditions in Australia, accounted for an estimated three per cent of all mortality in 2012, and injuries for six per cent. HIV prevalence in Australia, as a percentage of the population aged 15–49 years, is less than 0.2 per cent (2012). These levels have risen slightly since 1990. Australia is considered a non-endemic country for malaria by the World Health Organization (WHO), however, there were 3,355 reported cases of ‘traveller’s malaria’, infections acquired outside the country and brought into the national territory, in the period 2001–10. Estimated incidences of tuberculosis (TB) fell slightly in the period 1990–2013, while estimated mortality (when mortality data excludes cases comorbid with HIV) is low. The most commonly diagnosed mental illnesses in Australia are anxiety disorders. Health systems: In 2012 government expenditure on health was 6.1 per cent of GDP, equivalent to US$4,108 per capita. In the most recent survey, conducted between 1997 and 2011, there were 327 doctors, and 1,065 nurses and midwives per 100,000 people. Additionally, in the period 2007–12, 99 per cent of births were attended by qualified health staff and in 2012, 94 per cent of one-year-olds were immunised with one dose of measles. In 2011, 100 per cent of Australia’s population had access to improved water sources and adequate sanitation facilities. In the most recent survey, conducted in 2011, there were 156 pharmaceutical personnel per 100,000 people. Health care in Australia is a combination of both private and government institutions. The Department of Health develops overall health policy, including that of the Medicare state-funded insurance scheme, which is delivered by the Department of Human Services. Medicare coexists with a private health system mainly funded by private health insurance. Health facilities, including hospitals, are the responsibility of Australia’s six individual states, although the federal government pays a large proportion of the cost of service in public hospitals. There are more than 1,300 hospitals located throughout the country (2012). The Department of Health also administers the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, which provides heavily subsidised prescription medicine. There is a large pharmaceutical industry in Australia, which contributes a significant proportion of total manufacturing exports. Under-five mortality 10 8 6 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 Under-five mortality per 1,000 live births 100 80 136 Commonwealth Health Partnerships 2015 4 Mortality by cause of death (% of all deaths), 2012 Communicable diseases, Injuries maternal, perinatal and nutritional conditions Non-communicable diseases Tuberculosis: Incidence and mortality 1990 2000 2010 Mortality excluding cases comorbid with HIV (per100,000 people) Incidence of tuberculosis (per 100,000 people) – including cases comorbid with HIV 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 Life expectancy 1980 1990 2000 2013 Life expectancy Life expectancy in years 60


Commonwealth Health Partnerships 2015
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