SELF-REPORTED HEALTH AND USE OF HEALTH-SERVICES - A COMPARISON OF DIABETIC AND NONDIABETIC PERSONS FROM A NATIONAL SAMPLE

Population-based epidemiological and health service utilisation inform ation on diabetes and other noncommunicable diseases is still scarce i n Australia. Such information is needed by health economists, policy m akers and service providers. Data from the 1989-90 National Health Sur vey conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics have been used to obtain estimates of the prevalence of cardiovascular morbidity, lifes tyle factors, use of hospital and medical services, and self-assessed health and happiness for Australian persons with diabetes. Prevalences are compared with those for persons without diabetes. Those with diab etes had two to three times the prevalence of most cardiovascular cond itions, similar levels of exercise (except for diabetic women over 40 years of age who exercised less than their nondiabetic counterparts), lower levels of alcohol consumption (except for younger men, who had a similar frequency of heavy drinking as their nondiabetic peers), simi lar levels of smoking, a higher prevalence of overweight, and signific antly greater frequency of hospital admissions, use of outpatient serv ices and general practitioner consultations. About half of the people with diabetes assessed their health as good or excellent but 90 per ce nt stated that they were happy or very happy. No differences between d iabetic people living in capital cities and other areas were found. Th ese results have implications for education and life-style behaviour m odification programs for people with diabetes. Research into the preve ntion and more effective management of diabetes and its complications is required in order to contain the escalating health care burden asso ciated with diabetes in Australia.