Almost half of Australians report at least one chronic health condition during a pandemic, according to new data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). The most common are mental health or behavioral problems.
The latest figures provided insights into Australian health, including physical activity, smoking and drinking.
The most common mental health or behavioral states were anxiety (12.7%) and depression (10%).
“The National Health Survey provides insights into health status and health risks in 2020-21 during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Robert Long, Director of ABS Health Statistics. Said.. “Mental and behavioral conditions, back problems, and arthritis were the most commonly reported chronic conditions.”
Women were more likely to be affected than men in the top three most commonly reported chronic health conditions.
The proportion of people with anxiety and depression decreases with age, with more than a quarter of people between the ages of 15 and 34 reporting this condition.
Health Minister Greg Hunt was one of the four pillars of Australia’s long-term national health program, where mental health focused on youth suicide after a surge in calls to the mental health hotline during a lockdown. Announced that there is.
“The Morrison government is committed to building a safe and healthy community to reduce the impact and harm of drug and alcohol use on individuals, their families, and their communities,” Hunt said.
Vaping rising in Australia
The survey also provided insights on Use of electronic cigarettes For the first time, it was revealed that more than one in five young adults aged 18 to 24 tried the vaping device.
It was also found that people in this age group are most likely never smoked, as more than 83% have never smoked.
People between the ages of 18 and 44 were also three times more likely to use the vaping device at least once than people over the age of 45.
Pediatricians at Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network urge people to “know the facts” that this activity carries serious health risks, despite the “safer alternative” message pushed by vaping ads. I am.
“As a respiratory pediatrician, I’m really worried about the acute effects of vaping,” said Professor Adam Jaffe.
“My biggest concern is that people unknowingly inhale liquids that they think are completely safe and” cool. ” It can destroy the lungs not only in the short term, but also when it can cause lung injury problems and other health problems. “
Most vape devices contain poisons such as those found in cleaning agents and insect repellent sprays, and Jaffe warned that the true ingredients are often not reflected in the packaging.
In the United States, an outbreak of EVALI (e-cigarette or vaping acute lung injury) occurred and many people admitted to the intensive care unit did not recover.
ABS also found that for smokers, the number of cigarettes smoked per day increases with age. On average, the most smokers were people between the ages of 65 and 74, who smoked more than half a day.
On the other hand, more than half of Australians over the age of 15 rate their health as good or very good, and the most popular exercise is walking.
However, less than a quarter of Australians between the ages of 18 and 64 met the guidelines for physical activity, and about 42% of the elderly aged 65 and over met the guidelines.
“Almost half of the hired people between the ages of 18 and 64 say they sit most of the day at work,” Long said. “Men report four times more than women and work primarily hard at work.”
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Rebecca Zhu is based in Sydney. She focuses on Australia’s economy, property and education. Do you have a hint? Contact her at [email protected]