About Us : Health Status

The health of residents in SESIAHS has improved over the last few decades. Residents are now enjoying a much longer life expectancy and a lower mortality rate. SESIAHS residents are generally healthier than the NSW average, experiencing a lower mortality rate. None of the LGAs in SESIAHS had a mortality rate higher than the state average.

Around 80% of SESIAHS residents aged 16 years and over rated their health as good, very good or excellent in the 2003 NSW Health Survey.

The chief cause of death among residents of SESIAHS are circulatory disease and cancer, together accounting for about 69% of all deaths in the Area. This is followed by respiratory diseases (8% of all deaths) and injury and poisoning (5%). The major reasons for hospitalisation are dialysis for renal failure (genitourinary system diseases), diseases of digestive system, circulatory diseases and cancer. The large number of dialysis counts may be due to the fact that multiple admissions are required for many renal dialysis patients.

The following tables supply more information about the health status of residents in SESIAHS.

Death rates by LGA 1998-2002

Table 1: Age standardised death rates and 99% confidence intervals by LGA, 1998-2002. Data sources: ABS Mortality Statistics and Estimated Resident Populations via HOIST (Health Outcome Information Tool Kit - a population health data system hosted by NSW Health).

Causes of death, SESIAHS residents, 1998-2002

Table 2: Causes of death 1998-2002. Data sources: ABS Mortality Statistics and Estimated Resident Populations via HOIST.

Reasons for hospitalisation, SESIAHS residents, 2003/04

Table 3: Reasons for hospitalisation 2003/04. Data sources: NSW Inpatient Statistics Collection and ABS Estimated Resident Populations via HOIST.