Region’s health report Immunisation rates strong but challenges still remain
THE release of the 2018 Health of Queenslanders Report shows that Darling Downs childhood immunisation rates are strong, but several health challenges remain.
The biennial report is compiled by the Queensland Health Chief Health Officer and provides a snapshot of the health of Queenslanders in general, as well as specifically within the Darling Downs Health area.
Darling Downs Public Health Unit Director Dr Penny Hutchinson said the good news in the report included a strong immunisation rate for the region’s five-year-olds.
“The report shows our immunisation rate for children at five years of age is sitting at 96 per cent, above the target of 95 per cent and higher than the state average of 94 per cent,” she said.
Dr Hutchinson said areas of concern remained including 30 per cent of adults considered obese, with 14 per cent of adults also inactive.
Children’s physical activity could also improve, she said, with just 48 per cent active daily.
“There are also alarming statistics for children’s nutrition levels, with more than half (54 per cent) of children across Darling Downs Health conDr suming salty or sweet snacks or confectionery every day,” she said.
In the Darling Downs 48 per cent of five to six-year-olds have tooth decay, and dental conditions were one of the leading causes of preventable hospital admissions.
Twelve per cent of adults were daily smokers.
Hutchinson said the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Action Plan set goals to address the disparity in health outcomes for indigenous people.
She said with our region’s population growing, the number of potentially preventable hospitalisations was also increasing which placed more pressure on our healthcare system.
“More than 12,000 hospitalisations were potentially preventable and could have been treated in the primary health sector which is why we’re urging everyone to work with their GP to ensure that they stay out of hospital if they can,” she said.
Dr Hutchinson said the suicide rate of 40 people a year between 2013 and 2015 was also slightly higher than the state average.
The report also showed women in the Darling Downs and South Burnett have an average life expectancy of an extra year compared with the whole of Queensland.