Alarming figures for the North West Hospital and Health Service - detailed in the Health of Queenslanders report by the state’s chief health officer - also show almost one in every three North West residents are obese (29 per cent). 

In statistics that are equally concerning, the region ranks as the worst in the state in three out of 12 categories detailed in the report. The region also ranks second worst in another category, and third worst in three other categories.

NWHHS ranks in the top 10 best performers from the 16 Queensland regions in only two of the 12 health categories. It is also one of the worst three regions in seven of the 12 overall health indicators. It is ranked worst in the state for avoidable death rates, cardiovascular disease rates and cancer rates.

Median age of death (indigenous)

 statistics rank as the second worst in Queensland, while the region is listed as the third worst for injury rates, potentially preventable hospitalisations and median age of death.

Median age of death for all in the region is 66 years, 14 years less than the Queensland average.

For the indigenous population, the median age of death is four years lower than the average, at 53 years of age.

Non-indigenous people have a median age of death of 73 years, seven years lower than the state average.

In a double whammy for the health of the region’s residents, NWHHS has a disturbing 29 per cent higher rate of obesity along with a 23 per cent higher than state average for smoking.

Almost one in every four people in the region has a risky lifetime alcohol consumption with 23 per cent. 

The region recorded only one top five statistic, with a 93 per cent immunisation rate to rank fifth in the state.

Avoidable deaths are defined as deaths of those aged 0–74 years that could have been avoided through prevention or treatment. 

Potentially preventable hospitalisations are conditions where hospitalisation could have been avoided if timely and adequate non-hospital care had been provided.