The sixth Health of Queenslanders Report, released by Queensland’s chief health officer in November, shows some progress but also demonstrates there is a lot of work to do to improve health statistics in the North West, says the chair of the North West Hospital and Health Service (NWHHS) Paul Woodhouse.
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“Queenslanders are living longer, gaining from preventative measures, slowing the risk factor burden, and we are gradually improving outcomes for Indigenous Queenslanders. However, statistics in the North West only show improvements in a few areas, namely child immunisation and breast screening participation.
“I know it is going to take a number of years to turn our health statistics around, but I had really hoped for some incremental change in this latest report. Instead we still see pretty significant figures around smoking, drinking and obesity,” Mr Woodhouse said.
The new primary health care strategy to be rolled out by the NWHHS, the Western Queensland Primary Health Network and Gidgee Healing will go a long way to reversing the lifestyle statistics of those living in Mount Isa and other communities across the region, Mr Woodhouse said.
“All three organisations are working on a Lower Gulf health strategy to address these health issues that plague our region, with Gidgee Healing taking the lead in primary health care.
“Nearly 40 per cent of adults in the North West are now classified as obese; 20 per cent are daily smokers, and 30 per cent are risky drinkers. We’re in danger of eating, smoking and drinking ourselves to death, and we need to address this at a primary health level.
“Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people will participate in the decision-making affecting their health, and the services will be structured around the needs of the individual, the family and the community.”
The other important message Mr Woodhouse emphasised is that all three health organisations exist to help people address unhealthy lifestyle habits, and help them turn their lives around.
“We know it’s not easy to address the three big issues on your own, and we want to assure people that we have the tools to help.”
Statistics:
- 20% of North West adults were daily smokers in 2015 – 2016, the same statistics as in 2014 -2015. But compared to the rest of Queensland, that rate is 62% higher, compared to 23% higher than the rest of Queensland in 2014-2015. So while the rest of Queensland is giving up the ciggies, the North West is not.
- Our obesity rate has gone up from 29% of adults being obese, to 39%, a rise of 10%, making the North West 62% higher than the rest of Queensland.
- 23% of adults in the North West were risky drinkers in 2014-2015, and that has shot up to 30% in 2015-2016, an increase of 7%, making the North West 37% higher than the rest of Queensland.
- Immunisation of children is up 1%, making the North West 2% higher than the rest of Queensland
- Breast screening participation has gone up by 2%, making the North West 1% higher than the rest of Queensland
