Phillips, C B

Patel, M S

Cabaron, Y

1993-06

Diabetes is a major public health problem for Aboriginal Australians. We wished to determine the extent and pattern of health service utilisation by Aboriginal people with diabetes in central Australia. Medical records of all Aboriginal people known to have diabetes (n = 374), identified by a previous study, were examined for attendance to health services in central Australia. All had non-insulin-dependent diabetes. Between January 1984 and December 1986, Aboriginal adults with diabetes were admitted to hospital on 694 occasions, accounting for 10.8% of adult Aboriginal admissions. The crude admission rates were 0.78 and 0.84 per diabetes-year for men and women, respectively. The age-adjusted relative risks for admission, compared with Aboriginal non-diabetic patients, were 2.93 (95% C.I., 2.62-3.26) for men and 2.46 (95% C.I., 2.28-2.66) for women. If admission for conditions associated with diabetes are excluded, the admission rates were similar for the two groups. Infection was the most common reason for attendance to a health service, representing 41.7% and 39.8% of male and female admissions, and 21.8% and 26.3% of male and female outpatient attendances. Aboriginal patients with diagnosed diabetes suffer high morbidity and contribute disproportionately to health system costs.

Diabetes research and clinical practice 1993-06; 20(3): 231-9

0168-8227

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8404457/?otool=iaurydwlib

https://hdl.handle.net/10137/6914

Adult

Age Factors

Aged

Australia

Community Health Services

Female

Health Services

Hospitalization

Humans

Male

Medical Records

Middle Aged

Sex Factors

Diabetes Mellitus

Oceanic Ancestry Group

Utilisation of health services by aboriginal Australians with diabetes.

Comparative Study

Journal Article

Publication