Share of population with long-term health conditions Australia FY 2021, by condition

The most common long-term health condition reported by Australians 18 years and older were mental and behavioral conditions, representing 22.6 percent of the population as of financial year 2021. By comparison diabetes and heart disease affected just under five percent of the population each.

Mental health in Australia

Around 27.6 percent of the Australian population suffered from depression or symptoms of depression in 2020 amidst the COVID pandemic. Despite so many Australians being affected by mental illness, many do not initially seek help or know where to look to find help. For those that do seek help, not for profit organizations like Beyond Blue, the Black Dog Institute, and Sane are available for Australians to receive information and support. For young people, Headspace is a government funded national youth support service. However, in a 2022 survey on where young people go for help, around 80 percent of young people indicated that they feel most comfortable speaking with their friends about important issues such as mental health.

 Chronic illness as an underlying cause of death

Diabetes was a considerable underlying cause of death in the Australian population in 2020. The rate has not changed significantly over the past 20 years compared to other prevalent causes of death, like cancer. Arthritis, hypertension, and asthma are among the most common chronic illnesses in Australia, but these illnesses alone are not usually significant contributors to a cause of death.