Overview

Men and women have distinct health and welfare needs and concerns related to their gender and biological sex. This is illustrated by different rates of injury, illness and mortality; different attitudes towards health and other risks; the way each group uses health services; and differences in their health outcomes and wellbeing.

More reports and statistics on women can be found under Mothers & babies.

Latest findings

More than half of Australian men exceeded the single occasion risk drinking guideline in 2017–18 Around 1 in 2 Australian males had 1 or more of the 10 selected chronic conditions in 2017–18 The leading cause of total disease burden for females in 2015 was coronary heart disease. Fewer than 1 in 10 women ate the recommended amount of fruit and vegetables in 2017–18. The leading cause of death for males in 2017 was coronary heart disease 3 in 4 men were overweight or obese in 2017–18 1 in 2 men were sufficiently physically active in 2017–18 The leading cause of death for females in 2017 was Dementia and Alzheimer disease. Males accounted for more than half (53%) of total disease burden in 2015 3 in 5 women were overweight or obese in 2017–18. 2 in 5 women were sufficiently physically active in 2017–18. 1 in 3 women exceeded the single occasion risk alcohol guidelines in 2017–18. Almost half of Australian females (49%) had 1 or more of the 10 selected chronic conditions in 2017–18. Fewer than 1 in 30 men ate the recommended amount of fruit and vegetables in 2017–18

Latest reports

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Highlights

Femalesborn in 2015–17 can expect to live 4.1 years longer than males — 84.6 compared with 80.5 years
59%of women and 50% of men aged 18 years and over were insufficiently active in 2017–18
2 in 3people in permanent residential aged care in 2014 were women
Malesaccounted for 62% of premature deaths in 2017
49%of females had 1 or more of the 10 selected chronic conditions in 2017–18 compared with 46% of males
30.6was the average age of all women who gave birth in 2017, up from 29.9 years in 2007
1 in 6women and 1 in 16 men have experienced physical or sexual violence from a current or previous cohabiting partner
Suicide rateamong ex-serving Australian Defence Force men was 18% higher than for all Australian men, after adjusting for age