Indicator 6.1 Prevalence of diabetes by mental health status

Considerations

  • Due to significant data gaps, this report does not include data for culturally and linguistically diverse people and includes only very limited information relating to those with mental health problems. Further data development is required to examine outcomes within these priority groups.
  • NHS estimates of people with mental or behavioural conditions are based on self-reported data and will differ from those obtained from a diagnostic tool such as that used in the 2007 National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing (ABS 2008). Refer to AIHW’s Mental health snapshot published in Australia’s health 2020 for more information.      

Overview

In 2017–18, an estimated 7.4% of adults who had a mental or behavioural condition also had self-reported diabetes, according to the National Health Survey (NHS). Among those who did not have a mental or behavioural condition, the age-standardised prevalence of diabetes was 5.1% (Figure 6.1.1).

Age and sex

After adjusting for age, 9.2% of men who had a mental or behavioural condition had diabetes in 2017–18. A lower proportion of men with no mental or behavioural condition had diabetes (5.9%). Similarly, 6.2% of women with a mental or behavioural condition had diabetes compared with 4.4% of women with no mental or behavioural condition.

While the prevalence of diabetes increased with age for both mental health groups, prevalence was higher among those with a mental or behavioural condition than those with no mental or behavioural condition across all age groups (Figure 6.1.2).

Population groups

In 2017–18, the prevalence of diabetes increased along with the level of disadvantage both for those with and without a self-reported mental or behavioural condition. In the lowest socioeconomic areas, 10.9% of adults with a mental or behavioural condition had diabetes compared with 5.2% in the highest socioeconomic areas. Among those with no mental or behavioural condition, the prevalence of diabetes was 7.3% in the lowest socioeconomic areas and 3.7% in the highest socioeconomic areas (Figure 6.1.2).

In Major cities, 7.0% of adults with a mental or behavioural condition had diabetes. Among those with no mental or behavioural condition, 5.2% of adults had diabetes. However, there were no differences by mental health status between remoteness areas (Figure 6.1.2).

State and territory

Across the states and territories, the prevalence of diabetes among adults with a self-reported mental or behavioural condition ranged from 5.9% in Western Australia to 19.0% in the Northern Territory. Among those with no mental or behavioural condition, the prevalence of diabetes ranged from 4.1% in the Australian Capital Territory to 6.4% in the Northern Territory (Figure 6.1.2).

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

In 2018–19, 14.6% of Indigenous adults with self-reported mental or behavioural condition had diabetes, according to the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey (NATSIHS). Among those with no self-reported mental or behavioural condition, the prevalence of diabetes was 12.3%. Based on estimates from the 2018–19 NATSIHS and 2017–18 NHS, Indigenous adults with self-reported mental or behavioural condition were 2.6 times as likely to have diabetes as non-Indigenous adults with a self-reported mental or behavioural condition (19.4% compared with 7.4%, respectively, after adjusting for age) (Figure 6.1.2).   

Explore the data

6.1 Prevalence of diabetes by metal health status, by age group, 2014–15 and 2017–18 and by selected population groups, 2017–18

Trends figure 6.1.1 shows the prevalence of diabetes among adults with a mental or behavioural condition was 8.8% in 2014–15 and 7.4% in 2017–18. This dropped slightly in all age groups during this period with the exception of 18–44 years, which remained steady at around 2%. Overall, the prevalence of diabetes among adults with a mental or behavioural condition peaked among those aged 75+ at 23%.

The prevalence of diabetes among adults with no mental or behavioural condition was 5.4% in 2014–15 and 5.1% in 2017–18, remaining steady across all age groups. The prevalence of diabetes among adults with no mental or behavioural condition peaked among those aged 75+ at 18% in 2017–18.

Population group figure 6.1.2 shows that, while the prevalence of diabetes was higher among adults with a mental or behavioural condition than those without, prevalence tended to follow a similar pattern among the selected population groups, increasing with age, higher among Indigenous Australians compared with non-Indigenous Australians, increasing slightly with the level of remoteness and socioeconomic disadvantage. Prevalence varied by state and territory.

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Indicator 6.1 data specifications

 

Definition

Data source

Numerator

Estimated number of adults (18+ years) with self-reported diabetes, by self-reported mental health status.

Diabetes estimates included people with type 1 type 2 diabetes, and type unknown. Mental or behavioural condition estimates included

organic mental conditions, alcohol and drug conditions, mood conditions and other mental and behavioural conditions

ABS 2019a; ABS 2019b; ABS 2016

Denominator

Estimated Australian population (18+ years), by mental health status.

Diabetes estimates included people with type 1 type 2 diabetes, and type unknown. Mental or behavioural condition estimates included organic mental conditions, alcohol and drug conditions, mood conditions and other mental and behavioural conditions

ABS 2019a; ABS 2019b; ABS 2016

 
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