List of Topics within this section:

A person’s health is influenced by health behaviours that are part of their individual lifestyle. Behavioural risk factors such as poor eating patterns can have a detrimental effect on health – many health problems experienced by the Australian population could be prevented by reducing the exposure to modifiable risk factors such as tobacco smoking, being overweight or obese, high alcohol use, physical inactivity and high blood pressure.

Family, domestic and sexual violence is a major health and welfare issue in Australia and globally. It is a leading cause of homelessness for women and children, and places an enormous burden on services, hospitals and the criminal justice system.

Many of the key drivers of health and welfare are in our everyday living and working conditions – the circumstances in which we grow, live, work and age. These social determinants include factors such as income, education and employment, and can strengthen or undermine the health and welfare of individuals and communities.

Latest reports

Latest findings

Nearly 1 in 20 women aged 15–44 who gave birth in 2023 had new onset hypertension in pregnancy Most drug-induced deaths (excluding alcohol) in 2024 were due to the acute effects of drugs (97% or around 1,900 deaths) In 2022, 39% of adults aged 18+ had hypertension – of these, 40% had controlled hypertension