The number of hospitalisations for diseases of the eye, per 1,000 First Nations people: Measure 3.1
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Hospitalisations reflect both the occurrence in the population of eye conditions which are serious enough to require hospitalisation, as well as access to and use of hospitals services (Figure 28 and Figure 29).
Latest data
In the 2-year period 2021–23, there were 13,329 hospitalisations for First Nations people for diseases of the eye – a crude rate of 7.4 per 1,000 population (Figure 28).
In 2021–23, for First Nations people, the most common principal diagnosis for hospitalisations for diseases of the eye was disorders of the lens (7,734 hospitalisations or 4.3 per 1,000) followed by disorders of the choroid and retina (2,292 hospitalisations or 1.3 per 1,000), disorders of the eyelid, lacrimal system and orbit (0.4 per 1,000) and disorders of the conjunctiva (0.4 per 1,000) (Figure 28).
Figure 28: Hospitalisations for diseases of the eye, 2021–23
Notes
- Based on principal diagnosis only.
- Includes the following ICD-10-AM codes: H00–H59.
- Hospitalisations with a care type of Newborn (without qualified days) and records for Hospital boarders and Posthumous organ procurement have been excluded.
- Includes public and private hospitals.
Source: AIHW National Hospital Morbidity Database
Explore more aspects of the data in the following section. See also Figure 29.
By remoteness
In 2021–23, age-standardised hospitalisation rates for eye diseases increased with remoteness. The area with the highest hospitalisation rate for First Nations people was Remote and very remote areas (combined) (13.2 per 1,000) (Figure 29 – remoteness).
By jurisdiction
In 2021–23, the jurisdictions with the highest age-standardised hospitalisation rates for First Nations people for diseases of the eye were Western Australia (19.3 per 1,000), Tasmania (13.9 per 1,000) and Queensland (13.2 per 1,000) (Figure 29 – jurisdiction).
By age and Indigenous status
In 2021–23, hospitalisation rates for eye diseases increased with age and were greatest for those aged 75 and over. Hospitalisation rates were higher among non‑Indigenous Australians aged 75 and over (104.5 per 1,000) than among First Nations people (83.3 per 1,000) (Figure 29 – population groups).
By Primary Health Network
In 2021–23, the Primary Health Networks (PHN) with the highest hospitalisation rates for First Nations people for diseases of the eye were Country WA (16.1 per 1,000), and Central Queensland, Wide Bay, Sunshine coast (10.2 per 1,000) and Tasmania (9.5 per 1,000) (Figure 29 – geography).
Time trend
Between 2015–16 and 2022–23, age-specific hospitalisation rates for First Nations people for diseases of the eye increased for all age groups over age 45. The largest increase was for those aged 75 and over, where the rate rose from 69.4 per 1,000 in 2015–16 to 90.8 per 1,000 in 2022–23. Hospitalisation rates for non-Indigenous Australians increased across all age groups apart from those aged 75 and over from 2015–16 to 2022–23. Hospitalisation rates were higher among First Nations people than among non-Indigenous Australians in 2022–23 for those aged 45 to 54 (8.8 and 6.5 per 1,000, respectively) and 55 to 64 (26.4 and 20.7 per 1,000, respectively) but were lower for those aged 65 to 74 and 75 and over (Figure 29 – time trend).
Between 2013–14 and 2022–23, the age-standardised hospitalisation rate for diseases of the eye for First Nations people increased from 8.9 to 13.7 per 1,000, while the rate for non‑Indigenous Australians increased from 13.2 to 14.1 per 1,000. The trend line shows there has been a slight rise in the age-standardised hospitalisation rate for First Nations people over this time (Figure 29 – time trend).
Figure 29: Hospitalisations for diseases of the eye: interactive data
The following extended descriptions are provided to assist people using screen readers. To download the data tables, visit Data.
Remoteness Indigenous status per 1,000 age standardised
Inner/outer regional First Nations 12.4
Inner/outer regional Non-Indigenous 13.7
Major cities First Nations 12.5
Major cities Non-Indigenous 14.0
Remote/very remote First Nations 13.2
Remote/very remote Non-Indigenous 12.8
Jurisdiction Indigenous status Per 1,000 age standardised
ACT First Nations 7.4
ACT Non-Indigenous 6.1
NSW First Nations 11.9
NSW Non-Indigenous 13.2
NT First Nations 7.2
NT Non-Indigenous 10.2
Qld First Nations 13.2
Qld Non-Indigenous 16.0
SA First Nations 11.0
SA Non-Indigenous 14.2
Tas First Nations 13.9
Tas Non-Indigenous 22.1
Vic First Nations 10.4
Vic Non-Indigenous 11.4
WA First Nations 19.3
WA Non-Indigenous 14.9
Age Indigenous status per 1,000 age standardised
45–54 First Nations 8.3
45–54 Non-Indigenous 6.4
55–64 First Nations 24.1
55–64 Non-Indigenous 20.2
65–74 First Nations 56.9
65–74 Non-Indigenous 60.2
75+ First Nations 83.3
75+ Non-Indigenous 104.5
Primary Health Network First Nations Per 1,000
Adelaide 5.7
Australian Capital Territory 3.9
Brisbane North 8.7
Brisbane South 8.0
Central Queensland, Wide Bay, Sunshine Coast 10.2
Central and Eastern Sydney 6.0
Country SA 5.9
Country WA 16.1
Darling Downs and West Moreton 6.1
Eastern Melbourne 5.9
Gippsland 7.3
Gold Coast 5.9
Hunter New England and Central Coast 8.2
Murray 5.2
Murrumbidgee 8.5
Nepean Blue Mountains 4.2
North Coast 8.6
North Western Melbourne 5.3
Northern Queensland 6.5
Northern Sydney 8.7
Northern Territory 4.6
Perth North 5.4
Perth South 5.2
South Eastern Melbourne 7.1
South Eastern NSW 5.8
South Western Sydney 4.4
Tasmania 9.5
Western NSW 8.6
Western Queensland 9.1
Western Sydney 3.5
Western Victoria 6.5
year Age Indigenous status Per 1,000
2015–16
45–54 First Nations 6.0
45–54 Non-Indigenous 6.1
55–64 First Nations 17.0
55–64 Non-Indigenous 19.2
65–74 First Nations 47.8
65–74 Non-Indigenous 59.0
75+ First Nations 69.4
75+ Non-Indigenous 107.5
2016–17
45–54 First Nations 6.1
45–54 Non-Indigenous 6.0
55–64 First Nations 19.6
55–64 Non-Indigenous 19.7
65–74 First Nations 49.6
65–74 Non-Indigenous 60.3
75+ First Nations 67.3
75+ Non-Indigenous 107.5
2017–18
45–54 First Nations 5.8
45–54 Non-Indigenous 6.3
55–64 First Nations 19.2
55–64 Non-Indigenous 20.3
65–74 First Nations 47.9
65–74 Non-Indigenous 62.5
75+ First Nations 76.2
75+ Non-Indigenous 111.4
2018–19
45–54 First Nations 7.2
45–54 Non-Indigenous 6.2
55–64 First Nations 22.8
55–64 Non-Indigenous 20.5
65–74 First Nations 52.9
65–74 Non-Indigenous 63.3
75+ First Nations 76.8
75+ Non-Indigenous 111.3
2019–20
45–54 First Nations 6.4
45–54 Non-Indigenous 5.5
55–64 First Nations 19.7
55–64 Non-Indigenous 18.0
65–74 First Nations 49.4
65–74 Non-Indigenous 55.1
75+ First Nations 69.2
75+ Non-Indigenous 97.6
2020–21
45–54 First Nations 7.7
45–54 Non-Indigenous 6.7
55–64 First Nations 24.9
55–64 Non-Indigenous 21.0
65–74 First Nations 56.9
65–74 Non-Indigenous 63.7
75+ First Nations 85.6
75+ Non-Indigenous 109.4
2021–22
45–54 First Nations 7.8
45–54 Non-Indigenous 6.3
55–64 First Nations 21.8
55–64 Non-Indigenous 19.7
65–74 First Nations 52.6
65–74 Non-Indigenous 58.4
75+ First Nations 75.1
75+ Non-Indigenous 101.7
2022–23
45–54 First Nations 8.8
45–54 Non-Indigenous 6.5
55–64 First Nations 26.4
55–64 Non-Indigenous 20.7
65–74 First Nations 60.9
65–74 Non-Indigenous 62.0
75+ First Nations 90.8
75+ Non-Indigenous 107.2