Chronic conditions in children and young people

Chronic diseases are conditions with persistent effects that usually have complex causality, a long developmental period, a prolonged course and result in functional impairment or disability¹. Examples of chronic diseases are diabetes, cardiovascular conditions and respiratory diseases. Chronic diseases currently pose the greatest burden of ill health in Australia having a significant personal and community burden as well as substantial economic costs (healthcare expenses and reduced productivity)¹.

Having a chronic condition in childhood threatens the trajectory of typical development and is associated with increased risk of disability, hospitalisation, premature mortality and psychological problems as well as poorer physical and psychosocial outcomes in adulthood^2-5. Notably, the limitations that chronic illness places on development (e.g. cognitive limitations, social limitations and emotional distress) can impact a child’s school readiness which affects their academic achievement and therefore has ramifications for long term health and wellbeing³. There is evidence that the way chronic illnesses impact the social and emotional development and academic achievement of children is shared across the range of conditions and their severities^3,6.

Identifying the incidence of chronic diseases geographically can inform policy that aims to improve the health outcomes of children in the state for the lifespan^1-3.

REFERENCES

1. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare [Internet]. Canberra ACT. Chronic Disease Overview. 2017 [cited 2018 May 8]. Available from: https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports-statistics/health-conditions-disability-deaths/chronic-disease/overview
2. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare [Internet]. Canberra ACT. Selected Chronic Diseases Among Australian Children. 2017 [cited 2018 May 8]. Available from: https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/chronic-disease/selected-chronic-diseases-among-australia-s-childr/contents/table-of-contents
3. Bell M, Bayliss D, Glauert R, Harrison A, Ohan J. Chronic illness and developmental vulnerability at school entry. Pediatrics, 2016; 137(5). Available from: https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2015-2475
4. Gledhill J, Rangel L, Garralda E. Surviving chronic physical illness: Psychosocial outcome in adult life. Archives of Disease in Childhood, 2000; 83(2):104-10. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/adc.83.2.104
5. Stam H, Hartman E, Deurloo J, Groothoff J, Grootenhuis M. Young adult patients with a history of pediatric disease: impact on course of life and      transition into adulthood. Journal of Adolescent Health, 2006; 39(1):4-13.      Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2005.03.011 
6. Stein RE, Jessop DJ. What diagnosis does not tell: The case for a noncategorical approach to chronic illnesses in childhood. Social Science & Medicine, 1989; 29(6):769-778. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/0277-9536(89)90157-3

Data Source 

Compiled by Telethon Kids Institute based on Hospital Morbidity Data Collection, Department of Health Western Australia; ABS Estimated Residential Population estimates.

Numerator

Chronic physical illness related hospitalisations for selected age group

Denominator

Total ERP for selected age group

Unit of Measure 

 Per 10,000 population

Geography

SA2, SA3, LGA, HR, RDC

Data Confidentiality

Areas with count values 1 to 4 and where population is less than 50 have been suppressed.

Prior moving averages combine a sequence of 3 or 5 years of data prior to, and including, the selected year. The series are presented as overlapping sequences until the most recent year is included. Moving averages make it possible to combine more years of data to maximize sample size at each point while maintaining data confidentiality.

Notes

The HMDC includes all episodes of care that occur in the following Western Australian health services:
- Public acute hospitals
- Public psychiatric hospitals
- Private acute hospitals (licensed by WA Health System)
- Private psychiatric hospitals (licensed by WA Health System
- Private day surgeries (licensed by WA Health System)

Chronic conditions identified using the following ICD classification codes: