Map paints a national picture of heart health

Ischaemic heart disease

25 Aug 2016

A new online heart map reveals a national picture of hospital admission rates for heart-related conditions at a national, state and regional level.

Launched by the Heart Foundation the interactive heart map displays separations for NSTEMI, STEMI, Unstable Angina and Heart Failure.

The data also identifies the risk factors for heart problems by high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, smoking and physical inactivity.

The data shows that the Northern Territory and Queensland Outbacks had the highest heart admissions with an age-standardised rate (ASR) of 161.0 and 100.9 (per 10,000 people), with the third-highest Darwin at 79.0.

Queensland also dominated the list of hotspots with 12 regions included in the top 20.

People living in rural areas were almost twice as likely to be admitted to hospital for a heart problem.

For example, those living in major cities had an ASR of 47.1, with rates increasing for people living in regional areas (inner regional 53.1; outer regional 57.6; remote 62.2; very remote 92.5).

Heart Foundation National Chief Executive Officer Adjunct Professor John Kelly said: “Those regions that rate in the top hotspot areas are regions where a large proportion of residents are of significant disadvantage.

This disadvantage includes a person’s access to education, employment, housing, transport, affordable healthy food and social support.”

“The Heart Foundation urges regional service providers and State and local governments to use this information to ensure all Australians have access to preventative health care and facilities to reduce the risk factors.”

You can access the maps here.

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