The first detailed analysis of chronic kidney disease in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and how it compares to non-Indigenous Australians was recently reported on in Chronic kidney disease in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people 2011. Indigenous Australians have a greater burden of disease for many health conditions, and chronic kidney disease is no exception. Indigenous Australians were found to be more likely to have end-stage kidney disease, and be hospitalised or die with chronic kidney disease than non-Indigenous Australians.
People with CKD, particularly those with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD), suffer poor health outcomes and a decreased quality of life. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, especially those who live in remote communities, are at a greater risk of developing CKD, and have substantially poorer health outcomes than other Australians.
Report Findings:
End-stage kidney disease
- Over the period 2007 to 2008, almost 10% of new cases of treated ESKD were for Indigenous Australians, despite Indigenous Australians making up only 2.5% of the total Australian population.
- If Indigenous Australians had the same incidence rate of treated ESKD as non-Indigenous Australians, 89% of these cases would have been avoided.
- 12% of Indigenous Australians with treated ESKD have a functioning kidney transplant, compared with 45% of non-Indigenous treated ESKD patients.
Hospitalisations
- In 2008-09, the hospitalisation rate for regular dialysis treatment among Indigenous Australians was 11 times as high as for other Australians.
Deaths
- Indigenous Australians are almost 4 times as likely to die with CKD as a cause of death than non-Indigenous Australians.
Expenditure
- In 2006-07, over 12% of hospital admitted patient expenditure on CKD was for Indigenous Australians.
Remoteness
- Compared with those living in other areas, Indigenous Australians living in remote and very remote areas are more likely to have treated ESKD. This is also reflected in the higher hospitalisation rates for CKD among Indigenous Australians in these areas.
Trends over time
- Over the period 2001 to 2008, the number of Indigenous Australians receiving treatment for ESKD increased by 72%, compared with a 41% increase for non-Indigenous Australians.
Closing the gap in life expectancy between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians is a priority of the Council of Australian Governments and incentives are available to practices to encourage the uptake of mainstream primary health care by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients. ATSI Health Assessments (MBS Item 715) are available annually for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients of all ages to support delivery of better health care to patients at risk of chronic disease.
Please contact Fran DeGrandi if your practice is interested in registering for the Indigenous Health Incentive Practice Incentive Payment or would like assistance with the Indigenous Chronic Disease Package that will "Close the Gap".
Reference:
http://www.aihw.gov.au/publication-detail/?id=10737419983 released: 16 Sep 2011