Health conditions

Respiratory conditions

Common respiratory diseases are asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (comprising chronic bronchitis and emphysema), influenza and pneumonia.

In 2018–19, among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples (based on self-reported data):

• 29% (238,000 people) reported having a long-term respiratory condition.
• A higher proportion of females (32%) had a respiratory condition than males (26%).
• The most common respiratory condition was asthma, affecting 16% of people (Figure HC 13).

The proportion of Indigenous Australians with long-term respiratory disease increased with age from 19% among those aged 0–14 to 47% among those aged 55 and over.