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 Indigenous Australians (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.