Burden of disease 2018 (AIHW)

Asthma was the 9th leading contributor to the total burden of disease in Australia in 2018, with a disability-adjusted life years (DALY) rate of 5.2 per 1,000 population, compared to 10th in 2003. Asthma was the 4th leading cause of non-fatal disease burden in 2018 (from 5th in 2003). The equivalent of 130,886 years of healthy life were lost due to asthma in 2018, including 123,315 of these due to years lived with a disability.

Asthma was the leading cause of total burden in children aged 5-14, contributing to 14% and 11% of the total burden in boys and girls, respectively. It was the leading cause of non-fatal burden for children aged under 5.

By age groups, asthma’s total burden of disease ranked: 5th in children aged under 5; 1st in all children aged 5-14 (1st in males and 2nd in females); 5th in males and 4th in females aged 15-24; 8th in males and 4th in females aged 25-44; 10th in males and 6th in females aged 45-54; 10th in females aged 55-64; higher than 10th in males aged over 54 and females aged over 64. (see Fig 2.6 and 2.7 for DALY rates and proportions)

By age groups, asthma’s non-fatal burden of disease ranked: 1st in children aged under 5; 1st in males and 2nd in females aged 5-14; 3rd in males and 4th in females aged 15-24; 6th in males and 4th in females aged 25-44; 5th in both males and females aged 45-54; 8th in males and 6th in females aged 55-64; 8th in females aged 65-74; higher than 10th in males aged over 64 and females aged over 74.

Asthma was the 10th leading cause of fatal burden in males and 7th in females aged 5-14.

Note that the report also contains data specific to states, remoteness and socioeconomic groups.