It’s not surprising that more than half of all baby boomers have a long-term health condition, but the nature of these conditions provides an insight into what ailments that generation, aged 55-74, is experiencing.

50.4 per cent of baby boomers live with long-term health conditions compared with 31.7 per cent of the total population.

According to figures reported in the 2021 Census, these are the two most common diseases. Baby boomers were more than twice as likely to report having arthritis (19.8 per cent compared to 8.5 per cent) and diabetes (11.2 per cent compared to 4.7 per cent) than the total population.

Generally, the most commonly reported long-term health conditions in the total Australian population were mental health conditions (8.8 per cent), arthritis (8.5 per cent) and asthma (8.1 per cent).

The bad news for baby boomers is that apart from the interwar generation (75 years plus), they have the highest rates of multiple long-term health conditions.

The good news is that they’re in a good position to benefit from the action. The Census data is now being analysed to better inform policy and health care support.

For information about arthritis and support click here. For information about diabetes and support click here.

The Census figures confirm an article published in last week’s Connect. That article contains links to support services for people experiencing mental distress.

The incidence of mental illness increases with age. While those aged 20-30 experience a peak in mental illness (12 per cent of the population), it rises again from those aged 80 onwards, peaking at 15 per cent for people aged 100 plus.

Other diseases that increase with age affecting baby boomers include dementia, heart disease, stroke and cancer.

Heart disease, cancer, diabetes and stroke begin to decrease from 80 and 90 years, suggesting that people with these conditions have a shorter life span than those with other conditions. Baby boomers in the Greater Hobart area had the highest proportion of one or more long-term health conditions. Compared to other Greater Capital Cities (GCCSAs), 54.4 per cent of Greater Hobart baby boomers had a long-term health condition. 

Many people, not just seniors, with long-term health conditions have more than one condition, resulting in more complex health care needs.

In the 2021 Census, the most common comorbidities reported were:

• arthritis and mental health conditions (1.7 per cent of the total population or approximately 423,000 people)
• arthritis and asthma (1.5 per cent or 380,000 people)
• arthritis and heart disease (1.4 per cent or 348,000 people).

Comorbidity of conditions varied between males and females. Males most commonly reported arthritis and heart disease (1.3 per cent), whereas females reported arthritis and mental health conditions (2.2 per cent).

People with multiple long-term health conditions had a greater need for assistance for core activities.

Forty-one per cent of people with three or more conditions needed assistance, compared to 20.4 per cent with two conditions, 10 per cent with one condition, and 2.1 per cent of people with no selected conditions.

Those with the following long-term health conditions had the greatest need for assistance with core activities:

• 81.9 per cent of people with dementia
• 46.2 per cent of people who had a stroke
• 35.1 per cent of people with kidney disease.

More information about the Census findings can be found here.

For further reading: ABS