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Publications
Further Information
Statistical methods for monitoring asthma
**NEW** Released Tuesday 29 January 2008
To view this publication as a PDF please click here
This statistical procedure manual documents and shares the experience of the Australian Centre for Asthma Monitoring (ACAM) in analysing national asthma-specific population data. Since its formation in 2002, ACAM have undertaken extensive analyses of a wide range of administrative and population health data to monitor asthma in Australia. In this manual, the approaches developed by ACAM for interrogating large population datasets from the point of receipt until delivery of final analyses are documented. It is anticipated that the principles applied in relation to interrogating data for asthma monitoring purposes will also be applicable to other chronic disease areas.
Australian asthma indicators: Five year review of asthma monitoring in Australia
Web-based report only
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In 2004, the Australian Centre for Asthma Monitoring reviewed the proposed indicators for monitoring asthma in Australia and published a set of recommended indicators. An accompanying data development plan was published in 2005. This report reviews the outcomes of the indicator review, the lessons learnt through experience with various data sources, progress so far with asthma data development and suggests future directions for national asthma monitoring.
Survey Questions for Monitoring National Asthma Indicators
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This report provides a recommended module of survey questions that can be used to collect key information about asthma such as prevalence, management issues, level of disease control and impact of the disease on the health system and individuals. The recommended questions are the result of a comprehensive review and development process and will help ensure consistency in the data collected to monitor core asthma indicators. The report is relevant to epidemiologists and other researchers who are conducting health surveys in the population.
Patterns of Asthma Medication Use in Australia
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Drug therapy is the cornerstone of treatment for controlling asthma and preventing and relieving attacks. This report describes the first study to use national data from the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
(PBS) to investigate the patterns of asthma medication use in Australia. It examines the effects of sociodemographic characteristics on the frequency of use of these medications, the potency of prescribed medications and the relationships between different classes of asthma medications. The methods used in this study are likely to be applicable to researchers investigating medication use for other conditions and diseases. The results will also be of interest to clinicians and policy makers in asthma.
Asthma in Australia: findings from the 2004-2005 National Health Survey
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This report presents asthma results from the 2004–05 National Health Survey. The National Health Survey is conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics every three years and currently provides the only nation-wide source of self-reported experiences with asthma including prevalence, management, quality of life and health-related behaviours available in Australia. This report makes comparisons between people with and without asthma, investigates the effect of social and demographic characteristics and compares the findings from this, most recent, survey with those from the previous National Health Survey conducted in 2001. It will be of value to all those interested in having updated information on the status of asthma in Australia, such as those involved in asthma care and government policy makers.
Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among older people in Australia Deaths and hospitalisations
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Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can together be described as obstructive lung disease. This report examines recent data on deaths and hospitalisations among people aged 55 years and over when asthma or COPD are recorded as one of multiple causes of death or hospital diagnoses. The aim is to describe the extent of obstructive lung disease among older Australians, to assess the possibility of misclassification between asthma and COPD and to investigate the association between these diseases and other conditions. The information contained in this report will be relevant to clinicians, policy makers and others who have an interest in obstructive lung disease.
Asthma in Australia 2005
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Asthma is an important health problem in Australia. This report brings together data from a wide range of sources to describe the current status of asthma in Australia. It includes information on the number of people who have asthma, who receive various treatments for asthma, who have written asthma action plans, and who visit their GP, are hospitalised or die due to asthma, Health care expenditure for asthma is also discussed. In addition, a chapter has been included in this report that focuses on asthma in Australian children.
Click here to download powerpoint slides (including notes pages) of all the figures from Asthma in Australia 2005.
Health care expenditure and the burden of disease due to asthma in Australia
This report provides a summary of two aspects of the economic impact of asthma in Australia: health care expenditure and burden of disease attributable to asthma-related disability and premature mortality. The information contained in this report will help guide the formation of health policy in relation to asthma.
Enhancing asthma-related information for population monitoring: Asthma data development plan 2005
Asthma is a National Health Priority Area in Australia. Targeting and evaluating interventions to improve asthma outcomes requires good data on asthma indicators. This document proposes a plan for the further development of asthma-related data for population monitoring purposes. For some indicators, which are currently being monitored, additional analyses to extend the interpretation of data are recommended. For others, a plan for the development of nation-wide data sources is proposed.
Measuring the impact of asthma on quality of life in the Australian population
This report provides a comprehensive review of approaches to measuring the impact of asthma on quality of life that can be used in population-based monitoring. While the main focus is on population monitoring in relation to asthma, the findings will be of interest to those whose focus is on other chronic diseases.
Policy makers, data agencies and researchers in measuring population health may find this report useful.
Asthma in Australia 2003
The most comprehensive set of asthma data ever compiled in Australia.
Asthma is an important health problem in Australia. This report brings together data from a wide range of sources to describe the current status of asthma in Australia. It includes information on the number of people who have asthma, who receive various treatments for asthma, who have written asthma action plans, and who visit their GP, are hospitalised or die due to asthma.
This document provides a background to defining and measuring National Health Priority Area (NHPA) indicators for asthma.
The issues surrounding the selection, operational definition and measurement of indicators for asthma are presented.
