Roundtable Discussion: Data on Ageing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Populations

Kowal, Paul; Gibson, Richard; Wutzke, Sonia; Smith, Kate; Cotter, Philippa R.; Strivens, Edward; Lindeman, Melissa; LoGiudice, Dina; Broe, G. A.

doi:10.2202/1948-4682.1181

Cited by 1 publication

(1 citation statement)

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“…The trend in Australia is not as encouraging: available evidence suggests that the large differences in health and life expectancy between indigenous and non‐indigenous Australians are not shifting despite political efforts to close the gap 43 . Older indigenous people in both countries are under‐represented in population health studies, with more research underway in NZ than Australia to address ageing and health in these populations 44–48 …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ageing across the Tasman Sea: the demographics and health of older adults in Australia and New Zealand

Kowal

Towers

Byles

2014

Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health

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T he prospect of demographic ageing has been followed closely over past decades in Australia and New Zealand (NZ). These two countries, separated by the Tasman Sea, are members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), are similar in terms of age structure and the rate of population ageing, and face similar issues regarding the need to provide health and social policy for an ageing population. Both stand out within the Oceania region of Australia/NZ, Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia 1 in terms of population ageing, with around 15% aged 65 years and over, compared to less than 10% in all other countries in the region. 2 The growth of the older adult population in Australia has directly paralleled NZ over the past half century, the proportion aged 65 years or older in both countries having risen from about 9% of the total populations in 1960 to 15% in 2013. 2 In both countries, population ageing is well progressed and the respective rates of ageing will increase steadily through the year 2100. The period between 2005 and 2040 sees a more rapid rate of ageing in NZ than in Australia, resulting in a comparatively higher percentage of the population 65+ from about 2025, with the rates more or less the same for the countries from 2040 carrying through to 2100. For Australia and NZ, life expectancies at birth have increased by more than eight years for males and six years for females over the past 30 years; with current life expectancy nearing 80 years for Australian and NZ men (80.1 and 79.1 years, respectively) and 83 years or more for women (84.7 and 82.9 years, respectively). 2 In addition to the certainty that populations are ageing, the speed of ageing matters because of the resulting need for governments and societies to adapt quickly in the coming decades. From a health services perspective, larger numbers of people over 60, and particularly over 85, will require a refocusing of the care systems. Demand for services will be driven by chronic diseases that contribute an ever expanding portion of morbidity and mortality. Moreover, most older people will have multiple conditions affecting more than one body system, requiring a move away from the prevailing disease-based model of health service delivery. Preventive approaches will need to prioritise common risk factors for chronic disabling conditions, not just those that have impact on mortality. Policymakers and researchers are keen to predict the impacts of ageing on health and social services, labour force participation, income and retirement policies-then to Abstract Objective: The demographic and health aspects of ageing populations in Australia and New Zealand (NZ) are described. These data are relevant to compare impacts of policy and context in each country. Methods: Secondary analysis of international (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, United Nations and World Health Organization) and domestic population and health data. Results: Both countries will experience a greater than 80% increase in the population...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%