DIABETES AS A SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE IN AUSTRALIA

INTRODUCTION

Diabetes is a chronic condition characterized by high levels of glucose in the blood due to either the inability of the pancreas to produce the hormone insulin or the inability of the body to use the insulin produced effectively, or both. In general, diabetes is associated with other chronic health conditions, such as cardiovascular disease and chronic kidney disease, and increases the risk of stroke, blindness, and lower limb amputation (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2024).

In 2021, an estimated 1 in 20 (approximately 1.3 million people) Australians were living with diagnosed diabetes (prevalence), a 2.8 fold increase from 480 million in the year 2000. This statistic includes people with type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes and other diabetes, but excludes gestational diabetes.

RISK FACTORS OF DIABETES

In Australia, modifiable factors like obesity, physical inactivity, and unhealthy diets, as well as non-modifiable factors such as family history, age, and ethnicity are the significant risk factors of Diabetes especially Type 2 (Diabetes Australia, 2025).

Consumption of foods highly processed, high in saturated and trans fats, high in sugar, low fruits and vegetables, sedentary lifestyle with no physical exercise, smoking, high cholesterol, weight gain especially around the waist, elevated blood pressure are all modifiable risk factors of Type 2 diabetes. Aboriginal and Torres Trait Islander, people from Asian background, aged above 45 years, women who have Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and those who had previous gestational diabetes have non-modifiable risk factors.

IMPACTS OF DIABETES AS A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE IN AUSTRALIA

 Diabetes affects the quality of life of patients and has a huge impact on Australian families, the Australian government, and the Australian economy, according to data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.

• In 2024, Type 1 diabetesrecorded around 19,800 years of healthy life lost and contributed to 0.3% of the total disease burden in Australia while Type 2 diabetes accounted for around 128,000 years of healthy life lost and contributed 2.2% to the total disease burden in Australia (Burden of disease).
• Diabetes is the10th leading cause of death in Australia recording around 6000 deaths in 2022 approximately 84 deaths per 100,000 population and contributing to 21,900 deaths when associated causes were considered (mortality rate).
• Almost 1 in 5 women (18%) who gave birth in 2021–22 werediagnosed with gestational diabetes (53,900 women), resulting in over double the rate between 2012–13 (incidence rate of gestational diabetes). This exposes the women and the babies to higher health complications.
• In 2020–21, an estimated $3.4 billion representing 2.3% of total disease expenditurewas spent on diabetes in the Australian health system.

PUBLIC HEALTH CAMPAIGN

 Numerous campaigns, initiatives, programs and resources have been developed by Diabetes Australia to fight diabetes by raising awareness, promoting prevention, early detection and intervention, discouraging stigma and shame, advocating for improved care and access to technology. A few of these campaigns include:

Take Diabetes 2 Heart: A campaign creating awareness of the bad relationship between Diabetes and the heart and encouraging patients to have conversations with their doctors and loved ones.

Foot forward: Encourages regular foot check and early intervention.

4400 Reasons to end amputation: Creates awareness of the high number of Diabetes related amputations in Australia.

Heads up on Diabetes stigma: Pushing for compassionate understanding of Diabetic situations and stop the blames, shames and stigma.

Diabetes YoUnited: Providing support and resources to people living with diabetes.

Keep Sight: Encouraging regular eye check and explaining the relationship between Diabetes and Diabetic retinopathy.

Back on Tract: Helps Aboriginal and Torres Strait people manage and care for their diabetes after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Diabetes in School:Training school staffs on how to manage diabetes in school environment.

AUSDRISK Tool: Used to estimate the risk of developing Diabetes in the next 5 years.

Some online programs developed for the fight of Diabetes include:

Baby Step: To help women who have had previous gestational diabetes get a healthy living and prevent future Type 2 Diabetes.

MyDesmond: A self-management program to manage Type 2 Diabetes.

Let’s prevent digital: A program to provide information and support lifestyle changes to prevent type 2 Diabetes.

CONCLUSION

 Public health campaigns have made positive impacts in creating awareness about Diabetes and other health complications associated with it across Australia, however, most of these campaigns use fear appeals or scare tactics including stigmatizing messages and shocking imagery to focus on how serious the condition is, the rising numbers of people living with the condition, the actions that individuals can take to reduce their risk of diabetes or its complications but have made less progress in changing behaviours and may actually have negative impacts on the health and well-being of people living with diabetes and may also be harming public and political support for diabetes (The Australian Centre for Behavioral Research in Diabetes, 2024). To overcome this challenge, future campaigns should be evidence-based, with meticulous development and testing processes, involving people with diabetes throughout the design and evaluation process and carefully considering the  negative impacts that might arise.

 REFERENCES

 Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2024). Diabetes: Australian Facts. https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/diabetes/diabetes/contents/what-is-diabetes

Diabetes Australia. (2025). About diabetes. https://www.diabetesaustralia.com.au/about-diabetes/type-2-diabetes/

The Australian Centre for Behavioral Research in Diabetes. (2024). Diabetes campaigns: past, present and future

https://acbrd.org.au/2024/07/18/diabetes-campaigns-past-present-and-future/