Key Points
- A new report provides insight into culturally and linguistically diverse Australians with chronic health conditions
- Those who spoke Punjabi (17%), Gujarati (18%), Korean (16%) and Mandarin (16%) were found to have the lowest prevalence of one or more long-term health condition(s)
- Indian migrants rank fifth within the CALD population for lowest prevalence of long-term conditions after Vietnam, South Korea, Nepal and China
The new on long-term health from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) is based on , which found over eight million Australians had been diagnosed as having a chronic condition.
The statistics reveal that migrants from the 20 most common overseas countries of birth generally have than the Australia-born population.
Indian migrants rank fifth within the CALD population for lowest prevalence of long-term conditions after China, Nepal, South Korea and Vietnam.
Credit: Source: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.
“According to a recent report, it seems that the health of people of Indian descent is better than many, but there are many other factors that go unnoticed whenever we analyse any findings," says Dr Kamal.
“Some conditions are under-reported in many communities due to cultural contexts. For example, anxiety and mental issues are considered taboos in Indian society, and often the social stigma related to these conditions leads to under-reporting,” he says.
Sydney-based GP Dr Kamal Parkash Singh. Credit: Supplied
Dr Kamal says that as a major chunk of Indian-origin people arrive as skilled migrants, they have better access to Australian healthcare due to strong English proficiency and education.
This contrasts with those who migrate as refugees or on other visas and may face language and awareness barriers.
“Also, the cultural practices influence the health of any particular group.”
“Due to religious beliefs, alcohol consumption and drug usage is forbidden in many Indian communities, which helps to promote healthy living,” he says.
The findings also reveal that those who spoke Punjabi (17%), Gujarati (18%), Korean (16%), and Mandarin (16%) had the lowest prevalence of one or more long-term health condition(s), while people who spoke Arabic (29%), Italian (28%), Greek (28%) and Tagalog (26%) had the highest prevalence of one or more long-term health condition(s).
‘Diabetes and heart-related ailments in Indian communities'
The report found that people from the Indian subcontinent have a higher prevalence of diabetes and heart disease, while the population born in English-speaking countries have a higher prevalence of asthma, cancer and arthritis.
According to Dr Kamal, genetically, Indians have been found to have coronary arteries with a smaller diameter which increases the rate of coronary artery diseases and putting the population at higher risks from diabetes, cholesterol and blood pressure.
“Dietary factors like an intensive carbohydrate-rich diet are also responsible for heart-related ailments,” he says.
The report also suggests that for most of the common overseas countries of birth, the prevalence of chronic illnesses increased as the time since arriving in Australia grew, even after accounting for age differences between the populations.
Dr Kamal says that the profile of the diseases for any community blends with the local population over years, as habits and lifestyle change the longer people live somewhere.
AIHW spokesperson Claire Sparke says, "The report will help build a clearer understanding of the health differences between CALD populations, enabling better design and delivery of services to ensure they can access the health and community services they require."
"The findings presented in this report reflect the diverse cultures, languages, migration trajectories, social and economic circumstances among CALD people in Australia. Further work will be undertaken to help fill knowledge gaps that can be used to target barriers faced by CALD populations in accessing health care," says Ms Sparke.
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Sydney-based medical expert Dr Kamal Parkash Singh on new Australian report.
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