DATA from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) published today reveals that around 2.2 million Australians were living with a long-term neurological condition in 2022, with migraine - which affects 1.7 million people - the most common.
The Neurological conditions in Australia report shows that females were almost twice as likely as males to have a long-term neurological condition, which is equivalent to about one in nine females and one in 16 males.
This difference was largely due to migraine, which affected 9.2% of females compared with 4.1% of males.
Meanwhile, around 60% of Australians in permanent residential aged care had a neurological condition recorded as affecting their care.
An estimated $6.6 billion in health-system spending was attributed to neurological conditions, accounting for 3.6% of all disease-related costs.
The costliest conditions were dementia ($1.6 billion), epilepsy ($760 million), multiple sclerosis ($675 million) and migraine ($593 million).
The report marks the first time that data on the prevalence, health service use, disease burden and health system expenditure associated with neurological conditions has been compiled in one place, and is important step in improving the outcomes for those affected.
Read the report HERE.
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