Less wealthy Australians are developing chronic diseases at higher rates

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2025-10-21 10:43

Australia; VIC

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Lower socioeconomic status in Australia is linked to a higher risk of 9 out of 10 common chronic diseases, according to Australian researchers. The team measured socioeconomic factors alongside the rate of 10 chronic conditions in over 11 million Australians aged 40 and over; arthritis, asthma, cancer, dementia, diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, lung disease, mental health conditions, and stroke. They say the less wealthy a person was, the more likely they were to have any of the chronic diseases except cancer. The link between disadvantage and disease was higher among women and people under 80, the researchers say.

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Research Medical Journal of Australia (MJA), Web page

Journal/
conference: Medical Journal of Australia

Research:Paper

Organisation/s: Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, The University of Melbourne, Monash University, La Trobe University

Funder: Dianna J Magliano and Jonathan E Shaw are supported by National Health and Medical Research Council Investigator grants. Joanna Y Gong holds National Health and Medical Research Council, National Heart Foundation of Australia, Rowden White, and Sheppard M Lowe scholarships.

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