Background
Method
Location
Participants
Data collection
Item | Response | Explanation | Reference/s |
---|---|---|---|
Social determinants | |||
In which country were you born? | Free text response. | Related to health literacy and understanding of the Australian health system. | [22] |
Do you speak English at home? | Yes/no. | Linked with health literacy | |
Do you live alone? | Yes/no. | Linked with health literacy and social support | [22] |
Do you have private health insurance? | Yes/no. | Linked with health literacy and health system access | [22] |
Do you have a healthcare card? | Yes/no. | Linked with health literacy and health system access | [22] |
Are you confident completing medical forms? | Not at all confident to Extremely confident. | Health literacy screening item | [23] |
What is the highest level of education you have completed? | Primary school or less to University. | Linked with health literacy | |
Behavioural determinants | |||
Do you smoke? | Yes/no. | Linked with health literacy and increased incidence of other non-communicable chronic diseases | [22] |
How many hours of sleep do you get each night? | Less than 6 h to 9 or more hours. | Related to chronic musculoskeletal complaints | |
How many serves of fruit do you consume each day? | 0 to 7. | Linked with health literacy and general health behaviours. Evaluated in Australian National Health Survey | [24] |
How many serves of vegetables do you consume each day? | Linked with health literacy and general health behaviours. Evaluated in Australian National Health Survey | [24] | |
Over the last week, how many days did you exercise for at least 30 min per day? | 0 to 7. | Establish health behaviours in relation to Australian guidelines | |
How long would each typical exercise session last?a | Less than 30 min to Greater than 90 min. | Establish health behaviours in relation to Australian guidelines | |
On average, rate the intensity of your exercise over the last week?a | Sedentary to High. | Establish health behaviours in relation to Australian guidelines | |
On a usual week day, how much time do you spend sitting: - As part of work or volunteer activities? In other leisure time? | 0–3 h to 12 h or more. | Linked with health literacy and general health behaviours. Evaluated in Australian National Health Survey | [24] |
Have you had your blood pressure checked by a doctor or health professional in the past 12 months? | Yes/no. | Linked with health literacy and general health behaviours. | |
Have you had a skin cancer check in the past 12 months? | Yes/no. | Common issue in Australia and linked with general health behaviours. | |
Chronic disease status | |||
Common chronic diseases: arthritis, back pain, asthma, heart problems, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, asthma, cancer, mental health disorder, stroke, diabetes, kidney disease | Currently suffering/Previously suffering/Both. | Common chronic diseases evaluated in the Australian National Health Survey. The list on the form varied from 2016 to 2017 due to a change in the prevalence of some chronic diseases relative to others | |
Global health status | |||
Please rate your general health | Poor to Excellent. | Evaluated in Australian National Health Survey. | [24] |
Quality of life | |||
Overall, how satisfied are you with your life? | 0 (not at all satisfied) to 5 (extremely satisfied). | Potential screen for a range of mental health disorders and health literacy. | [8] |
Data analysis
Results
Patient clinical and demographic profile
Gender | |
Male | 675 (41.9%) |
Female | 887 (54.9%) |
Missing | 52 (3.2%) |
Age | |
Mean (±SD) | 33.7 (±13.1) years |
Median | 29 years |
Range | 18–85 years |
Stage | |
Acute | 840 (52.0%) |
Chronic | 711 (41.1%) |
Missing | 63 (3.9%) |
SEIFA classification | |
0-5th decile | 380 (23.5%) |
6th–7th decile | 314 (19.4%) |
8th–9th decile | 621 (38.5%) |
10th decile | 269 (16.7%) |
Missing | 30 (1.9%) |
Social and behavioural determinants of health
Social determinants | |
In which country were you born? | |
Australia | 1023 (63.4%) |
Other | 591 (36.6%) |
Missing | 0 |
Do you speak English at home? | |
Yes | 1443 (89.4%) |
No | 160 (9.9%) |
Missing | 11 (0.7%) |
Do you live alone? | |
Yes | 127 (7.9%) |
No | 722 (44.8%) |
Missing | 765 (47.4%) |
Do you have private health insurance? | |
Yes | 378 (23.4%) |
No | 493 (30.5%) |
Missing | 743 (46.0%) |
Do you have a healthcare card? | |
Yes | 363 (22.5%) |
No | 500 (31.0%) |
Missing | 751 (46.5%) |
What is the highest level of education you have attended? | |
Primary school or less | 9 (0.6%) |
High school (not completed) | 65 (4%) |
High school (completed) | 264 (16.4%) |
TAFE or trade qualification | 251 (15.6%) |
University | 1006 (62.3%) |
Missing | 19 (1.1%) |
Behavioural determinants | |
Do you smoke? | |
Yes | 196 (12.1%) |
No | 1297 (80.4%) |
Missing | 121 (7.5%) |
How many hours of sleep do you get each night? | |
Less than 6 h | 143 (8.9%) |
7–8 h | 853 (52.9%) |
9–10 h | 541 (33.5%) |
Greater than 10 h | 59 (3.7%) |
Missing | 18 (1.1%) |
How many serves of fruit do you consume each day? (median, range) | 2 serves (range 0–8) Missing: 20 (1.2%) |
How many serves of vegetables do you consume each day? (median, range) | 3 serves (range 0–8) Missing: 19 (1.1%) |
How many exercise sessions would you do each week? (median, range) | 3 sessions (range 0–8) Missing: 35 (2.2%) |
Have you had your blood pressure checked in the last 6 months? | |
Yes | 962 (59.6%) |
No | 601 (37.2%) |
Missing | 51 (3.1%) |
Have you had a skin cancer check in the last 6 months? | |
Yes | 113 (7%) |
No | 762 (47.2%) |
Missing | 739 (45.8%) |
Chronic conditions
Chronic condition | Current history | Previous history | Both current & previous | Australian National Health Survey [24] |
---|---|---|---|---|
Arthritis | 105 (6.6%) | 33 (2%) | 3 (0.2%) | 15.3% |
Back pain | 372 (42.6%) | 116 (13.3%) | 67 (7.7%) | 16% |
Heart problems | 33 (2.1%) | 38 (2.4%) | 1 (0.1%) | 5.2% |
High blood pressure/cholesterola | 49 (5.6%) | 41 (4.7%) | 5 (0.6%) | |
High cholesterol | 27 (3.7%) | 23 (3.2% | 1 (0.1%) | 7.1% |
High blood pressure | 24 (3.3%) | 25 (3.5%) | 2 (0.3%) | 11.3% |
Asthma | 118 (7.4%) | 179 (11.2%) | 5 (0.3%) | 10.8% |
Cancer | 14 (0.9%) | 45 (2.8%) | 1 (0.1%) | 1.6% |
Mental health disorder | 137 (8.6%) | 143 (8.9%) | 21 (1.3%) | 17.5% |
Diabetes | 18 (1.1%) | 28 (1.8%) | 1 (0.1%) | 5.1% |
Stroke | 2 (0.2%) | 8 (0.9%) | 0 | 2% |
Kidney disease | 2 (0.3%) | 11 (1.6% | 0 | 0.9% |
Global health status and quality of life
Please rate your general health | |
Median | 3 (good) |
Range | 1 (poor) – 5 (excellent) |
Quartiles | 25%: 3, 50%: 3, 75%: 4 |
Missing | 27 (1.7%) |
How satisfied are you with your life? | |
Median | 4 |
Range | 0–5 |
Quartiles | 25%: 3, 50%: 4, 75%: 4 |
Missing | 43 (2.7%) |