Launch of Health Tracker by Area

Wealthier post codes are healthier post codes, reveals a study by Victoria University. 

A digital platform from Victoria University, Australia’s Health Tracker by Areareveals that West Australians have low rates of high blood pressure (9.3%) while Tasmania’s blood pressure is soaring (12.1% have high blood pressure).

Australia’s Health Tracker by Areais developed by the Australian Health Policy Collaboration at Victoria University with the Public Health Information and Development Unit at Torrens University.

Available to media, health professionals, policy makers and academics, the digital platform hosts a series of maps and filters which provide localised data on chronic diseases and their risk factors at the local government, primary health network, population and state level.

It includes obesity, high blood pressure, cancer screening, early deaths by chronic disease and suicide rates.

“One in every two Australians has a chronic disease – however roughly 1/3 of these diseases are preventable. Australia’s Health Tracker by Area is a call to action and a resource to help protect the most important asset in the country – our health.”

– Rosemary Calder (Victoria University).

Many health and non-health organisations have welcomed the new resource which has been created to enhance the use of health data for planning, commissioning and monitoring, with the potential to shape policy at a local, state and federal level.

“Wealthier post codes are healthier post codes. There is a social gradient when it comes to Australia’s biggest killers like cancers, heart diseases and stroke and their risk factors like smoking and obesity” – Professor Maximilian de Courten (Victoria University).

Australia’s Health Tracker by Area builds upon the successful work of Australia’s Health Tracker, a report card compiled by the collaborative effort and expert guidance of leading Australian public health and chronic disease experts. The Tracker reports also compare the latest data to reduction and prevention targets set for the year 2025.