Childhood, particularly early childhood, has become a key priority for governments and non-government organisations, in response to emerging concern about Australia's children in the context of rapid social change, as well as compelling evidence about the importance of the early years. This report brings together a wide variety of data, including information about individual, family...

This report provides an overview of total health system expenditures on disease and injury in Australia during 2000-01, based on the best possible estimates from currently available data sources. To maximise the validity of comparison between diseases, similar methods are used in estimating each disease.

This report presents summary data collected in Australia's most comprehensive national survey on drug issues. Key results on drug-related awareness, knowledge, attitudes and behaviour are features of this report. Comparisons with 1991, 1993, 1995, 1998 and 2001 surveys are presented and population estimates of the numbers of consumers of both licit and illicit substances are...

Diabetes Mellitus is estimated to affect around one million Australians, a number that is likely to increase in the future because of population ageing and increasing prevalence of risk factors such as obesity. This report mainly focuses on direct health care expenditure for diabetes - that is, money spent by governments, private health insurers, companies...

Although the overall health status of Australians compares favourably with other developed countries, health status within the Australia population varies between different population groups. Illness and death have been shown to occur at higher rates among socioeconomically disadvantaged people. Health may also vary according to sex region of residence or country of birth. This bulletin...