title: Trends in the annual prevalence of hospitalisation for remote indigenous communities in Queensland, 1997/98 to 2004/05.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe trends in the annual prevalence of hospitalisation in remote Indigenous communities in Queensland, 1997/98 to 2004/05.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive analysis of computerised discharge abstracts that were linked using probabilistic matching to obtain person-based data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Over the eight years studied, the age-standardised annual prevalence of hospitalisation decreased by 4.5% per year (95% CI -4.8%- -4.1%). The decrease was largest at younger ages (e.g. 0-4 years: -6.0%; 70+ years: -1.9%). There were large decreases for infections (-6.1%; 95% CI -6.8%- -5.4%) and for injury (-7.3%; 95% CI -8.1%- -6.5%). However, there were increases for chronic diseases such as ischaemic heart disease (2.5%; 95% CI 0.2%-4.9%), diabetes (2.5%; 95% CI 0.5%--4.5%) and renal failure (6.8%, 95% CI 3.3%-10.4%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Indigenous health appears to be improving in the remote communities in Queensland, especially for infections and injury, but it appears that little progress has been made for chronic disease.
authors.affiliation: School of Population Health, University of Queensland, Level 2 Public Health Building, Herston Road, Herston, Queensland. m.coory@uq.edu.au
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Coory
authors.forename: Trisha
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Johnston
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008507:Medically Underserved Area; D008875:Middle Aged; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010351:Patient Discharge / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015995:Prevalence; D011793:Queensland / Q000453:epidemiology; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*