title: Does relative remoteness affect chronic disease  outcomes? Geographic variation in chronic  disease mortality in Australia, 2002–2006.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the variation of chronic disease mortality by remoteness areas of Australia, including states and territories.
  
  
  METHODS
  Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) death registration data, by Statistical Local Area (SLA), were used to identify chronic disease mortality by remoteness category for states and territories and Australia. The analysis used multiple cause of death for six common chronic diseases: diabetes, ischaemic heart disease, stroke, hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and renal disease. ABS correspondence files were used to adjust the SLA level death records and population.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The chronic disease mortality rate for Australian residents living in a very remote area (512 per 100,000 persons) was respectively 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, and 1.6 times higher than Remote, Outer Regional, Inner Regional and Major Cities categories. This pattern was consistent for the two age groups of 35–64 years and 65 years and over, all six chronic diseases and all states and territories except Victoria.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study shows that chronic disease mortality increases with increasing relative remoteness. The results highlight the importance and opportunity to redress poorer health outcomes for rural and remote area populations. The study is limited by absence of reliable Indigenous identification in national death data.
authors.forename: Ramakrishna
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chondur
authors.forename: Shu Qin
authors.initials: SQ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guthridge
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lawton
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D002423:Cause of Death; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000401:mortality*; D003644:Death Certificates; D005260:Female; D005843:Geography; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012423:Rural Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012424:Rural Population; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014739:Victoria / Q000453:epidemiology