Chronic disease up, childhood vaccination rates fall

More Australians are suffering from chronic diseases as childhood vaccination rates have fallen over the past five years, according to a major report on the nation’s health.

The Health Australia 2026 report shows more than 60 per cent of people are living with at least one chronic condition, placing an increasing burden on the healthcare system.

According to the latest data published in 2022, 38 per cent of Australians were living with two or more chronic conditions; These include a wide range of medical problems such as mental illnesses, cancer, cardiovascular diseases and musculoskeletal disorders.

Doctors say that as chronic conditions become more common, treating patients becomes increasingly complex.

Worryingly, the report found that the number of children vaccinated has fallen in recent years, falling from 95 per cent of one-year-olds in 2020 to 92 per cent in 2025.

Vaccination rates also fell among two- and five-year-olds.

“While Australia has long maintained high childhood vaccination rates, these recent declines are concerning, especially given rising reporting rates for measles, diphtheria and whooping cough,” Australian Institute of Health and Welfare spokeswoman Louise Gates said in a statement.

Worryingly, the report found that nearly a third of the disease burden in the country could be reduced through lifestyle choices.

In 2022/24, 67 per cent of adults were overweight or obese, and 27 per cent of children and adolescents were.

But in some hopeful news, cancer survival rates have increased dramatically; Between 2017 and 2021, 72 percent of people diagnosed survived for at least five years, compared to just 50 percent three decades ago.

Meanwhile, dementia has overtaken coronary heart disease to become the leading cause of death in Australia.

The number of deaths from dementia increased by 39 percent between 2015 and 2024, largely due to an aging population.