Prevalence of conditions associated with fatigue
|
Condition associated with fatigue |
Prevalence in general population [NB2] | |
|---|---|---|
|
Children |
Adolescents | |
|
anaemia [NB3][NB4] [NB5][NB6] |
8% of preschool children are anaemic, with iron deficiency as a major cause; likely higher in disadvantaged children |
2% in 15- to 24-year age group are anaemic iron deficiency most common cause; prevalence of iron-deficiency anaemia higher in females than males prevalence of iron-deficiency anaemia in adolescents who are pregnant is around 14%; may be significantly higher (up to 50%) in Aboriginal adolescents who are pregnant, particularly those in remote communities |
|
obesity [NB7] |
7 to 9% in 2- to 14-year age group |
9% in 15- to 17-year age group |
|
depression [NB5] |
1% in 0- to 14-year age group |
12% in 15- to 24-year age group |
|
obstructive sleep apnoea [NB8][NB9] |
1 to 5% |
1 to 5% |
|
diabetes (all types) [NB5] |
0.2% in 0- to 14-year age group |
0.6% in 15- to 24-year age group |
|
illicit drug use [NB10] |
no data |
10% in 14- to 17-year age group have recently used an illicit drug |
|
excessive alcohol intake [NB11] |
no data |
9% of 14- to 17-year age group exceed the Australian alcohol consumption guidelines for adult single-occasion risk |
|
malignancy [NB5] |
0.1% in 0- to 14-year age group |
0.1% in 15- to 24-year age group |
|
Note:
NB1: The following data indicate the prevalence of conditions in the general population, not the prevalence of conditions in patients presenting with fatigue. NB2: Prevalence data are difficult to determine and the figures in this table should be used only as a guide. Figures may be significantly higher in certain population groups. Some figures have been rounded for ease of reading. Age brackets reflect available data sources. NB3: Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne (RCH). Anaemia [clinical guideline]. Melbourne: RCH; Last updated January 2019. URL NB4: Mitchinson C, Strobel N, McAullay D, McAuley K, Bailie R, Edmond KM. Anemia in disadvantaged children aged under five years; quality of care in primary practice. BMC Pediatr 2019;19(1):178. URL NB5: Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). National Health Survey: First results 2017-18 financial year. Canberra: Australian Government; 2018. URL NB6: Department of Health [Australia]. 30 Anaemia. In: Pregnancy Care Guidelines. Canberra: Australian Government; Last updated 17 May 2019. URL NB7: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). Data tables: Overweight and obesity: an interactive insight, 2020. Canberra: Australian Government; 2020. URL NB8: Nixon GM, Davey M. Sleep apnoea in the child. Aust Fam Physician 2015;44(6):352-5. URL NB9: Marcus CL, Brooks LJ, Draper KA, Gozal D, Halbower AC, Jones J, et al. Diagnosis and management of childhood obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. Pediatrics 2012;130(3):576-84. URL NB10: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). Alcohol, tobacco & other drugs in Australia: Younger people. Canberra: AIHW; 2021. URL NB11: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). Alcohol, tobacco & other drugs in Australia: Younger people. Canberra: AIHW; 2021. URL | ||
|
Condition associated with fatigue |
Prevalence in general population [NB2] | ||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Young to middle-aged females |
Young to middle-aged males |
Older people | |
|
obesity [NB3] |
14 to 35% of females aged 18 to 54 years |
18 to 41% of males aged 18 to 54 years |
20 to 40% of people aged 55 to 84 years 20% in people aged 85 and older |
|
anxiety [NB4] |
16 to 20% of females aged 25 to 54 years |
10 to 13% of males aged 25 to 54 years |
9 to 14% of people aged 55 years and older |
|
anaemia [NB5][NB6][NB7] |
15% have anaemia, with iron deficiency as a major cause |
2 to 5% iron-deficiency anaemia |
risk of anaemia increases with age (16% at age 75) |
|
maternal postnatal depression [NB8] |
16% |
not applicable |
not applicable |
|
excessive alcohol intake [NB9] |
9% of females exceed the Australian alcohol consumption guidelines for lifetime risk |
24% of males exceed the Australian alcohol consumption guidelines for lifetime risk |
10% of females and 29% of males aged 55 to 64 years; 9% of females and 27% of males aged 65 to 74 years; 6% of females and 17% of males aged 75 years and older exceed the Australian alcohol consumption guidelines for lifetime risk |
|
depression [NB4] |
12 to 17% of females aged 25 to 54 years |
10 to 13% of males aged 25 to 54 years |
15% of people aged 55 to 64 years 7 to 13% of people aged 65 years and older |
|
thyroid dysfunction [NB4] |
5 to 8% of females aged 25 to 54 years |
0.6 to 0.9% of males aged 25 to 54 years |
13 to 15% of females and 2 to 6% of males aged 55 years and older |
|
illicit drug use [NB10] |
10 to 25% of females have recently used |
16 to 36% of males have recently used |
7% of people aged 60 and older have recently used |
|
diabetes (all types) [NB4] |
0.3 to 4% of females aged 25 to 54 years |
2 to 5% of males aged 25 to 54 years |
10% of people aged 55 to 64 years 17% of people aged 65 years and older |
|
obstructive sleep apnoea [NB11] |
9 to 38% (higher in males and older people) when defined as disordered breathing identified by a sleep study (apnoea–hypopnoea index of 5 or more events per hour) as high as 90% in men and 78% in women in advanced age groups (60 to 85 years) | ||
|
heart failure [NB4] |
up to 0.1% of females aged 25 to 54 years |
up to 0.4% of males aged 25 to 54 years |
1 to 4% of people aged 55 years and older |
|
malignancy [NB4] |
0.1 to 1.3% of females aged 25 to 54 years |
0.2 to 1.5% of males aged 25 to 54 years |
4 to 9% in people aged 55 and older; increases with age |
|
coeliac disease [NB12] |
affects approximately 1 in 70 Australians; can develop at any age and affects both men and women | ||
|
chronic kidney disease [NB4] |
less than 1% of females aged up to 54 years |
1.1% of males aged 45 to 54 years; less than 1% prior to this |
1 to 7% of people aged 55 years and older; increases with age |
|
Parkinson disease [NB13] |
0.1 to 0.2%, increasing to 1% of people over the age of 60; slightly more common in males than in females | ||
|
haemochromatosis [NB14] |
0.5% of Australians of Northern European descent are at risk; often becomes apparent after age 40 (can be later in females) | ||
|
Note:
NB1: The following data indicate the prevalence of conditions in the general population, not the prevalence of conditions in patients presenting with fatigue. NB2: Prevalence data are difficult to determine and the figures in this table should be used only as a guide. Figures may be significantly higher in certain population groups. Some figures have been rounded for ease of reading. Age brackets reflect available data sources. Where age- or gender-specific data are not available, general data have been included for guidance. NB3: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). Data tables: Overweight and obesity: an interactive insight, 2020. Canberra: Australian Government; 2020. URL NB4: Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). National Health Survey: First results 2017-18 financial year. Canberra: Australian Government; 2018. URL NB5: Pasricha SR, Flecknoe-Brown SC, Allen KJ, Gibson PR, McMahon LP, Olynyk JK, et al. Diagnosis and management of iron deficiency anaemia: a clinical update. Med J Aust 2010;193(9):525-32. URL NB6: Snook J, Bhala N, Beales ILP, Cannings D, Kightley C, Logan RP, et al. British Society of Gastroenterology guidelines for the management of iron deficiency anaemia in adults. Gut 2021;70(11):2030-51. URL NB7: Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). Australian Health Survey: Biomedical Results for Chronic Diseases [2011-12 financial year]. Canberra: ABS; 2013. URL NB8: Women’s Health Committee--Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG). Mental Health Care in the Perinatal Period [C-Obs 48]. Melbourne: RANZCOG; 2018. URL NB9: Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). Alcohol consumption [2017-18 financial year]. Canberra: ABS; 2018. URL NB10: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). Alcohol, tobacco & other drugs in Australia [2019 data]. Canberra: AIHW; 2021. URL NB11: Senaratna CV, Perret JL, Lodge CJ, Lowe AJ, Campbell BE, Matheson MC, et al. Prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea in the general population: A systematic review. Sleep Med Rev 2017;34:70-81. URL NB12: Coeliac Australia. Coeliac disease: What is coeliac disease? [internet]. Sydney: Coeliac Australia; Accessed Sept 2021. URL NB13: Brain Foundation. Parkinson’s disease: Description [internet]. Sydney: Brain Foundation; Accessed Sept 2021. URL NB14: Centre for Genetics Education. Fact Sheet 47-Hereditary haemochromatosis. Sydney: New South Wales Government; 2015. URL | |||