Page 1157 - Week 04 - Wednesday, 3 May 2006
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the disease, as well as costs associated with premature death. In 2004 the Heart Foundation estimated these costs at a massive annual bill of $94 billion. One calculation they included in this figure was the cost resulting from the expected loss in work productivity, a cost that is easily overlooked and that illustrates just how diverse, varied and capillary-like the indirect costs of cardiovascular disease can be.
On this issue the Heart Foundation estimated that there are an expected 55,000 Australians unable to work due to cardiovascular disease or illnesses related to it. This figure was adjusted to include both those who could not work at all and those who were unable to find employment. In this finding it was found that, if these 55,000 people had the same employability as those not suffering from cardiovascular disease, they could be earning an average wage of $747 per week and be generating an extra $2.18 billion in production and income in the Australian economy.
From these statistics it could be mistaken that the picture of cardiovascular disease in Australia was all gloom. While the state of the disease is certainly not rosy, it is clear that significant inroads have been made into treating the disease and continue to be made in this direction, particularly through the commitment of organisations such as the National Heart Foundation of Australia, along with its state and territory divisions.
This organisation was established 43 years ago and since this time, through its commitment to research, awareness and fundraising, it has contributed to reducing death rates from cardiovascular disease by more than 60 per cent. More recently, the continuation of this trend can be seen in figures that illustrate that between 1990 and 2000 death rates have fallen a further 4.2 per cent for males and four per cent for females.
It is certainly a great feat that our ability to treat those suffering with cardiovascular disease has improved greatly and that we are now keeping many sufferers alive who would otherwise have died. However, the real challenge for our community is prevention, a role that the Heart Foundation again contributes to greatly, particularly through its annual Heart Week, which is being held this week from 30 April to 6 May.
This year’s theme is healthy weight, healthy life, and with the latest figures showing that in Australia six out of 10 adults and one out of five children are overweight it is a timely theme indeed. Given the strong link between excess weight and an increased risk of heart disease, the Heart Foundation is using Heart Week 2006 to highlight practical steps Australians can take to achieve and maintain healthy weight. The first Heart Week was held in 1968, the year before I was born, but I am sure you remember it well, Mr Speaker—
MR SPEAKER: It was a good year.
MS MacDONALD: and was established as an initiative to highlight awareness about heart disease and the importance of maintaining an active and healthy lifestyle, and to raise much-needed funds for the National Heart Foundation of Australia. Today, Heart Week continues to be an important event in the community calendar for the prevention and treatment of this disease, and the monetary investment into cardiovascular research generated by events such as Heart Week is both quantitatively and qualitatively substantial.
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