An analysis of 66,000 private health fund members in Queensland and NSW has revealed different health challenges across eight regions.
PREVALENCE OF DISEASE IN REGIONAL AREAS:
* Townsville had the highest private health claim rate for coronary heart disease, followed by Dubbo, western NSW, and Mackay, Queensland
* Mackay had the highest prevalence of skin cancer, followed by the NSW regions of Wollongong, Lithgow, Dubbo and Bathurst
* Rates of claim for prostate cancer treatment were highest in Mudgee, central west NSW, followed by Mackay and Townsville.
* "Variations are driven by a wide range of factors, including lifestyles, socio-economic status, and environmental factors," the Westfund regional health gap report said
ACCESS TO PRIVATE HEALTH PROVIDERS:
* Mudgee had 14 ancillary service providers per 1000 members, followed by Bathurst at 27, Dubbo 30, Orange 33, Mackay 50, Lithgow 63, Wollongong 212 and Townsville 281
* The analysis found members across regional areas face three main challenges in health care:
- Delayed screening and preventive health checks exacerbated by COVID-19
- Limited access to treatments and key healthcare providers
- Inadequate availability of services and medical equipment
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