The 2014-15 Patient Experience Survey by the ABS found that 14% of Australians were admitted to hospital in the twelve months prior to the survey. A variety of factors appeared to influence the rate of hospital admission. 16% of people who identified as female were admitted, but only 11% of those who identified as male. 15% of people residing in areas identified as having low ssocio-economic status (SEO) were hospitalised, compared with 12% in higher SEO areas. Perhaps unsurprisingly, 19% of those with a long term health condition were admitted, but only 8% of those without such a condition. There was also a correlation between people’s perception of their health and the rate of admission.

The lesson we can take from this statistic is that most of us will experience hospitalisation and some of the factors that cause it are beyond our control. However, these are often less significant than the factors that we can control such as smoking and lifestyle choices.

The fact that most of us experience hospitalisation should also highlight to us the importance of maintaining an effective healthcare system and a healthy appreciation for the work of healthcare professionals.