It is a privilege to release the second edition of the digital-first The health of Queenslanders: Report of the Chief Health Officer. After 19 years and 9 releases, this is the 10th Chief Health Officer report. I’d like to acknowledge Dr Gerrard for his role in early development and review of numerous sections while he was still in the Chief Health Officer role last year.
The theme of this edition is The Future of Public Health and as you’ll see in Our Times, there have been and will continue to be numerous advances in health but also some challenges. A selection of policies and programs to address these challenges and help Queenslanders become and stay healthy are highlighted throughout this report.
This edition also includes an in-depth feature article, Ageing and future healthcare demand, exploring how population ageing and population growth are estimated to impact hospitalisations and modifiable risk factors in the future. And while new technologies and innovative models of care may change the anticipated health care demand increases, results show an upcoming period of high demand for health services.
This year’s report also has a range of new functionality, and virtually all figures are now interactive—providing even more information about Queenslanders’ health status. Under About this report, you’ll find some short videos demonstrating how the interactivity works. This is also where you’ll find information on methods used in the report, including changes to some health condition definitions.
Lastly, I’d like to thank all the people that contributed to this comprehensive population health report. I hope you find the report informative.
With kind regards, Heidi.
Dr Heidi Carroll MBBS MPH FAFPHM FASLM JD
Chief Health Officer, Queensland