Western Health Chronic Disease Alliance (WHCDA)
Chronic Disease in Western Melbourne
Thirty five percent of all inpatients at Western Health have diabetes, the highest in Melbourne. We have one of the busiest insulin pump clinics in Australia and one of the highest rates of gestational diabetes (20% of all pregnancies).
It is reported that 1.7 million (10%) of Australian adults have indicators of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), with only 103,700 (0.61%) Australians self-reported as having CKD, indicating a poor awareness of CKD . This is even lower in the Western suburbs of Melbourne where we found that only 0.48 % of a sample of the population were formally diagnosed with CKD in electronic health records
Patients newly diagnosed with CKD who are referred to WH are approximately 20% more likely than the national average to commence dialysis within 3 months of diagnosis due to irreversible kidney failure (likely because they are diagnosed in later stages of the disease).
WHCDA Research
The research undertaken by the WHCDA encompasses and has applicability to a broad range of clinical services provided by WH and is not limited by age, gender or ethnicity. Our initial focus is on early detection and proper management of chronic vascular disease as manifested by obesity, smoking, dietary and lifestyle factors and familial hyperlipidaemia and their ensuing disease states such as chronic kidney disease, diabetes, heart disease peripheral vascular disease and stroke. This is done in partnership with our nursing and allied health departments, academic partners, national peak bodies (Primary Healthcare Network, Stroke foundation, Kidney Health Australia and Heart Foundation) and primary healthcare providers.
Click on the video below to learn more about the work of the Western Health Chronic Disease Alliance (WHCDA).
