Allergies in Australia

  • The Allergy Research Foundation in Western Australia found that the rate of seasonal allergies in Australia has doubled in the last 25 years.
  • Australia now has the highest rate of allergies in the world.
  • Approximately 2,562,353 people suffer from pollen allergies.
  • 1 in 3 Australians will develop an allergy at some stage in their life.
  • Approximately one in five Australians will develop allergic rhinitis (hay fever).
  • One in 20 Australian children have a transient food allergy.
  • An estimated 4,000 Australians each year will have anaphylaxis (a life-threatening allergic reaction).
  • Allergy is a major factor associated with the cause and persistence of asthma.
  • Allergies account for approximately 500,000 sick days in Australia each year.
  • Health expenditures on allergic disease (including asthma) accounts for approximately 20% of health care expenditure in Australia. A total of AUD$3950 million (or close to $4billion) is spent on allergy prevention and medication each
    year.