(Male) circumcision incidence in Australia

white paper. February 2004.

Hugh O'Donnell

This file contains statistical data on the incidence of male circumcision in Australia.

Table 1 – Medicare claims for circumcision by age

+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
|     |     February 2004    |    February  2003    |  Year on Year |
|     |----------------------|----------------------|     Change    |
|     |       | Year  |      |       | Year  |      |---------------|
| Age | Month | Ended | Inc* | Month | Ended | Inc* | Number |   %  |
|-----+-------+-------+------+-------+-------+------+--------+------|
| <6m |  1302 | 16311 | 12.7%|  1337 | 16218 | 12.6%|    93  |   1  |
|6m-4y|   180 |  2064 |  353 |   168 |  2217 |  379 |  -153  |  -7  |
|5y-9y|   103 |   999 |  141 |    92 |  1080 |  153 |   -81  |  -8  |
|10-14|    69 |   895 |  126 |    67 |  1053 |  149 |  -158  | -15  |
|-----+-------+-------+------+-------+-------+------+--------+------|
| 0-14|  1654 | 20269 |  981 |  1664 | 20568 |  998 |  -299  |  -1  |
|15+  |   114 |  1497 |   18 |   130 |  1506 |   19 |    -9  |  -1  |
|-----+-------+-------+------+-------+-------+------+--------+------|
|Total|  1768 | 21766 |  211 |  1794 | 22074 |  217 |  -308  |  -1  |
|-----+-------+-------+------+-------+-------+------+--------+------|
|0y-4y|  1482 | 18375 | 2828 |  1505 | 18435 | 2836 |   -60  |   0  |
|0y-9y|  1585 | 19374 | 1426 |  1597 | 19515 | 1440 |  -141  |  -1  |
|6m-14|   352 |  3958 |  198 |   327 |  4350 |  218 |  -392  |  -9  |
|6m+  |   466 |  5455 |   53 |   457 |  5856 |   58 |  -401  |  -7  |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+

* Incidence (number per 100,000 per year of all males in age group) except for age <6m which is expressed as rate (number per 100 male births)

Table 2 – Medicare claims for circumcision of males less than 6 months of age by State

+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
|     |     February 2004    |    February  2003    |  Year on Year |
|     |----------------------|----------------------|     Change    |
|     |       | Year  | 12m  |       | Year  | 12m  |---------------|
|     | Month | Ended | Rate | Month | Ended | Rate | Number |   %  |
|-----+-------+-------+------+-------+-------+------+--------+------|
| NSW |   574 |  7219 | 16.3 |   589 |  6992 | 15.8 |   227  |   3  |
| QLD |   391 |  4824 | 19.5 |   369 |  4805 | 19.6 |    19  |   0  |
| VIC |   161 |  1958 |  6.2 |   189 |  1897 |  6.0 |    61  |   3  |
| SA  |    98 |  1293 | 14.4 |   106 |  1326 | 14.7 |   -33  |  -2  |
| WA  |    62 |   717 |  6.0 |    43 |   698 |  5.8 |    19  |   3  |
| TAS |     4 |   115 |  3.9 |    19 |   227 |  7.5 |  -112  | -49  |
| ACT |     6 |    94 |  4.8 |    14 |   136 |  6.5 |   -42  | -31  |
| NT  |     6 |    91 |  4.5 |     8 |   137 |  7.2 |   -46  | -34  |
|-----+-------+-------+------+-------+-------+------+--------+------|
| AUS |  1302 | 16311 | 12.7 |  1337 | 16218 | 12.6 |    93  |   1  |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+

Trends in infant circumcision

The number and rate reached record annual lows in Tasmania and NT in February.

Chart 1 – Range of annual number of claims for circumcision, showing maximum and minimum and dates thereof, average, current number in relation to average and extremes, and direction of trend

     Tas    NT     WA     SA     ACT    Qld    Vic    NSW    Aus
     ---    ---    ---    ---    ---    ---    ---    ---    ---
Max 04/97  06/94  08/94  03/00  02/01  11/99  12/03  01/04  12/03
                                                       |7234  
             |188          |1454                |1989  *7219^ 
             |             |                    *1958^ |      |16386
             |      |926   |      |148   |5029  |      |      *16311^
             |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
             |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
      |360   |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
      |      |      |      |      |      *4824> |      |      |
      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
Avg.--+288---+134---+819---+1352--+115---+4627--+1721--+6014--+15069
      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
      |      |      |      |      *94v   |      |      |      |
      |      |      |      *1293> |      |      |      |      |
      |      |      *717>  |      |      |      |      |5146  |
      |      *91v   |      |1276  |      |      |1495         |
      |             |             |      |                    |13775
      |             |676          |77    |4098                  
      |                                  
      |                              
      *115v
Min 02/04  02/04  01/04  03/01  05/98  10/94  09/00  06/96  03/96

* indicates current number with indicator (^ = Up, > = Sideways or v = Down) showing trend

A current number above the long-term average may signify a rising trend (although it could also be that the number is retreating after having reached a peak, e.g., Qld), and a number below the average a falling trend.

Chart 2 – Trends in the infant circumcision rate by State

    Tas NT  ACT WA  SA  Qld Vic NSW    Aus
    --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---    ---
21|                      |               
  |                      |
20|                      |
  |                      >
  |                      |
  |                      |
  |                      |
  |                      |
  |                      |
  |                      |       ^
  |                              |       
  |                  |           |       
15|                  |           |       
  |                  >           |       
  |                  |           |       
  |                  |           |       
  |                              |       
  |                              |      ^
  |                              |      |
  |                              |      |
  |  |                                  |
  |  |                                  |
10|  |                                   
  |  |   |                               
  |  |   |                               
  |  |   |                               
  |  |   |                               
  |  |   |                               
  |  |   |   |   |                       
  |  |   |   |   |           |           
  |  |   |   |   >           ^           
  |  |   |   |   |           |           
 5|  |   v   |               |           
  |  |       v                           
  |  v       |                           
  |          |                           
 3|                                      
  +---------------------------------------

Rate is Medicare claims for infant circumcision as a percentage of male births.

Vertical line shows range of rate during period Jul 1993 to Feb 2004. Indicator (^ = Up, > = Sideways or v = Down) shows rate at Feb 2004 and current trend of rate.

Chart 2 shows that the rate is heading further down in the states which already have the lowest rates (the three states at the left of the chart – Tas, NT, and ACT), trending sideways in WA, SA and Qld, and rising in Vic and NSW.

Table 3 – Figures for Chart 2
Range of circumcision rates between Jul 1993 and Feb 2004 and circumcision rate at Feb 2004

         Tas    NT     ACT    WA     SA     Qld    Vic    NSW    Aus
        ----   ----   ----   ----   ----   ----   ----   ----   ----
High    11.1    9.3    7.1    7.0   15.6   20.8    6.6   16.3   12.7
Feb 04   3.9*   4.8*   4.5    6.0   14.4   19.5    6.2   16.3   12.7
Low      3.9    4.8    3.6    5.3   13.6   16.3    5.0   11.3   10.6

* Record low

Appendix – Data Tables for Medicare claims for male circumcision

Australia by Month

Table A1 – Medicare claims for circumcision of males less than 6 months of age in Australia Number of Claims in Month from Jan 1994 to Feb 2004

+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
| | 1994| 1995| 1996| 1997| 1998| 1999| 2000| 2001| 2002| 2003| 2004|
|-+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
|J| 1157| 1156| 1086| 1143| 1143| 1117| 1157| 1235| 1281| 1288| 1248|
|F| 1198| 1194| 1144| 1146| 1151| 1147| 1255| 1278| 1264| 1337| 1302|
|M| 1395| 1296| 1095| 1160| 1263| 1403| 1461| 1372| 1270| 1380|     |
|A| 1096|  987| 1118| 1255| 1206| 1236| 1088| 1216| 1356| 1257|     |
|M| 1322| 1370| 1408| 1268| 1232| 1320| 1430| 1534| 1575| 1396|     |
|J| 1173| 1236| 1080| 1194| 1220| 1320| 1256| 1259| 1237| 1316|     |
|J| 1230| 1076| 1280| 1294| 1366| 1337| 1240| 1237| 1464| 1418|     |
|A| 1301| 1241| 1235| 1272| 1216| 1361| 1402| 1397| 1350| 1368|     |
|S| 1217| 1168| 1185| 1296| 1279| 1390| 1258| 1164| 1362| 1431|     |
|O| 1155| 1241| 1401| 1338| 1298| 1210| 1329| 1446| 1462| 1530|     |
|N| 1253| 1230| 1206| 1175| 1248| 1268| 1382| 1342| 1282| 1306|     |
|D| 1063|  901| 1091| 1133| 1174| 1199| 1157| 1062| 1235| 1359|     |
|-+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----|
|Y|14560|14096|14329|14674|14796|15308|15415|15542|16138|16386|     |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+

Table A2 – Medicare claims for circumcision of males less than 6 months of age in Australia 12-Month Running Totals from Jan 1996 to Feb 2004

+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
|    | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 |
|----+------+------+------+------+------+------+------+------+------|
|Jan | 14026| 14386| 14674| 14770| 15348| 15493| 15588| 16145| 16346|
|Feb | 13976| 14388| 14679| 14766| 15456| 15516| 15574| 16218| 16311|
|Mar | 13775| 14453| 14782| 14906| 15514| 15427| 15472| 16328|      |
|Apr | 13906| 14590| 14733| 14936| 15366| 15555| 15612| 16229|      |
|May | 13944| 14450| 14697| 15024| 15476| 15659| 15653| 16050|      |
|Jun | 13788| 14564| 14723| 15124| 15412| 15662| 15631| 16129|      |
|Jul | 13992| 14578| 14795| 15095| 15315| 15659| 15858| 16083|      |
|Aug | 13986| 14615| 14739| 15240| 15356| 15654| 15811| 16101|      |
|Sep | 14003| 14726| 14722| 15351| 15224| 15560| 16009| 16170|      |
|Oct | 14163| 14663| 14682| 15263| 15343| 15677| 16025| 16238|      |
|Nov | 14139| 14632| 14755| 15283| 15457| 15637| 15965| 16262|      |
|Dec | 14329| 14674| 14796| 15308| 15415| 15542| 16138| 16386|      |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+

Table A3 – Medicare claims for circumcision of males less than 6 months of age in Australia 12-Month Rate (%) from January 1996 to February 2004 based on HIC per capita rates

+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
|    | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 |
|----+------+------+------+------+------+------+------+------+------|
|Jan | 10.8 | 11.0 | 11.3 | 11.4 | 11.9 | 12.1 | 12.2 | 12.5 | 12.7 |
|Feb | 10.7 | 11.0 | 11.3 | 11.4 | 12.0 | 12.1 | 12.2 | 12.6 | 12.7 |
|Mar | 10.6 | 11.1 | 11.4 | 11.5 | 12.1 | 12.0 | 12.1 | 12.7 |      |
|Apr | 10.7 | 11.2 | 11.4 | 11.6 | 11.9 | 12.1 | 12.2 | 12.6 |      |
|May | 10.7 | 11.1 | 11.3 | 11.6 | 12.0 | 12.2 | 12.2 | 12.5 |      |
|Jun | 10.6 | 11.2 | 11.4 | 11.7 | 12.0 | 12.2 | 12.2 | 12.5 |      |
|Jul | 10.7 | 11.2 | 11.4 | 11.7 | 11.9 | 12.2 | 12.4 | 12.5 |      |
|Aug | 10.7 | 11.2 | 11.4 | 11.8 | 12.0 | 12.2 | 12.4 | 12.5 |      |
|Sep | 10.7 | 11.3 | 11.4 | 11.9 | 11.9 | 12.1 | 12.5 | 12.6 |      |
|Oct | 10.9 | 11.3 | 11.3 | 11.8 | 12.0 | 12.2 | 12.5 | 12.6 |      |
|Nov | 10.8 | 11.3 | 11.4 | 11.9 | 12.1 | 12.2 | 12.5 | 12.6 |      |
|Dec | 11.0 | 11.3 | 11.4 | 11.9 | 12.0 | 12.1 | 12.5 | 12.7 |      |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+

February by State

Table A4 – Medicare claims for circumcision of males less than 6 months of age in February

+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
|   |1994|1995|1996 |1997 |1998 |1999 |2000 |2001 |2002 |2003 |2004 |
|---+----+----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----|
|NSW| 446| 437| 403 | 421 | 445 | 440 | 503 | 502 | 526 | 589 | 574 |
|QLD| 330| 372| 343 | 377 | 352 | 361 | 400 | 410 | 335 | 369 | 391 |
|VIC| 158| 151| 157 | 128 | 137 | 143 | 126 | 149 | 187 | 189 | 161 |
|SA | 111| 123| 127 | 111 |  94 |  94 | 106 | 110 | 105 | 106 |  98 |
|WA |  90|  70|  67 |  65 |  69 |  57 |  80 |  67 |  75 |  43 |  62 |
|TAS|  24|  24|  19 |  26 |  34 |  32 |  17 |  21 |  18 |  19 |   4 |
|ACT|  19|   9|  15 |   8 |   7 |  10 |   7 |  12 |   9 |  14 |   6 |
|NT |  20|   8|  13 |  10 |  13 |  10 |  16 |   7 |   9 |   8 |   6 |
|---+----+----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----|
|AUS|1198|1194|1144 |1146 |1151 |1147 |1255 |1278 |1264 |1337 |1302 |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+

Table A5 – Medicare claims for circumcision of males less than 6 months of age for year ended February

+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
|    | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 |
|----+------+------+------+------+------+------+------+------+------|
|NSW | 5318 | 5417 | 5675 | 5636 | 5991 | 6410 | 6545 | 6992 | 7219 |
|QLD | 4135 | 4443 | 4597 | 4703 | 5022 | 4883 | 4896 | 4805 | 4824 |
|VIC | 1703 | 1713 | 1645 | 1641 | 1624 | 1588 | 1607 | 1897 | 1958 |
|SA  | 1360 | 1353 | 1365 | 1367 | 1439 | 1289 | 1303 | 1326 | 1293 |
|WA  |  897 |  862 |  844 |  856 |  852 |  765 |  757 |  698 |  717 |
|TAS |  316 |  354 |  319 |  318 |  293 |  301 |  231 |  227 |  115 |
|ACT |  105 |  115 |   82 |  107 |  110 |  148 |  120 |  136 |   94 |
|NT  |  142 |  131 |  152 |  138 |  125 |  132 |  115 |  137 |   91 |
|----+------+------+------+------+------+------+------+------+------|
|AUS |13976 |14388 |14679 |14766 |15456 |15516 |15574 |16218 |16311 |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+

Table A6 – Rate of circumcision of males less than 6 months of age for year ended February

+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
|    | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 |
|----+------+------+------+------+------+------+------+------+------|
|NSW | 11.7 | 11.9 | 12.5 | 12.5 | 13.4 | 14.3 | 14.6 | 15.8 | 16.3 |
|QLD | 17.3 | 18.5 | 19.1 | 19.4 | 20.7 | 20.1 | 20.0 | 19.6 | 19.5 |
|VIC |  5.5 |  5.5 |  5.3 |  5.3 |  5.3 |  5.2 |  5.3 |  6.0 |  6.2 |
|SA  | 14.0 | 14.0 | 14.3 | 14.5 | 15.4 | 14.1 | 14.5 | 14.7 | 14.4 |
|WA  |  7.1 |  6.7 |  6.6 |  6.7 |  6.6 |  6.0 |  6.0 |  5.8 |  6.0 |
|TAS |  9.6 | 10.8 |  9.9 | 10.1 |  9.6 | 10.1 |  7.9 |  7.5 |  3.9 |
|ACT |  4.6 |  5.1 |  3.8 |  5.1 |  5.2 |  7.1 |  5.8 |  6.5 |  4.5 |
|NT  |  8.3 |  7.6 |  8.7 |  7.7 |  6.7 |  7.1 |  6.1 |  7.2 |  4.8 |
|----+------+------+------+------+------+------+------+------+------|
|AUS | 10.7 | 11.0 | 11.3 | 11.4 | 12.0 | 12.1 | 12.2 | 12.6 | 12.7 |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+

Source of data: Health Insurance Commission, http://www.hic.gov.au

HIC Item numbers:

30653 Male circumcision at less than 6 months of age
30656 Male circumcision between 6 months and 9 years of age incl.
30659 Male circumcision at 10 years of age or more, by a GP
30660 Male circumcision at 10 years of age or more, by a specialist

Citation:

O'Donnell H. (Male) circumcision incidence in Australia. white paper. 2004-02

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