This situation affects over 8 million Australians with the average financial burden per individual being $2318 and the typical non-financial toll amounting to $5470 per person.

The financial setbacks pertain to healthcare expenses and decreased productivity. On the other hand, non-financial impacts relate to deterioration in health or loss of life.

The Costly Reactions report said the financial burden of $18.9 billion a year was up from $7.8 billion reported in 2007.

Allergic diseases are rapidly rising among chronic conditions in the country. The most prevalent include hay fever (~24 percent), food allergies (7 percent), and drug allergies (5 percent).

Professor Kirsten Perrett, who leads the NACE and Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, attributes the increase in allergic diseases to environmental and lifestyle changes.

“Australia has alarmingly high allergy rates worldwide, including the top globally reported rate of infant food allergies affecting one in 10 babies,” she mentioned.

“The burden isn’t just physical; for many families, allergic disease disrupts daily life and brings financial and emotional strain.”

The report, by Deloitte Access Economics, was developed with the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA) and the National Allergy Council (NAC).