How are Priority issues for Australia's health identified?

Question 1

What is Epidemiology?

Answer 1

The study of patterns and causes of health and disease in populations and the application of this study to improve health.

Question 2

Why is Epidemiology important?

Answer 2

It assists the government and health authorities in identifying the health needs and behaviours of our population therefore allowing them to allocate resources by priority.

Question 3

What are the measures of Epidemiology?

Answer 3

Mortality, Infant mortality, morbidity and Life expectancy.

Question 4

Focus of Epidemiology

Answer 4

Occurrence, Distribution patterns, Determinants and Prevention + control measures

Question 5

What is mortality?

Answer 5

The number of people within a particular population which have died in a given year.

Question 6

What is Infant Mortality?

Answer 6

Number of Infant deaths within the first year of life within a given population

Question 7

What is morbidity?

Answer 7

Measure of illness/disease + disability rates in a population

Question 8

What is Life Expectancy?

Answer 8

Average number of years a person can expect to live at birth according to gender or population group.

Question 9

What does epidemiology tell us?

Answer 9

• Basic health status of Australia
• Priority health issues that exist within the population
• Identifies where to allocate health expenditure
• Tells us trends in disease which can indicate the success of health promotion activities
• Allows us to compare patterns of health

Question 10

Who uses Epidemiological data?

Answer 10

• NSW department of Education
• Hospitals
• Doctors

Question 11

What are the limitations of Epidemiology?

Answer 11

• Fails to explain ‘why’ these problems exist
• The data is open to bias
• May be misleading (mental health incidence relies on individual reporting)
• Chronic conditions may take years to develop
• The data does not account for the individual, sociocultural, socioeconomic and environmental determinants that affect ones health
• The data does not accurately show the degree of impact an illness has on ones equality of life.

Question 12

Social justice Principles

Answer 12

• Supportive Environments
• Equity
• Diversity
• A set of values that acknowledges the impact of discrimination, disadvantages and structural barriers to equality.
• E.g. Medicare designed to provide access to basic healthcare for all Australians.

Question 13

What is Equity?

Answer 13

Resources are allocated in accordance with the needs of individuals + populations with the
desired goal of equality outcomes&raquo_space; some groups receive more funding after being identified as a priority group

Question 14

What are supportive environments?

Answer 14

Environments where “people work, live and play that protect people from threats to health and that increase their ability to make health-promoting choices”. The government looks to create supportive environments for all people.

Question 15

What is diversity?

Answer 15

Measures need to be taken to ensure everyone has access to health care + good health outcomes E.g providing brochures in different languages

Question 16

What are priority population groups?

Answer 16

• Groups at ‘risk’ of developing a particular disease
• Have inequitable health status

Question 17

What is prevalence of condition?

Answer 17

• Epidemiological data assists in determining the priority areas by revealing the prevalence of disease and illness.
• High prevalence rates of a disease indicate the health and economic burden that the disease or condition places on the community.

Question 18

What is early intervention and prevention?

Answer 18

• Early intervention refers to strategies that are put in place to minimise the progress of disease
• Prevention os to completely reduce the chance of acquiring the disease

Question 19

What are the costs to an individual?

Answer 19

The financial burden of disease and illness is measured in terms of financial loss, loss of productivity, diminished quality of life and emotional stress
- Direct costs: Financial cost of treatment, loss of employment and ongoing medical costs
- Indirect costs: loss of mobility or functionality, persistent pain and decreased quality of life, emotional and psychological suffering, social costs (damaged relationships) and increased pressure on families to offer support

Question 20

What are the costs to the community?

Answer 20

Illness, disease and premature death places economic burden on the community
- Direct costs: money spent on diagnosing, treating and caring for the sick, prevention and intervention programs, subsidising pharmaceuticals or funding medical research
- Indirect costs: Value of output lost when people become too ill to work, loss of productivity, cost of premature death, insurance costs and employment retraining