How are Priority issues for Australia's health identified? Flashcards

1
Q

What is Epidemiology?

A

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

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2
Q

Why is Epidemiology important?

A

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.

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3
Q

What are the measures of Epidemiology?

A

Mortality, Infant mortality, morbidity and Life expectancy.

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4
Q

Focus of Epidemiology

A

Occurrence, Distribution patterns, Determinants and Prevention + control measures

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5
Q

What is mortality?

A

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

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6
Q

What is Infant Mortality?

A

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

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7
Q

What is morbidity?

A

Measure of illness/disease + disability rates in a population

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8
Q

What is Life Expectancy?

A

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

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9
Q

What does epidemiology tell us?

A
  • 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
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10
Q

Who uses Epidemiological data?

A
  • NSW department of Education
  • Hospitals
  • Doctors
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11
Q

What are the limitations of Epidemiology?

A
  • 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.
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12
Q

Social justice Principles

A
  • 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.
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13
Q

What is Equity?

A

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

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14
Q

What are supportive environments?

A

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.

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15
Q

What is diversity?

A

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

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16
Q

What are priority population groups?

A
  • Groups at ‘risk’ of developing a particular disease
  • Have inequitable health status
17
Q

What is prevalence of condition?

A
  • 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.
18
Q

What is early intervention and prevention?

A
  • 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
19
Q

What are the costs to an individual?

A

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

20
Q

What are the costs to the community?

A

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