Topic 11

Question 1

Factors affecting a persons ability to access health services/ information?

Answer 1

These include geographic location, socioeconomic status (SES),cultural factors, gender, levels of health literacy.

Question 2

Disadvantages for those who live in rural and remote areas?

Answer 2

They have less access to health services than those in major cities. There are fewer health practitioners, infrastructure, medical technology.

Question 3

Why do people with low SES have less access to health services?

Answer 3

This is because of the cost of those services (e.g. dental) and private health insurance.

Question 4

Factors that could reduce the ability to access health services and information?

Answer 4

Language Barries, religious beliefs and other cultural factors.

Question 5

Why do Indigenous Australians have less access to health services and information?

Answer 5

This is due to geographic location, low SES, language and cultural misunderstanding.

Question 6

What is health literacy and what impacts it?

Answer 6

Health literacy is about understanding information and using it to make informed decisions about health and wellbeing. Low levels of education contribute to low health literacy, and only 40% of adult Australians are considered to have adequate levels of health literacy.