Changes in Australias Health status

Old public health

Focuses on changing the physical environment to prevent the spread of disease

Initiatives associated with the ‘old’ public health

• Improved water and sanitation

• Better quality housing and fewer slums

• Better quality food and nutrition

• Mass immunisation programs

• Introduction of quarantine laws

• Safer working conditions

Clean drinking water initiative

People were provided with safe water to drink

Sewage systems established initiative

Sewage systems help to keep human wastes separated from water supplied, and garbage and waste were removed from the streets

Biomedical model of health

Focuses on the physical and biological aspects of disease and illness. It involves trying to diagnose and treat illnesses and conditions once symptoms are present

Advancements in technology

• X-rays

• Antibiotics

• MRI

X-ray

A device that allows images to be taken of structures within the body, which help to detect broken or fractured bones, cancers, and heart and lung conditions.

Antibiotics

A group of drugs that either kill or limit the growth of bacteria in the body.

MRI

A neuroimaging technique that uses magnetic and radio fields to take 2D and 3D images of the body. It ensures the early detection of disease and can ensure that a patient receives the medication or surgery that they require.

Advantages of biomedical approach

• Funding improves technology and research

• It enables many illnesses and conditions to be effectively treated

• It extends life expectancy

• It improves quality of life and health adjected life expectancy

Limitations of Biomedical model of health

• Relies on professional health workers and technology and is therefore costly

• It doesnt always promote good health and wellbeing

• Not every condition can be treated

• Affordability

Social model of health

Aims to change unhealthy behaviours by addressing the sociocultural and environmental factors that contribute to inequities in health outcomes

Ottawa charter for health promotion

Includes 5 action areas that underpin successful health promotion. It continues to guide the development and implementation of health promotion program

What is health promotion?

The process of enabling people to increase control over, and to improve, their health.

What are the 5 action areas of the Ottawa charter?

• Build healthy public policy

• Create supportive environments

• Strengthen community action

• Develop personal skills

• Reorient health services

Build healthy public policy

This relates directly to the decisions made by government and organisations in relation to laws and policies that make it more difficult for people to undertake unhealthy behaviors and seek to make healthier choices the easier choices

Create supportive environments

A supportive environment is one that promotes health by being safe, stimulating, satisfying and enjoyable.

Strengthen community action

Focuses on building links between individuals and the community and centres around the community working together to achieve a common goal.

Develop personal skills

Education refers to gaining health-related knowledge and gaining life skills that allow people to make informed decisions that may indirectly affect health & wellbeing.

Reorient health services

Refers to reorienting the health system so that it promotes health as opposed to only focussing on diagnosing and treating illness, as is the case with the biomedical model.

Examples of Build healthy public policy

• Smoke free zones in public spaces

• Removing tax from healthy foods

• Sunhats part of school uniform policy

Examples of Create supportive environments

• Quitline (support service)

• Shaded areas in school playgrounds

• Healthy canteen options at schools

Examples of strengthen community action

• Immunisation

• Whole school approach to healthy eating

• Road safety initiative

Examples of develop personal skills

• Attending classes teaching healthy cooking techniques

• Talking to people to resolve conflict rather than using violence

• Follow a healthy and nutritious diet

Examples of reorient health services

• Focusing on healthy eating rather than surgery to reduce the impact of cardiovascular disease

• Doctors recommending physical activity to prevent the development of damaging conditions such as type 2 diabetes

• Ambulance workers providing road safety sessions for secondary school students