UNIT 3 AOS 3

Old public health

Government actions that focused on changing the physical environment to prevent the spread of infectious diseases from 1900.

Old public health initiatives

-clean drinking water was provided

-Sewage systems were established and sanitation was improved

-mass immunisation programs

-better quality housing and fewer slums

-better quality food and nutrition

-introduction of quarantine laws

-safer working conditions

-more hygenic birthing practice

-provision of antenatal and infant welfare services.

Biomedical model of health

Focuses on the physical or biological aspects of disease and illness. It is a medical model practiced by doctors and health professionals and is associated with the diagnosis, treatment and cure of diseases.

Strengths of biomedical model

-Funding brings about improvements in technology and research

-Enables many illnesses and conditions to be treated effectively

-Extends life expectancy

Weaknesses of biomedical model

-Doesn’t always promote good health and wellbeing

-Not every condition can be treated

-It is not always affordable

Social model of health

Improvements in health and wellbeing can only be achieved by directing effort towards addressing physical, sociocultural and political environments of health that have an impact on individuals and population groups.

Strengths of social model

-It is less expensive than the biomedical model

-It focuses on vulnerable population groups

-Education can be passed on from generation to generation

Weaknesses of social model

-Not every illness or condition can be prevented

-It does not promote the development of technology and medical knowledge

-Health promotion messages may be ignored

Health promotion

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

Ottawa charter for health promotion

An approach to health developed by the World Health Organisation that aims to reduce inequalities in health. It reflects the social model of health and provides five action areas that can be used as a basis for improving health outcomes.

5 action areas of the Ottawa charter for health promotion

-Build healthy public policy

-Create supportive environments

-Strengthen community action

-Develop personal skills

-Reorient health services

Build healthy public policy

Is about developing policy, legislation, rules and regulations to promote health

Creates supportive environments

Is about creating environments (such as the physical environments) that help make the healthier choice the easier choice to promote health

Strengthen community action

Is about involving and encouraging people from all parts of the community to work together to improve health outcomes

Develop personal skills

Is about informing and empowering people to make healthier choices by improving skills and knowledge to improve health

Reorient health services

Is about changing the focus of health services from a biomedical to a preventative health care approach, so encouraging medical professionals to take a preventative approach to improve health

Social justice

Fairness within a society based on human rights, equity, access and participation (HEAP)

Human rights

Freedoms and conditions that every person is entitled to regardless of factors such as race, religion, gender, age.

Equity

Disadvantaged individuals and groups need to have their specific challenges addressed so they can achieve the same level of H&W as others in the population

Access

All people must have adequate access to resources and opportunities they need to thrive and to participate in the decisions that affect their lives.

Participation

Everyone in society has the opportunity to participate in their community and have their voice represented.

Considerations in evaluating programs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People

-Actual improvements in health outcomes

-Number of participants taking part in the initiative

-Feedback provided by participants

-Action areas of the Ottawa Charter that are evident in the initiative

-Whether the initiative is culturally appropriate

-Whether the initiative has taken the specific needs of the target group into account

-Funding provided to implement the initiative

-Whether the initiative has addressed a significant health issue for Aboriginals/Torres Strait Islander people

Australian Dietary Guidelines description

Federal government initiative thats intended to be used by health professionals and educators to promote healthy eating. They provide advice relating to types and amounts of foods to reduce the risk of diet related and chronic diseases.

Dietary Guideline 1

To achieve and maintain a healthy body weight, be physically active and choose amounts of nutritious foods and drinks to meet your energy needs.

Dietary Guideline 2

Enjoy a wide variety of nutritious foods from the 5 food groups and drink plenty of water

Dietary Guideline 3

Limit intake of foods containing saturated fats, added salt, added sugar and alcohol

Dietary Guideline 4 & 5

-Encourage, support and promote breastfeeding

-Care for your food, prepare and store it safely

Strengths and Weaknesses of the ADG

Strengths

-Available in accessible format increasing availability for those with low vision

-Serving sizes are provided for both males and females of different ages

-Available to download for free, removing financial barriers

Weaknesses

-Written format may be challenging for people with low health literacy to understand

-Guidelines are based on averages so serving sizes may not be suitable for everyone

-Only available in english

Australian Guide to Healthy Eating description

A food selection tool divided into 5 sections for each food group proportion recommended to be consumed each day, which is a visual representation of guidelines 2 & 3.

Similarities and Differences amongst AGTHE and ATSIGHE

Similarities

-Both use a pie chart to show daily food group proportions

-Both recommend drinking water

-Both suggest limiting discretionary foods, oils, alcohol

Differences

-More canned/frozen vegetables

-Different protein sources

-Native fruits and berries

Strengths and Weaknesses of the AGTHE

Strengths

-Visual format makes it accessible for most people regardless of literacy and language barriers'

-Guides apply to people of all ages

-Includes a wide range of food for personal preference, culture and accessibility

Weaknesses

-Only shows proportions and not serving sizes leading to over/under consumption

-Composite foods are not shown making them difficult to place in the guide

-Doesn’t provide specific advice for people with dietary conditions or needs

Describe how the ADG’s can promote Australia’s health

If Australian’s follow the ADG’s, specifically guideline 3: limiting intake of food containing saturated fats, added salt, added sugar and alcohol. Low intake of these unhealthy foods help to reduce LDL build up in arteries which decreases chance of developing a blockage, therefore reducing mortality from strokes and heart attacks.

Describe how the AGTHE can promote Australia’s health

If Australian’s view the AGTHE and drink water instead of energy dense drinks, it can help to reduce obesity levels. This leads to less stress on the joints of an individual which decreases morbidity of osteoarthritis.

Sociocultural factors making dietry change hard

-Socioeconomic status

-Employment status

-Family and peer groups

Commercial factors making dietary change hard

-Supply chains

-Distribution and affordability

-Processing

-Marketing strategies and use of media

-Packaging and labelling

-Lobbying

Environmental factors making dietary change hard

-Geographical location

-Transport

-Workplaces

-Hosuing environment

Personal factors making dietary change hard

-Willpower and taste preferences

-Attitudes and beliefs

-Health and wellbeing factors

Medicare

Australia’s universal health insurance scheme, giving all Australian’s permanent residents and people from countries with a reciprocal agreement access to essential healthcare that is subsidised by the government.

Medicare safety net

Additional finance assistance for those people that have significant out of pocket costs for medicare services.

Medicare levy

Additional 2% tax placed on the taxable income of most taxpayers with some low income earners exempt.

Medicare levy surcharge

An additional tax for high income earners who choose not to take out private hospital insurance. 1 - 1.5% means based.

Advantages and disadvantages of medicare

Advantages

-Choice of doctor for out of hospital treatments

-All Australian citizens can access it

-Covers lots of common, essential services

Disadvantages

-No choice of doctor for in hospital treatments

-Long waiting lists for many treatments

-Often doesn’t cover the full amount of a doctors visit=

What medicare covers (in/out of hospital)

Eye tests

X-rays

Blood tests and pathology

Accomodation in public hospitals

What doesn’t medicare cover

-Physio

-Dental

-Chiropractor

Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS)

Government funded program which subsidises the cost of a rage of prescription medicines. The purpose of PBS is to provide essential medicines to people who need them, regardless of their ability to pay

PBS safety net

Once an individuals or family’s total out of pocket expenses for PBS medicines have reached a threshold amount during a calendar year, the costs of mediacre are reduced for the remainder of the year.

Private health insurance

Optional form of health insurance policy that is taken out by individuals or families to provide cover for services that are not covered by medicare.

Private health insurance incentives

PHI rebate: Government contribution to help with the cost of PHI. The more people earn the less the rebate (up to 25%)

Lifetime health cover loading: People who take up private insurance after the age of 31 pay an extra 2 per cent on their premiums for every year they are over the age of 30 (maximum loading 70%).

Medicare levy surcharge:eople earning over a threshold amount, who do not have private hospital insurance must pay an additional Medicare levy surcharge. 1 - 1.5% of taxable income.

Age based discount: Insurers can offer people ages 18-29 years discounts of up to 10% of their PHI hospital premiums. Retained by those people until they’re 41.

Advantages and disadvantages of PHI

Advantages

-Enables access to private hospital care

-Choice of doctor in public/private hospitals

-Shorter waiting lists for some procedures

Disadvantages

-Premiums can be costly and out of reach for some people

-Some treatments may still incur out of pocket costs

-Coverage often requires minimum waiting periods before being able to claim

NDIS

National insurance scheme that provides services and supports for people with a permanent and significant disability, their families and carers. Aims to assist individuals with disabilities to live an ordinary life.

NDIS requirements

Age: Under 65

Residency: Must live in Australia and be an Australian citizen or permanent resident

Disability: Must have a permanent and significant disability

How medicare meets SAFE

Sustainability: By reducing barriers to seeking healthcare individuals are more likely to seek early intervention, which may help prevent conditions

Access: Reduces the income barrier by providing essential healthcare services at little or no cost

Funding: Medicare funds part or all of the fees associated with health services, including doctor and specialist consultations, pathology tests and free treatment in public hospitals

Equity: Medicare safety net is in place to support those Australians who incur significant out of pocket costs, by reducing costs of further treatments

How PHI meets SAFE

Sustainability: Helps relieve strain on public hospital system, by having those who can afford PHI to access private system, allow public system to treat people quicker.

Access: Waiting times for all Australians decrease as more patients in PHI reduces those in public system.

Funding: The federal government funds the PHI rebate, which means PHI is more affordable for more people

Equity: Lower income earners are entitled to a higher percentage PHI rebate, aiming to make cost of taking out PHI more accessible for all people by taking int account financial circumstances

How NDIS meets SAFE

Sustainability: Key aim of NDIS is to increase employment outcomes for participants, in doing so this increases taxable income which the government uses to fund programs such as NDIS

Access: NDIS improves access to health services for people with significant life long disabilities.

Funding: NDIS funds access to health service aids such as wheelchairs, for people with a disability to live and ordinary life.

Equity: The individualised plan developed as a part of the NDIS ensures that those with more significant needs receive more assistance.

How PBS meets SAFE

Sustainability: Not all medications are subsidised under the PBS, only those seen to benefit a wide range of the population, helping to keep costs under control.

Access: Reduces income barrier by reducing the cost of a range of prescription medicines, including a concession rate for low income earners

Funding: PBS subsidises the cost of common prescription medicines

Equity: The PBS safety net is in place to protect those Australians who have a reliance on prescription medicine from significant out of pocket costs.