Australian healthcare system Flashcards
What are some factors that contribute to poor health outcomes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people?
Historical context:
1. Disease
2. Genocide
3. Forced relocation
4. Only receiving the right to vote in 1962
Modern context:
1. Incarceration
2. Engagement in education
3. Employment
Who funds the Australian healthcare system?
The Commonwealth administers the universal health insurance program (Medicare) and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.
Hospital based services are provided by the states and territories with the commonwealth contributing to the cost of running hospitals, primary healthcare and recurrent costs.
Private health care services, hospitals and aged care facilities are run by independent organisations but also receive some funding from the Commonwealth Government.
The Commonwealth contributes funds to the states and Territories for medical services and primary care, while the States are responsible for hospital service delivery and community health services such as mental health support and immunisation.
How do the social determinants of health relate to the health of Australians?
The conditions of which people live and work or their social environment are related to health. The social determinants of health are shaped by factors such as employment, education, power and social support.
World Health Organisation defines the social determinants of health as:
“The conditions of which people are born, grow, live, work and age. These circumstances are shaped by the distribution of money, power, and resources at global, national and local levels.”
Define each determinant of health
Socio- economic position:
In 2019,
1. 68% of Australians aged 24 – 64 had a non-school qualification.
2. 33% in this age group had a bachelors degree
Average household wealth in Australia passed 1 million dollars in 2017-2018.
The lowest 20% of households controlled just 1 percent of all household’s wealth (Page 20)
Early life:
In Australia 2015:
1. 22% of children starting primary school were assessed as being vulnerable in one or more developmental areas including language and cognition, communication, and emotional maturity.
Social exclusion:
Social exclusion occurs when people are not able to equally access the resources, opportunity participation and skills (McLachlan et al., 2013) often resulting in poor health.
Around 4.3 million people in Australia experience some form of social exclusion especially shown in specific groups such as:
1. Over 65s
2. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
3. People with disability
Employment and work
In March 2020, 5.2% of Australians were unemployed with 8.7% of Australians reporting underemployment.
Housing and homelessness
1. 116,000 homeless people were recorded in the census of 2016
2. 3.8% of Australians lived in overcrowded houses being much higher (10%) in Indigenous communities.
Chronic disease
In 2014-2015 a self reported survey reported that 50% of Australians had one or more following conditions:
1. Cardiovascular disease
2. Back Pain
3. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
4. Asthma
5. Arthritis
6. Cancer
7. Diabetes
8. Mental health conditions
What is Medicare?
Medicare is the universal health care scheme based upon the principle that all Australians should have equal access to healthcare.
Medicare gives Australians access to free or subsidized health care from health professionals including doctors, optometrists and occupational therapists (Department of Human Services, 2019).
What is the NDIS?
The National Disability Insurance scheme or NDIS provides support for people with disabilities, their carers and families (Parliament of Australia, 2017).
