Health priorities In Australia Flashcards
Who uses the measures of epidemiology?
Governments and health related organisations use it to.. obtain a picture of health status, identify patters of health and disease.. and analyse how health services/facilities are being used.
What are the measures of epidemiology?
Mortality, infant mortality, morbidity, life expectancy
What is prevalence?
The number of cases of a disease that exist in a defined population at a point in time.
What does incidence tell us?
The number of new cases occurring in a defined population over a period of time.
Observations and statistics help researchers to:
Describe and compare patterns of health groups/ populations.
Identify health needs and allocate resources accordingly.
What are the social justice principles?
1) Equity
2) diversity
3) supportive environments
An example of epidemiology at work?
Scott winch
University
Studying protective factors of influenza from epidemiology
What is mortality?
Refers to the number of deaths in a given population from a particular cause over a period of time.
Name some increase in mortality
Cancer has increased by 13% and represents nearly 1/3 of all deaths.
Lung cancer is the most prevalent (number of cases that exists)
Prostate in men
While breast in women
What is infant mortality?
Refers to the number of infant deaths in the Iraq year of life, per 1000 live births
Infant mortality has been declining.. Why?
- improved medical diagnosis and treatment
- improved public sanitation
- health education
- supports services available
- expansion of technological influence
What is morbidity?
Morbidity is the incidence or level of illness disease or injury in a given population..
Eg. ATSI
Morbidity measures and indicators include:
- Hospital use
- Doctor visits and Medicare statistics
- Health surveys and reports
- disability and handicap
Priority issues include:
- our growing and ageing population
- the level of chronic disease and health problems in society
- health inequities experience by certain groups
Diversity:
The differences among individuals and groups of people.
Significant inequities in health include:
The alarmingly high incidence of diabetes and injury within ATSI
Factors to consider when identifying priority health issues:
- prevalence of condition
- social justice principles
- priority population groups
- costs to the individual and community
- potential for prevention and early intervention
How do we identify priority health issues?
How much they contribute to the burden of illness in the community
Their potential for reducing this burden
Why is it important to prioritise?
It is important to prioritise to help reduce the inequities faced be certain groups and to lower morbidity and mortality rates in disadvantaged groups.
What are the groups experiencing health inequities?
1) ATSI
2) Rural and Remote
3) Elderly
4) Overseas Born
5) socioeconomically disadvantaged
Nature and extent of People in rural and remote areas
- generally have lower access to quality health services
- lower education
- lower living chances
- higher chance of incidence for injury
- increased risk taking behaviours
Overseas born people
Suffer higher levels of post traumatic stress
- generally have a better diet
- socioeconomically disadvantaged
- generally healthy
- lower rates of skin cancer
Socio economic determinants that contribute to health inequities exp. by ATSI
- income
- employment
- education
Resulting in
- poor living conditions
- poor quality health/ medical service
Nature and extent of ATSI
- higher death rates for almost all causes
- higher infant mortality rate
- represent higher percentage of the burden of the Aust population
- likely to report health as fair or poorer than othe Australians
