Improvements, old public health and the biomedical approach (AOS_2)

Question 1

improvements in Australia’s health status since 1900

Answer 1

mortality rates from the following have decreased:

• infectious diseases (tuberculosis and polio)
• parasitic diseases (worms and body lice)
• cancers
• respiratory diseases (pneumonia and asthma)
• injury and poisoning
• cardiovascular disease (overall decrease but still one of the major causes of death in Australia, peaked mid-60s)

Question 2

old public health definition

Answer 2

related to government actions that focused on changing the physical environment to prevent spread of disease. Focus on communicable diseases through practices and policies:

• providing safe water
• sanitation and sewage disposal
• improved nutrition
• improved housing conditions
• better work conditions
• mass vaccinations due to discovery

Question 3

biomedical approach to health definition

Answer 3

• focuses on the physical or biological aspects of disease and illness
• it is a medical model of care practised by doctors and/or health professionals, ad is associated with the diagnosis, cure and treatment of disease
• commonly referred to as the ‘quick-fix’ or ‘band-aid’ approach because it works to treat diseases once they are present

Question 4

biomedical advantages

Answer 4

• it enables many common conditions, illnesses, and injuries to be quickly and effectively treated (e.g. the common flu through medication and antibiotics)
• it improves quality of life as many chronic conditions can be managed with medication and surgery, thereby reducing pain and suffering

Question 5

biomedical disadvantages

Answer 5

• it relies on health professionals and technology which can be costly. Smaller rural-based health clinics may not be able to afford medical technology and resources
• not every condition can be treated (e.g. cancers) and some population groups may not be able to readily access doctors (e.g Indigenous population)

Question 6

improvements in medical technology definiton

Answer 6

focus on the physical or biological aspects of disease, as they aim to treat them, and they are also used by doctors/health professionals

Question 7

improvements in medical technology example

Answer 7

• 3D organs and body parts: because these can be printed now, there is much less pressure on people waiting for transplants, increasing life expectancy and reducing morbidity rates
• MRI scans: allows for much more accurate diagnosis of people’s diseases and ailments in order to effectively treat them
• pharmaceuticals: focus a lot on the cure and treatment of ailments and are being constantly developed and improved