Unit 3 : Outcome 2 Flashcards
What is a barrier to assessing Australia’s health over time?
- There have been changes in the disease groupings and classifications
- The incidence and prevalence of diseases also need to take into account population increase
Death rates
Over the past 100 years, they have declined due to the control of infectious diseases, better hygiene and improved nutrition
Life expectancy
Increased over time due to introduction of vaccines, better sanitary conditions and better treatment of diseases
Circulatory diseases
Death rates have decreased but is the leading cause of death due to the reduction in the rate of smoking and better treatment
Cancer
Cancer death rates have increased over time due to the ageing population, and better diagnosis
Respiratory diseases
Decreased over time due to a reduction in smoking rates and better diagnosis and treatment of non-communicable diseases
Injury and poisoning
The death rate for injuries and poisoning has declined over the past century due to increased saftey measures, and government initiatives and improved road safety measures
Infectious diseases
The death rate due to infectious diseases has significantly reduced over this century due to the vaccinations
Diabetes
Increased incidence of type 2 diabetes due to poor nutrition and higher levels of obesity within the population
Infant mortality
The rate has dropped dramatically due to immunisation, neonatal health, sanitation and hygiene
Child and youth mortality
Declined for both age groups due to higher vaccination rates and control of infectious diseases
Adult mortality
Both sexes have declined due to the decrease in infectious diseases and circulatory diseases and respiratory diseases, due to higher incomes, better education and better treatment for disease
Public Health
The organised response by society to protect and promote health, and to prevent illness, injury or disability
Why is public health important?
Targets the factors causing illness
Public health initiatves has social and economic benefits that reduce demand on health services.
Examples of public health
Improving water quality
Improve sanitation
Improve immunisations
Implement anti smoking education
Public health activities
Public health intelligence - info that identifies trends of ill health in population
Public health programs- development of policy and planning of strategies for health
Public health infrastructure - including administrative, legislative, information, research and the workforce to implement them
Old public health
- Focused on improving hygiene, sanitation and environmental health to help control the prevalence of infectious (communicable) diseases
- Focused on specific medical intervention to treat illness and prevention of communicable diseases
Biomedical model of health
- a medical model which is practised by doctors and health professionals
- Focuses on the physical and biological aspects of the disease specifically the diagnosis, treatment and cure.
- aims to return patients to their pre-illness health
- focuses on the individual
Advantages of the biomedical model of health
Creates advances in technology and research
It enables common problems to be effectively treated
Extends life expectancy
Improves the quality of life
Limitations of the biomedical model of health
It relies on professional health workers and technology and is therefore costly
It doesn’t always promote good health and wellbeing
It doesn’t take into account behaviours and attitudes of people.
New public health
- Identifies there are a number of physical, environmental and sociocultural factors that impact health
- prevent illness disease and injury
- health promotion at a population level
What was developed in new public health?
The social model of health
The Ottowa charter
Difference between old and new public health
Old - improving infrastructure - medical professionals - treatment - prevention of infectious disease New - on behaviours and lifestyles - intersectoral action - disease prevention and health promotion - equity
The social model of health
A conceptual framework within which improvements in health and well-being are achieved by directing effort towards addressing the social, economic and environmental determinants and factors of health with the aim of reducing the impacts these factors have on individual health and wellbeing and health status
AREAS
A - Addresses the broader determinants of health
R - acts to Reduce social inequities
E - Empowers individuals and communities
A - Acts to enable access to healthcare
S - involves inter-Sectorial collaboration
Addresses the broader determinants of health
- Focus on more than the behavioural factors
- Social, economic and environmental determinants and minimise their impact on health
(social)
Acts to Reduce social inequities
Reducing the inequities attributed to gender, age, race, socioeconomic status, location and physical environment especially in terms of access to healthcare and providing more support to those who need it most
(social)
Empowers individuals and communities
Provides individuals and communities with the resources and skill base to address the factors that influence their health and enabling to make decisions and take action to promote their own health(social)
Acts to enable access to healthcare
Improving the affordability, appropriateness and accessibility to enable everyone to access health services and information(social)
Involves inter-Sectorial collaboration
Promotes the collaboration of government departments, the private sector and the health sector.(social)
The Ottowa charter for health promotion
An approach to health-promotion development by the World Health Organisation that attempts to reduce inequalities in health. Developed from the social model of health to help individuals to take control over their health and defines health promotion as the process of enabling people to take control over their health. The Ottawa charter identifies 3 basic strategies for health promotion; mediate, advocate and enable.
Health promotion
The process of enabling people to increase control over and improve their health
3 basic strategies for health promotion (ottowa charter)
Enable - Support people with information, opportunity and resources and skills that they need to make good choices that support good health
Mediate - Health promotion requires coordinated action by all levels of government, the health sector, non-government organisations, industry and the media.
Advocate - Health promotion aims to make the necessary political, economic, social, cultural, environmental, behavioural and biological factors favourable to support good health and wellbeing. Promoting and supporting initiatives that promote health on behalf of the whole community.
Five priority actions important for health promotion (ottowa charter)
- Build healthy public policy
- Create supportive environments
- Strengthen community action
- Develop personal skills
- Reorient health services
- Build healthy public policy
The changes in policy made by the government that will help to make healthier choices easier and contribute to healthier, safer and cleaner, and more enjoyable services and environment (ottowa)
- Create supportive environments
The sociocultural and physical environments should be manipulated so that healthier choices are made easier(ottowa)
- Strengthen community action
Communities working together to set priorities, make decisions, and plan and implement strategies that will help achieve better health.(ottowa)
- Develop personal skills
Involves an individual gaining life skills and information through health promotion and education to enable individuals to make choices that will enhance their health and to take control over their own health(ottowa).
- Reorient health services
Involves individuals, community groups, health professionals and the government working together to achieve a health system that focuses on health promotion instead of just treating disease(ottowa)
Medicare
Australia’s universal healthcare system, which aims to improve the access to healthcare for all Australians and to provide access to adequate healthcare at little or no cost to all Australians in need of treatment, regardless of age or income.
Health system
All the activities whose primary purpose is to promote, restore, and/or maintain health.
How are public hospitals funded?
It is the responsibility of the state/territory governments, and the Commonwealth government
How are private hospitals funded?
Are the responsibility of the non-government or private sector.
Primary healthcare
Refers to an individual’s first contact with the healthcare system. ie; health promotion, prevention initiatives, early detection/intervention, treatment of illnesses and management of chronic diseases. Delivered by GP’s, nurses, allied health professionals etc.
Secondary care
Includes health services and medical care provided by specialists after a referral from a primary healthcare professional. ie; dermatologist, specialist doctors
3 main objectives of Medicare
To make healthcare more affordable for all Australian’s
To give all Australians access to healthcare services with priority according to clinical need
To provide a high quality of care
How does Medicare work?
Medicare covers both in-hospital and out-of-hospital services. It provides free or subsidised treatment by general practitioners and optometrists. For out-of-hospital services patients can choose to be treated by their own GP and are reimbursed part or all of the doctors fee.
Medicare Benefits Schedule MBS
A schedule of fees fo a range of services that is set by the federal government.
Bulk billing
When the doctor chooses to charge the schedule fee for the cost of the appointment
Out of pocket expenses
When a doctor chooses to charge more than the schedule fee and patients must pay the difference
Schedule fee
A fee set for a service by the Commonwealth government
Who can access a Medicare card?
Anyone over the age of 15
Medicare saftety net
An additional rebate scheme introduced by the federal government for the benefit of patients, covering a range of doctors visits and tests received out of the hospital. It provides for reimbursement of 100% of the MBS fee for out-of-hospital services once the relevant threshold has been reached.
What is covered by Medicare?
Free or subsidised treatment by health professionals
Test and examinations that are needed to treat illness
Optometrists eye tests
Most procedures performed by GP’s
Treatment and accommodation as a public patient in a public hospital
75% of the Medicare Schedule fee for a private patient in a public or private hospital
What is not covered by Medicare?
General dental examinations Ambulance Home nursing Allied health services Hearing aids, contacts and glasses Medicines (except for PBS) Medical costs incurred overseas Acupunture Private hospital costs other than treatment
Exceptions to medicare not covering things
Governements provide basic dental checkups for children aged 2-17
Allied health services are covered when the GP recommends Management plan for someone with a chronic illness
Advantages of Medicare
Enables people to access essential healthcare with little or no cost
Being able to recieve treatment by a GP of the patients choice
Being able to recieve a range of tests at a subsidised cost
Available to all Australian citizens regardless of age or income