Core One
PDHPE STAGE 6 HSC COURSE
HSC CORE ONE: HEALTH PRIORITIES IN AUSTRALIA
HOW ARE PRIORITY ISSUES FOR AUSTRALIAS HEALTH IDENTIFIED?
Health priority issues are those health issues that are greatest concern to governments and support organizations due to the effect they have on the overall health of Australians and the burden of health on the economy.
* Measuring health status
Health status is the pattern of health of the population in general over a period of time. We measure our health status through the process of data and information collection known as “epidemiology” which is the study of disease in groups or populations.
* Role of epidemiology
Governments use epidemiology and health related organizations to obtain a visual on the health status of a population to help identify patterns of health and disease and analyze how health service and facilities are being used. Epidemiology considers the patterns of disease in terms of: * Prevalence (the number of cases of disease in a population in a specific time) * Incidence (the number of new cases of diseases occurring in a population) * Distribution (the extent) * Apparent causes (determinants and indicators)
The data collected through the epidemiological process focus on quantifiable and direct measures of illness, injury and death rather than on the positive qualities of health and well-being
Epidemiology commonly uses statistics on: * Births * Deaths * Disease incidence * Money spent on health care * Contact with health care providers * Hospital use * Injury incidence * Works days lost
Limitations of epidemiology:
Epidemiology has proved to be an effective approach to measuring health status, but it has some limitations.
For example epidemiological statistics: * Do not always show the significant variations in health status among population groups * Might not actually indicate quality of life in terms of peoples levels of
HSC CORE ONE: HEALTH PRIORITIES IN AUSTRALIA
HOW ARE PRIORITY ISSUES FOR AUSTRALIAS HEALTH IDENTIFIED?
Health priority issues are those health issues that are greatest concern to governments and support organizations due to the effect they have on the overall health of Australians and the burden of health on the economy.
* Measuring health status
Health status is the pattern of health of the population in general over a period of time. We measure our health status through the process of data and information collection known as “epidemiology” which is the study of disease in groups or populations.
* Role of epidemiology
Governments use epidemiology and health related organizations to obtain a visual on the health status of a population to help identify patterns of health and disease and analyze how health service and facilities are being used. Epidemiology considers the patterns of disease in terms of: * Prevalence (the number of cases of disease in a population in a specific time) * Incidence (the number of new cases of diseases occurring in a population) * Distribution (the extent) * Apparent causes (determinants and indicators)
The data collected through the epidemiological process focus on quantifiable and direct measures of illness, injury and death rather than on the positive qualities of health and well-being
Epidemiology commonly uses statistics on: * Births * Deaths * Disease incidence * Money spent on health care * Contact with health care providers * Hospital use * Injury incidence * Works days lost
Limitations of epidemiology:
Epidemiology has proved to be an effective approach to measuring health status, but it has some limitations.
For example epidemiological statistics: * Do not always show the significant variations in health status among population groups * Might not actually indicate quality of life in terms of peoples levels of