Health Priorities In Australia

Health Priorities In Australia

How are priority issues for Australia’s health identified?
Role of Epidemiology
What is epidemiology?
Epidemiology is the study of disease and other health-related conditions, among particular populations or groups within society. Key focuses are:
- Occurrence: looks at factors such as prevalence and incidence
- Distribution Patterns: trends in subgroups within the boarder population group
- Determinants: identify factors likely to contribute to the occurrence of disease
- Prevention and Control Measures: reduce likelihood of the disease or condition occurring

What can epidemiology tell us? (Information known as indicators and determinants)
- Provides information in planning/decision-making about health expenditure, health priority areas and health promotion initiatives from local, state and national perspectives
- Used to develop an evidence-based understanding of current health issues
- Assessing the most effective ways to allocate health resources
- Establishing action plans to meet current and future health needs
- Conclusions can be drawn about the health status of different populations
- Monitoring health statuses allows emerging health trends to be identified
- Enables new health services/programs to be evaluated effectively

Who uses it?
- International Organisations (e.g. WHO) for monitoring world health
- Government Agencies/Organisations (e.g. RTA) for targeting young male drivers as an at-risk road user group
- NGOs (e.g. Australian Drug Foundation) for comparing different subpopulations and how they use particular drug over time
- Politicians (e.g. introducing laws on pool fences to reduce drowning rates of children)
- Governments (e.g. to determine their priorities for health budget)

Does it measure everything about health status? (Limitations)
- No, only telling part of the story
- Statistical in nature and presented through largely objective data – therefore some health measures that are more subjective can be...