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Core 1: Health priorities in Australia

How are priority areas for Australia’s health identified?

Measuring health status

Epidemiology is the study of the frequency and distribution of a disease within a population and the attempt to identify the cause(s) of that disease. Collecting, verifying and analysing data about the incidence of disease in a given population gives researchers, health department officials and governments, indicators of the existence of health problems in a community.

Authorities use health indicators to describe the health status of the population, which include mortality (death) rates and morbidity (illness) rates, life expectancy and the rate of hospital admissions. Health indicators reflect age, gender, race, socioeconomic status and educational opportunity.

Epidemiology is demonstrated at the Australian Bureau of Statistics web site. Australia Now: Yearbook 2006 presents the latest statistics on the health status of Australians.

Student activity
Explore the Australia Now report at the Australian Bureau of Statistics and answer the related questions.The first section relates to general epidemiological trends for the Australian population and the second section focuses on Indigenous health. To start each of the activities, click on the links in each of the sections. Trends for the Australian population Population trends i. Explore the information focusing on deaths and answer the following questions: Explain the reasons given for the increase in life expectancy. How has this trend continued throughout the last century? Evaluate what has happened recently to the male and female life expectancy statistics. Why? Describe Australia's life expectancy compared to other nations. In your answer refer to the table titled Life Expectancy At Birth, Selected Countries. Check your answer. Read through the following topic areas and answer the related questions. Health and wellbeing How did the majority of the Australian population in the National Health Survey rate their health status? Which population groups have the lowest health status? Explain the health inequities experienced by these population groups. Morbidity and mortality What was the most common illness condition reported to the 1995 National Health Survey? Refer to Table 9.2 Top ten long-term conditions for this question. Identify the leading causes of death in Australia. National health priorities Evaluate how epidemiology might assist in the identification of health priority areas. Check your answer. Indigenous health Go to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health survey, 2004-05 What are the major current health conditions reported by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders? Suggest some explanations as to why these health conditions are prevalent in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population. Check your answer

Student activity

Explore the Australia Now report at the Australian Bureau of Statistics and answer the related questions.The first section relates to general epidemiological trends for the Australian population and the second section focuses on Indigenous health. To start each of the activities, click on the links in each of the sections.

Trends for the Australian population

Population trends
1. i. Explore the information focusing on deaths and answer the following questions:
2. Explain the reasons given for the increase in life expectancy. How has this trend continued throughout the last century?
3. Evaluate what has happened recently to the male and female life expectancy statistics. Why?
4. Describe Australia's life expectancy compared to other nations. In your answer refer to the table titled Life Expectancy At Birth, Selected Countries.

Check your answer.

Read through the following topic areas and answer the related questions.

Health and wellbeing
1. How did the majority of the Australian population in the National Health Survey rate their health status?
2. Which population groups have the lowest health status?
3. Explain the health inequities experienced by these population groups.
Morbidity and mortality
1. What was the most common illness condition reported to the 1995 National Health Survey? Refer to Table 9.2 Top ten long-term conditions for this question.
2. Identify the leading causes of death in Australia.
National health priorities
1. Evaluate how epidemiology might assist in the identification of health priority areas.

Check your answer.

Indigenous health

Go to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health survey, 2004-05

What are the major current health conditions reported by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders?
Suggest some explanations as to why these health conditions are prevalent in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population.

Check your answer