PDHPE
Home > PDHPE > Core 1 - Health Priorities in Australia > How are priority areas for Australia's health identified? > How are priority areas for Australia's health identified?
Core 1: Health priorities in Australia
How are priority areas for Australia’s health identified?
The health status of Australians
The health status of Australian’s has improved over the last century. It is in line with several other developed countries. Australia has one of the highest life expectancies in the world, although, life expectancy in Australia is not uniform across all population subgroups. While there have been downward trends in death rates, heart, stroke and vascular disease impose the largest burden on Australia in terms of illness, disability and death. Age, obesity and physical activity are the main risk factors for Type 2 diabetes and the incidence of diabetes in Australia is rising. The prevalence of asthma in Australia is one of the highest in the world with the highest death rate among young people compared to other developed countries. Whilst overall statistics record overall good health, there are issues that need improvement.
Source: National Report on Health Sector Performance Indicators, 2001, AIHW
The population of a nation can be divided into specific populations when interpreting current health trends. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare identified the following sub-populations in the report Australia’s Health 2004 .
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
- Health of people in rural and remote populations
- Overseas-born persons
- Mothers and babies
- Children and young people
- Health status of veterans
- Health of prisoners
- Health conditions of people with a disability
|