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How social determinants of health contribute to diseases
How social determinants of health contribute to diseases
How social determinants of health contribute to diseases
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In Australia, chronic illness poses serious threats to the health and wellbeing of individuals. Chronic illnesses are responsible for almost 80% of the total burden of disease and injury experienced in Australia (Aspin et al 2010). Despite a reduction in the burden of illness caused by some chronic illnesses, such as cardiovascular disease and COPD, not all chronic illnesses are experiencing this improvement and as a result, the burden of illness continues to be rise.(Aspin et al 2010). Example, the increasing ageing population are seeing more people being exposed to chronic illness risk factors due to individuals in the community living longer (Henderson 2013). The rising burden of chronic illness will continue to have an impact on the Australian health system and will continue to be the major contributor of poor health outcomes and reduced life expectancy (Aspin et al …show more content…
Increasing access to healthcare services for all Australians, particularly those of great disadvantage such as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and promoting a shared care model by making better use of health staff through increasing individuals access to allied health care and working in multidisciplinary teams (Bennett 2013). Also taking on a more patient-centered approach to care to increase patient involvement and promote self-management (Harris & Zwar 2007). Furthermore, a focus more on the prevention, screening and early interventions of chronic illness rather than curative measures can prove as a beneficial change for the Australian health system (Harris & Zwar 2007). By incorporating these factors, the care for individuals with chronic illnesses can be enhanced leading to better health outcomes for patients, protecting the quality of life and wellbeing of Australians as well as reducing the healthcare costs (Harris & Zwar
People living in rural areas are experiencing highly limited excess to health care facilities either because they are not aware of the disease symptoms as a result of low education level or because the treatment is not available for them. In addition, rural population tend to smoke and drink more than others which has an extremely negative impact on their health status demonstrated by higher mortality and morbidity rates than that of the population living in the major cities (Beard et al., 2009). the mortality rate in regional areas of Australia are 1.05-1.15 times, and in remote areas 1.2-1.2 times those in major cities (Phillips, 2009).
Over the last several years, the United States has experienced the emergence of countless lifestyle based illnesses. We have seen an increase of inactivity, poor nutrition, an increase of tobacco use, and more frequent alcohol consumption; Americans are living unhealthy lifestyles that are surely factors contributing to the pervasiveness of chronic diseases. Chronic diseases use to be seen as problems that older generations faced, but over the past several years the United States’ working age group has become a main target. For example, Americans are experiencing higher rates of diabetes, and heart disease. Conditions like these only lead to a diminished quality of life, could possibly lead to shorter life spans, disability, and quite possibly in the long run increased health care costs. Businesses are also impacted by an employees lifestyle decisions; absenteeism and presenteeism.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders have some of the worst health outcomes in comparison to any other indigenous community in the world (AIHW, 2011). According to United Nations official Anand Grover, Aboriginal health conditions are even worse than some Third World countries (Arup & Sharp, 2009), which is astonishing, considering Australia is one of the worlds wealthiest countries. Thoroughly identifying the causes and analysing every aspect behind poor health of indigenous Australians, and Australian health in general, is near impossible due to the complexity and abundant layers of this issue. Even within the category of social determinants, it is hard to distinguish just one factor, due to so many which interrelate and correspond with each other. The aim of this essay is to firstly identify and analyse components of the social determinants of health that impact the wellbeing of Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders, and demonstrate how they overlap with each other. By analysing the inequalities in health of Aboriginal and non-indigenous Australians, positive health interventions will then be addressed. Racism and the consequences it has on Indigenous health and wellbeing will be discussed, followed by an analysis of how and why social class and status is considered a determining factor when studying the health of the Aboriginal population. The issue relating ...
Thank you for taking time to read my letter. As a nursing student of University of Technology Sydney, I studied contemporary indigenous subject this semester. In this letter I want to illustrate 3 main social determinants of health that impact indigenous Australian health which I found and analysed during my recently study. And also offer some suggestion that could help the government improve aboriginal Australian mental health conditions in the future.
Australia has two different major Indigenous groups which are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, the First Peoples of Australia, and these two different groups have diverse culture, world views and origin with dissimilar experience of colonisation over the past 222 years (Chino et al. 2010). Because of these periods of colonisation, inequalities are substantially existed for health, including infant health, life expectation, chronic and communicable diseases and mental health between Indigenous Australians and non-Indigenous Australians (Calma 2005). Base on this fact, Australian Government targets to improve accessibility of effective healthcare services for Indigenous peoples, aiming to close the gap between Indigenous Australians and non-Indigenous Australians in health (Anderson et al. 2007; Cunningham 2009). To reach better healthcare environment for Indigenous Australians, analysing approaches to health services for Indigenous Australians is imperative, comparing with other countries, especially in New Zealand, Canada and the United states of America where have led to successful health outcomes in their Aboriginal people’s health.
Turrell, G. et al. (2006) Health inequalities in Australia: morbidity, health behaviors, risk factors and health service use. Canberra: Queensland University of Technology and the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2006. Retrieved on March 29th, 2011 from http://152.91.62.50/publications/phe/hiamhbrfhsu/hiamhbrfhsu-c00.pdf.
WHO (2005). Preparing a health care workforce for the 21st century. The Challenge of Chronic Conditions. World Health Organization, Non-communicable Diseases and Mental Health Cluster, Chronic Diseases and Health Promotion Department. http://www.who.int/chp/knowledge/publications/workforce_report.pdf?ua=1 [Accessed 1/4/2014]
Health priority issues are identified as health issues that have an effect on the overall health of Australia as they are a great concern to Governments and support organisations, which can create a national burden of health on the economy. Mental Health Problems and Illnesses, is a major health priority issue in Australia as it is widely found nationally within the current Australian population, due to the multiple types (depression, schizophrenia, personality disorders, post-traumatic stress disorders, dementia and anxiety) and varying impacts. These have an effect on the overall health within the Australian population and is a burden of health
There are many ways to categorize illness and disease; one of the most common is chronic illness. Many chronic illnesses have been related to altered health maintenance hypertension and cardiovascular diseases are associated with diet and stress, deficient in exercise, tobacco use, and obesity (Craven 2009). Some researchers define the chronic illness as diseases which have long duration and generally slow development (WHO 2013); it usually takes 6 month or longer than 6 month, and often for the person's life. It has a sluggish onset and eras of reduction for vanishing the symptoms and exacerbation for reappear the symptoms. Some of chronic illness can be directly life-threatening. Others remain over time and need intensive management, such as diabetes, so chronic illness affects physical, emotional, logical, occupational, social, or spiritual functioning. Chronic diseases, such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes, all of these diseases are the cause of mortality in the world, representing 63% of all deaths. So a chronic illness can be stressful and may change the way a person l...
Department of Health South Australia. (2004). Cultural Respect Framework for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health. Australian Health Ministers’ Advisory Council. Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Working Party
Improving health care services depends in part on ensuring that people have a usual and ongoing source of care. Not having a usual place to go to when sick or in need of health advice delays necessary care which leads to an increased risk. People with a usual source of care are more likely to go in for routine checkups and screenings, and are more likely to know where to go for treatmen...
...ue to numerous medical errors. With the amount of medical errors that currently do occur which is a current health care issue it cost the health care billions of dollar each year to fix the mistakes that were made.
Health care has always been an interesting topic all over the world. Voltaire once said, “The art of medicine consists of amusing the patient while nature cures the disease.” It may seem like health care that nothing gets accomplished in different health care systems, but ultimately many trying to cures diseases and improve health care systems.
According to (Collins & Lapsley, 2008), the economical cost of smoking was estimated at $31 billion. The Australian Ministry of Health (2014) believes that leadership is the key to improving the health of their country by taking action to drive australians to better their health. They also believe that health begins when you are born, giving everyone key opportunities to improve throughout their life (MOH, 2014). The Australian’s strategy to decrease tobacco use is to increase tax and public education (Roberts et al., 2009). It is important to empower the people of Australia with such a common disease because it can be so easily prevented. More education to the public means a higher level of understanding as to how bad tobacco is for your body, and what a serious addiction it is. As well as increased prices, support for smokers, and restricting advertising tobacco, the programme also includes a decrease in indigenous smoking where about 20 percent of indigenous deaths are caused (MOH, 2014). A strategy where it educates everyone at a level where they are able to take control over their health, and make their own decisions is a successful strategy for the Australian Health Sector. By taking action on health issues not only motivates people, but gives people more understanding about what they are entitled to for their health care. Alcohol and smoking were listed in
The proposition that “prevention saves money” leads into highly contested economic territory, not least because the benefits of prevention are often deferred for years and may be politically “invisible” (Russell, 2007). However, this does not explain why the level of investment in prevention activities has been so small. In the 7 years to the 2005–06 financial year, public health expenditure as a percentage of recurrent health spending did not change, remaining a tiny fraction (2.7%–2.8%) of recurrent government health expenditure (AIHW, 2008). This was despite high levels of community support for spending more on prevention and public health ahead of treatment of disease. In the financial year 2005–06, total government spending on public health activities was $1.468 billion. These activities included those seen as primary prevention (immunisation, school-based health promotion programs, education and control activities in relation to substance misuse) and others seen as secondary prevention (cancer screening programs, detection and treatment of sexually transmissible infections) (AIHW, 2008). The federal government provided $797 million (54.3%) of these funds, but was responsible for only $439 million in direct expenditure. The remaining $358 million was provided to the states and territories in the form of Specific Purpose Payments, including $160 million through the Public Health Outcome Funding Agreements. In 2005–06, public health expenditure across Australia was an average of $71.40 per person, ranging from a low of $64.98 in New South Wales to a high of $284.94 in the Northern Territory (AIHW, 2008). Access to healthcare and preventive health