Applied Public Health: Assessment Task 3

Running head: APPLIED PUBLIC HEALTH 1
Applied Public Health: Assessment Task 3
Student’s Name
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APPLIED PUBLIC HEALTH 2
Applied Public Health: Assessment Task 3
Justification of the Public Health Issue
Dementia is not a specific disease and there are no treatments to the condition. Rather,
this condition impairs the brain functioning and affects an individual’s cognitive ability including
their reasoning and remembering. Although the condition mostly affects the aged populations,
dementia should not be taken as a characteristic for aging populations (Cations et al., 2018).
Most worryingly is the fact that this condition is irreversible and degenerative with no prevention
or cure. Currently, enhancing quality care for managing dementia and provision of aid to
caregivers and relatives are the frequently used forms of management and care (Rakes et al.,
2017).
In the period between 2006 and 2013, dementia was the 4th leading cause of death
resulting in thousands of deaths of people most of whom were the elderly aged above 65 years
(Jones, 2014). Available evidence indicates that in Australia 1in 10 Australians aged 65 years
and above lived with dementia. More than 42% of people diagnosed with dementia were in the
latter stages of life at age 85 or above (AIHW, 2016). At the time, a total of 354,000 people
had dementia with the condition contributing to 11,000 deaths in a year thereby becoming the 2nd
leading cause of death. For females however, dementia became the leading cause of death
surpassing cardiovascular disease which had previously resulted in the most fatalities in
females and males over the past decades (ABS, 2018).
In 2018, dementia prevalence across Australia rose to more than 436,000 whereas
more than 240 people were being diagnosed with dementia on a daily basis (Dementia
Australia, 2019). This number exceeded the previous estimations that were made in 2013

APPLIED PUBLIC HEALTH 3
whereby it was anticipated dementia cases would rise to an all-time high of 400,000 (Jones,
2014). The most recent evidence indicates that three in ten people aged between 85 and above
lived with dementia although this number remained at one in ten for people aged between 65 and
over. Also, in 2018, dementia led to the deaths of 13,126 people 8,477 of which were females
(Dementia Australia, 2019).
Public health ideally encompasses the organized reaction by the public to enhance
and uphold health of people. Furthermore, such responses are confounded on population-level
data and the development of evidence-based approaches that will help to prevent a disease
(Jones, 2014). In this light, given the prevalence of dementia related cases and its rise, there is
need for the public or society to protect the health of dementia affected populations, prevent
associated injuries and disability and encourage healthy behaviors that will contribute towards
building healthier communities.
Additionally, Australia has also been faced with a policy struggle since 2005 which has
led to limited funding and change in government priorities both of which have exacerbated
dementia prevalence across different care settings (Jones, 2014). Thus, new approaches that
prioritize health promotion and overcoming the disease ought to be sorted. The need to engage
the community in such programs is also confounded on the fact that dementia poises diverse and
devastating impacts on the affected individuals and their families most of which cannot be
managed by authoritative bodies such as the government.
Historical, Economic, Political and Social Context of the Public Health Issue
The onset of dementia can be traced back to the 1980s when it was declared as a public
health issue. This led to intense sensitization of the public and as such, the emergence of support

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groups such as Dementia Australia. As of 2013, this condition was acknowledged as the 9th
National Health Priority Area. Aside from resulting in the worst death cases in Australia,
dementia is the most number of disability cases among the elderly in Australia. 52% of all the
people in residential aged care facilities are those diagnosed with either form of dementia
(AIHW, 2018). Hence, the aged populations are the marginalized groups in Australia who are
most affected by dementia.
The economic cost of dementia has been burdensome for the Australian population
amounting to more than $15 billion in 2018. The cost if further expected to increase with the
increase in dementia populations and it could exceed $20 billion and $40 billion in 2030 and
2060 respectively (Dementia Australia, 2019). The incurred expenses have been realized over the
past few years since the government of Australia acknowledged the prevalence of dementia and
prioritized the condition as a public health issue. In 2005, the government of Australia rolled
out more than $300 million in a five year plan to fund the Dementia Initiative that aimed at
supporting people living with dementia and their carergivers (Jones, 2014). This initiative was
however terminated in 2011 by the federal government.
Politically, the federal government through multiple institutions lifted the profile of
dementia across Australia. For instance, the ministry of health in Australia developed the
national framework for action in 2005 to offer a chance to generate a premeditated and
collective reaction towards dementia across the country. This program focused on five key
areas including; care and support services, information and education, workforce and training,
and access and equity (Jones, 2014). An addition, Australian States and territory governments
initiated their own strategies in support of the framework.