Challenges in Australian Healthcare

Running head: CHALLENGES IN AUSTRALIAN HEALTHCARE
CHALLENGES IN AUSTRALIAN HEALTHCARE
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CHALLENGES IN AUSTRALIAN HEALTHCARE
Introduction:
In the present day healthcare system of Australia, different challenges are witnessed
which have imposed a great concern among the governmental health department. One of the
challenges is the increased population of the aging individuals in the nation which are imposing a
great burden on healthcare system. Another important concern is the healthcare inequality which
has affected the health of different disadvantaged cohorts of the nation. These two challenges
would be discussed in details in the assignments and more light would be shed on the different
important aspects associated with these challenges.
Aging population:
In the nation of Australia, life expectancy of the people in the present years is found to be
81.5 years which is one of the highest in the world. The advancements in the field of medicines
and technology with more and more healthcare researches being conducted every day, people are
being able to live longer number of days. Older people in the nation of Australia are accounting
for about an increased share in the population (Bloom et al., 2015). In the year 2013, 145 of the
population resulting for about 3.3 million people were found to be above the age 65 and 1.9% of
the population accounting for about 439600 were found to be above the age 85 and over.
Statistical studies conducted by Australian bureau of statistics are of the opinion that within the
year 2053, even if medium level growth assumptions are considered, about 21% of the people
accounting to about 8.3 million people would be aged 65 and over and 4.2% of the people
accounting for about 1.6 million people would be above the age 85 and over (Davies & James,
2016). This huge number of older cohorts of the people in the nation would result in humungous
impact on the healthcare. Such trends in the rise of the older population is believed to put

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CHALLENGES IN AUSTRALIAN HEALTHCARE
unsustainable pressure on the public spending with particular concerns about the rising health
costs as well as the ability of the health system to serve the demands of the increasing number of
older people who would be needing the care.
The challenges regarding the healthcare services that would be demanded by the
increasing population of the older cohort would be two fold. The rapidly growing older people
belonging to the group of 85 years and above have typical age related health problems like that
arthritis, dementia and cancer. Secondly, the younger cohort who would be entering into the age
cohort of 65 years and above would be also requiring services regarding the larger burden of the
lifestyle related disorders like type 2 diabetes (Beard et al., 2015). Moreover, social changes
among the newer generation of the older people like that of the greater understanding as well as
awareness of the health issues and greater expectation from the health services are posing
additional challenges. These challenges would be influencing the future models of healthcare
delivery and engagement.
An increased demand in the healthcare services is witnessed mainly among the older
cohort of the nation. They are more likely to visit the health professionals than that of the
younger people. according to that data collected by AHS in the year 2011-2012, about 98% of
the people aged 65 and over had been found to have consulted to at least 1 professional in the
previous 1 year when compared to 90% people who are aged under 65. About 57% of the older
people had found to have consulted specialists within the last year in comparison to 285 people
who are aged fewer than 65 (Moffat et al., 2015). About 20% of the older people had been found
to have admitted to the hospital as an inpatient in comparison to that of 11% of the people who
are under the age of 65. As per the data available with AIWH, huge number of older people was
living in the permanent residential aged care services. It has been also found that between the