Culture and Society in Public Health Assignment 2022

Running head: Healthcare
CULTURE AND SOCIETY IN PUBLIC HEALTH
By (Student's Name)
Class
Teacher
Name of the School
City
Date

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Table of Contents
Part 1: Introduction....................................................................................................................................2
Primary Health Care Activity (PHC Activity)...............................................................................................2
1.1 An overview of Primary Health Care Activity (PHC Activity)..............................................................3
Part 2: Analysis of the program using EQUITY SPA methodology............................................................4
2.1 EXAMINE the SPA..............................................................................................................................4
2.2 QUESTION..........................................................................................................................................5
2.3 UNDERSTANDING..............................................................................................................................6
2.4 INTERRELATING.................................................................................................................................7
Part 3 Identification the aim of improving equity and recommendations................................................8
3.1 THINKING of redesign plan................................................................................................................8
3.1.1 Areas and actions in redesign.........................................................................................................9
3.2 YOUR Redesign: recommendations for implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of the
redesign.................................................................................................................................................10
Conclusion.................................................................................................................................................11
References................................................................................................................................................12

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Part 1: Introduction
Social determinants of health have been a major area of concern among many different
communities within Australia. Accessibility to health is widely determined by many different
social, environmental and cultural factors. There are any differentvulnerable and disadvantaged
populations within Australia. Some of these communities are the indigenous Australian
communities of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.Determinants of access to health
care services among the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have been a concern for the
government (Braveman & Gottlieb 2014).
Primary Health Care Activity (PHC Activity)
Primary Health Care Activity (PHC Activity) health program that the government of
Australia through the ministry of health run in collaboration with Aboriginal community-
controlled health organizations (ACCHOs)to provide primary health care to the indigenous
Australians. The health program has various health service key areas of concerns that ensure that
the community meets the health care service needs (Pascoe 2012).

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The health service priorities for the program include the provision of primary health care
to indigenous people, increasing accessibility to health care services, provision of system-level
health support to these indigenous people and funding of primary health care providers within
these communities. Firstly, the PHC Activity serves to improve on the accessibility to primary
health service by these people and reduce the health care inequity among these communities.
Secondly, the program aims to provide primary health care services to these communities so as
to reduce the initial perception of poor health services within the indigenous Australian
communities. Thirdly, funding of various community-based health care providers such as
Aboriginal community-controlled health organizations (ACCHOs) is another area of focus
(Zhao, You, Wright, Guthridge & Lee 2013).
1.1 An overview of Primary Health Care Activity (PHC
Activity)
The Primary Health Care Activity (PHC Activity) was started by the government of
Australia to increase the accessibility of primary health care services to the indigenous people.
The program is based on the foundation and the need to improve the health and living standards
of the indigenous people. The key focus of the program is majorly Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander people that form the wider indigenous people of Australia. The project is founded with
various goals, objectives, activities and targeted population (Australian Bureau of Statistics
2011).
The goal and objective of the health program are to support and deliver comprehensive
health care services that are culturally viable with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

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people. The program is geared towards a provision and supporting health care providers within
the indigenous people community. Besides, the program services to conform to the cultural
activities of the indigenous people as this forms part of primary health care service offered to
these people. The objective of the program, therefore, is to increase accessibility to health care
service especially the primary health care services among the Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander people (Zhao, Connors, Lee & Liang 2015).
Various activities are carried out under this primary health care program. Firstly, the eye
and ear health activities are activities that provide eyes and ears health care services to the
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Secondly, Healthy for Life activities is another set
of health care activity that also acts as a health care program that forms part of the Primary
Health Care Activity. This involves the provision of health improvement services to Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander people to improve on their life conditions (World Health Organization
2013).
The targeted population is the indigenous people of Australia that include Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander people. The population is targeted due to the vulnerability and health
inequities that previously rocked these communities. Moreover, the government sort to improve
on the health care provision and accessibility to health care services among these people. This is
important for health equity and future improvement of quality of health among the Australians
(Cunningham & Paradies 2012).

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Part 2: Analysis of the program using EQUITY SPA methodology
The analysis of the Primary Health care Activity (PHC Activity) considers various aspect
of the EQUITY SPA analysis methodology. The term EQUITY stands for Examine, Question,
Understanding, Interrelating, Thinking and Your time.
2.1 EXAMINE the SPA
Examining the PHC Activity health program requires analysis of the characteristics of the
PHC Activity SPA, the PHC Activity theory and identifying the scope of the review. Firstly, the
PHC Activity was designed to reduce the disparities in terms of health that exist between
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and other non-indigenous people in Australia. The
main problem that has been affecting the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is poor
health and inequity in resources distribution. The program, therefore, aims at closing the gap by
the end of 20131 and reducing the mortality rate among these indigenous people by half by 2018
(Ong,Carter, Kelaher & Anderson 2012).
Secondly, the theoretical background of the PHC Activity is based on equity and SDH of
the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The health program is founded on the need to
reduce the gap that exists between indigenous and nonindigenous people in terms of resources
distribution. Moreover, the program considers the social determinants of health that has been a
key concern within the community that limit their ability to access basic health care services.The
program serves as the key living condition changing factors that improves the living condition
and providing primary health care to indigenous people of Australia (Thomas, Wakerman &
Humphreys 2014).

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2.2 QUESTION
The QUESTION part of the PHC Activity program requires analysis of the target
population group and the priority of the people in a situation of inequity. Firstly, the health
program is designed for the indigenous people of Australia and specifically the Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander people. Men, women and children and the community is the target as the
ministry of health wants to close the gap and increase the accessibility of these indigenous
people to health services. These indigenous communities had low education, high
unemployment, and low income as compared to other communities. The disparities that affected
these communities called for a reduction of the gap through the provision of better health care
services (Factor, Kawachi & Williams 2011).
Secondly, at the initial stage of the health program, the ministry wanted to reduce the gap
or the inequity that existed within these communities. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
people at the second stage of the health program needed a basic form of health care services and
this was to reduce the mortality rate among the community. The last stage of the program was
totackle health problems that affected the communities such as smoking (Kelaher, Ferdinand &
Paradies 2014).
Thirdly, the prioritization for these community was made based on the health inequities
that affected communities through Indigenous Australians Health Program (IAHP). Various
forms of health inequity affected the community prompting the government through the ministry
of health to act immediately. The most affected group was Torres Strait Islander people at the
initial stage of the program. This was due major focus on the Aboriginal community as the sub-
group within the indigenous communities’ population. As a result, the government expanded the

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program to ensure that all people that are not covered receive primary health care services
(Priest, Mackean, Davis, Briggs & Waters 2012).
2.3 UNDERSTANDING
Understanding some barriers that hinder the community from accepting and using the
services that are offered through PHC Activity health program. Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander people have faced a lot of difficulty in obtaining basic health care services in the past.
This is a key determining factor that hinders acceptability of the health care services within these
communities. Firstly, the availability of health care services has been low before the PHC
Activity program and this has contributed to low resources within the community. Some of the
factors that have contributed to the low availability of primary health care services in the area are
lack of enough human resources, equipment and infrastructure (Factor,Williams & Kawachi
2013).
Secondly, acceptability of the primary health care services within the indigenous
community is low and this is contributed by several factors. Cultural, historical injustices and
social factors such as literacy level contributes to acceptability. For instance, low literacy level is
a critical factor that affects the coverage of the target population of indigenous people. The
communities have faced social injustices in the past that led to low literacy level in the area and
this affects health coverage (Cunningham 2010).
Thirdly, accessibility of the area where these communities live has faced some challenges
that include physical barriers, financial and organizational berries. Poor infrastructure is a
physical barrier that hider transportation to remote places where these people live. Initially, the

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financial barriers played a role until the government intensified funding of community-based
health care organizations (Dudgeon, Wright, Paradies, Garvey & Walker 2010).
2.4 INTERRELATING
Interrelating the PHC Activity program to the social determinants of health takes into
account various health care determinants that are being addressed by the program. Firstly, the
initial stages of the health program encountered various barriers that hindered primary health
care coverage. Some of these barriers included limited resources that resulted into poor living
conditions in the area, cultural behaviors of the communities hindered acceptability of services
and weaker health care system working within the areas was also contributing factor (Nelson,
Abbott & Macdonald2010). Secondly, the second stage that dealt with mortality rate also
encountered various hindrances that were based on acceptability due to social factors and
accessibility that was due to limited resources. Thirdly, the low coverage has been an issue that
affected the health care service due to contact between the community and the health care
organizations. This is causing low coverage though the community is slowly taking up the
service due to continuous advocacy (Australian Bureau of Statistics 2013).
The socio-cultural activities of the community are a key factor that determines the level
of health services acceptability. This also prompted the government to increase health activities
through many different health programs and interventions. The government through the ministry
of health designed the health program to be culturally significant to help reach out to the
indigenous people. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are culturally diverse people and
this has been a barrier to health care service providers within this community. Also, the PHC
Activity program has to conform to the cultural requirement of the communities to increase the

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uptake. Some other programs have helped ensure that the community is reached with the health
services (Australian Bureau of Statistics 2012).
Part 3 Identification the aim of improving equity
and recommendations
3.1 THINKING of the redesign plan
Thinking of redesigning of the plan is another aspect of the health program that aims to
identify areas that need improvement. Firstly, the theory of the PHC Activity will be based on
the need to raise awareness of basic health care services within the community. Working with
communities-based organizations such as Aboriginal community-controlled health organizations
(ACCHOs) and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHS)to create awareness
of health services. The aim and the priorities of redesigning of the PHC Activity are to increase
the program coverage within these communities hence more impact. The impact of the program
though has been shown has increased, need more effort to realize more impact (Alford 2014).
Secondly, many different sectors will be involved in the project to reduce the barriers that
normally affects health care service provision in the area. Many different departments will be
involved in the new health program to ensure that a better result is achieved. Firstly, human
resource will be involved in training, employment and restructuring the management of the
organization. Secondly, the department of social and welfare will play a role in ensuring that
families and members of the community are involved following social principles. Thirdly, the
finance department that is responsible for the provision of funds that are sued to spearhead the
program. Lastly, the housing department will be responsible for the development of

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infrastructure and building that host various offices in the area (Steering Committee for the
Review of Government Service Provision 2013).
The new PHC Activity will include community campaigns and promotions that aim to
increase health coverage within the indigenous communities. The main aim is to take advantage
of various organization that is already working in the area to improve the health of Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander people. Stages of the health care program will include planning stage,
training stage, promotion stage, working, and evaluation stage. Firstly, the planning stage where
the team will plan for activities to be undertaken in the course of the program. Secondly, training
involves training various team members that some are drawn from the target communities to
improve cultural viability. Thirdly, the promotion stage involves health awareness campaigns
that are done to draw more people for health services. Fourthly, working stage involves getting
down to offers services permanently. Lastly, evaluation of the success of the health program is
the final stage that will help check on the achievement of objectives (Wakerman & Humphreys
2011).
3.1.1 Areas and actions in the redesign
Some areas within the PHC Activity will be modified or added to ensure that the aim of
the program is realized. Firstly, the provision of primary health care services will have proceeded
with planning and training to improve on the uptake of the program by the communities targeted.
Secondly, during the provision of primary health care services, health care service promotion
will be added to improve on reaching out to more members of the communities. Thirdly, the
management of the program will also be improved by involving people from the target
community. This will serve to bring more people into the program and also to win the trust of the

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target community. Changing the management will also improve on the implementation of the
program. Lastly, there will be more training of the target populations on the healthcare services
and their importance (Thomas,Wakerman & Humphreys 2015).
3.2 YOUR Redesign: recommendations for implementation,
monitoring, and evaluation of the redesign.
There are some recommendations on the implementation of the new health care program
within the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.Firstly, the program will be the primary
health care and service awareness. The key priority of the program will be to increase primary
healthcare service coverage through promotion and community involvement. The program will
aim to increase primary health coverage through the creation of awareness and community
involvement (Islam 2019).
Secondly, various people will be involved in the implementation of the program and
these include, the target community, community-based health organizations, department of
health and other governmental sectors. The target population is majorly men, women, and
children from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Thirdly, key activities and resources
that will be carried out will be based on stages of the health program. These activities include
planning, training, campaigns, and service provision. Resources that will help achieve the
program goals include human resources, financial resources, assets such as medical equipment
and automobile assets (Shinn, Krause & Safranek 2012).

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Conclusion
In conclusion, primary health care program needs more awareness and community
involvement to increase coverage among the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Involving the community and community-based organization needs training, planning, structural
changesand more resources for success. Working within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
people reduces the gap that has been a concern between indigenous and nonindigenous
Australians.

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