Global Public Health: Issues, Challenges, and Health Systems in Australia

This study explores the issues and challenges related to communicable and non-communicable diseases, as well as the health system in Australia. It discusses the prevalence rates of communicable diseases and the government's actions to control them. It also highlights the burden of non-communicable diseases and the government's efforts to provide access to affordable treatments. Additionally, it examines the impact of road accidents on public health and the policies implemented to reduce them. The study also provides an overview of Australia's healthcare system, including key events, current issues, and improvements made. It compares Australia's health system with other countries and discusses the social and economic issues associated with healthcare. Overall, it emphasizes the importance of global public health in improving the quality of life for individuals.

Global Public Health

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
SECTION A.....................................................................................................................................3
Issues and challenges related to communicable, non-communicable disease and other health
issue..............................................................................................................................................3
SECTION B ....................................................................................................................................4
Key events and health systems of Australia................................................................................4
Current issues related to health system........................................................................................5
How current health system of Australia work properly...............................................................5
SECTION C.....................................................................................................................................6
Health system of Australia of 2009-2019 for meeting SDG........................................................6
Comparison of health system of Australia with other country....................................................6
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
Health of public in the global context is known as global public health (Peres and et.al.,
2019). World health organization specialized agency of United Nations is responsible for
international public health whose main aim is to improve quality of lives of people by partnering
or supporting healthcare agencies. This study of communicable, non-communicable and injuries
with accidents is based on Australia. This study is going to show about communicable, non-
communicable and other global health issues or injuries happen with accident. This will also
discuss effectiveness of health care system of Australia and improvements that government has
made.
SECTION A
Issues and challenges related to communicable, non-communicable disease and other health
issue
Communicable disease: Communicable disease is known as transmissible diseases or
illness that caused by infection or growth of pathogenic biological agents. There are some
examples of communicable diseases such as: measles, tuberculosis, influenza, mumps,
coronavirus, Ebola and others.
Data: In regard to Australia, it is stated that it is reported around 1,300 active cases per
year. This rate has remained unchanged since 1980s as there is a slight increment in rate. It is
affecting lives of people as it is communicable disease so, people surrounded of affected people
also have risk. But fortunately, it has been reduced to some extent and till now rates have fallen
by 85% since the 1960s (Holton and et.al., 2018). Total TB cases as per the report by WHO in
Australia was 1438 in which 88% notified as HIV active status and 64% of pulmonary. In regard
to affected people it is found that around 50% were male; 46% women and 4% were children.

Figure 1: Tuberculosis case notification
Sources: (Global Tuberculosis Report, 2019)
Governmental actions: Australia in now counting in one of the lowest TB rates in the
world with around 6 cases per 100,000 people. Government is encouraging its institutes to
develop TB control program. In this program, people have been made aware. It has reduced the
burden of disease and it is also providing free treatments to people. By calling, it makes sure that
all people affected with TB are having medication.
Non communicable disease: Non-communicable are disease which are not caused by
infectious agents. Such diseases are result of environmental, behavioural, generic and
psychological factors. Some examples: diabetes, cancer, stroke, pulmonary hypertension.
Data: In regard to Australia it is found that there is a high burden of this non-
communicable disease. Prevalence rate in Central Australia is greater in ATSI individuals and
diagnosed at younger ages. It is contributing the major part to the gap in life expectancy between
ATSI and non ATSI individuals (Pulmonary Hypertension in Central Australia: A Community
Based Cohort Study, 2019). A study of 10000 patients were conducted in Australia in which
group 2 PH was common and lethal form.

Governmental actions: It is found that the government of Australia have developed PBS
listed for the first time and it is helping out in treating arterial hypertension. This listing can soon
improve patients' quality of life and make them able in performing daily activities. It is also
providing access to a ground breaking medicine to all people who are affected with this non-
communicable disease. It is now more focusing on making medicines related to PAH available at
affordable prices.
Road accidents: Road accidents is very common in almost every country including
Australia. As a consequence of road accident many people got died and injured heavily. The
prevalence rate of road accident and death in Australia is approx 8% per 100000 people.
However, it is seen that this percentage usually covers those people who left their life only due to
road accident. This means that it does not include any attempt to suicide. Due to road accident
general people or general social group is being affected the most. As a consequence of someone's
wrongness or carelessness many common people along with vehicle handler looses their lives
(Analysis of Crash Fatalities in Australia, 2019).

Figure 2D: Death with Car Accidents per 100,000 people
Sources: (Car Accident Statistics, 2020)
Risk factors: There are some common risk factors that is leading or causing this health
issue such as: alcohol consumption, drive fatigue, distraction while driving. Before developing
policies for reducing risks, it is important to identify risk factors. So, all these identified factors
can help in developing policies.
Policies and strategies for reducing road accidents: In regard to Australia, it is found
that Government of Australia has developed strict policies for drunk-drive. As per this, if
someone found drunk while driving then strict actions can be taken against him-her. Also, it is
prohibited to use mobile phones while driving because it distracts people, and they are also not
allowed to play music on loud volume. There is specific speed for 2 wheelers and 4 wheelers.

People are not allowed to drive beyond that speed. So, it can be said that all these strategies can
decrease this rate and it has decreased to some extent (Crosland and et.al., 2019.).
SECTION B
Key events and health systems of Australia
In regard to Australia it is found that it has regionally administered, universal public
health insurance program. As per this health care system, it is stated that poor people and people
from backward areas are given access to free treatment in public ally funded hospital. Australian,
who can afford to have choice to access private health insurance. Public ally funded Medicare
system ranks well internationally such as there is a high life expectancy and low infant mortality
rates (The Australian Health System, 2021). One of the main effectiveness of this system is it is
jointly run by all levels of Australian government such as federal, state and territory and all these
collaboratively provide safe and affordable healthcare services. Current pandemic event helped
public in getting healthcare services at affordable prices and several changes have been made
after this situation.
Current issues related to health system
Australia's healthcare system is facing some problems because of increasing burden of
chronic disease, an ageing population, unacceptable inequalities. It all increases workforce
pressures. Some other challenges that are associated with this system are: poor coordination in
service planning, system inadequacies, workforce shortage, complexities in working
arrangements and others. Shortage of skilled workforces is creating barrier in the path of success
and access to all services by people. It is found that current healthcare system of Australia is now
mainly focusing on resource allocation and performance improvements (Paterno and Zhao,
2018). Some other factors that are affecting its health care system and pressurizing for making
some changes are:
Demographic changes Increasing ageing population is the main key challenge for this system.
Technology cost: Nowadays many services are being provided with technologies. There is no
doubt that it improves system and makes patients beneficial On the other hand, implications of
such technologies are costly and it increases overall budget (Australia's Health System: Some
Issues and Challenges, 2016).

How current health system of Australia work properly
Public system of Australia's health care is made up of several components including:
community based services, public hospitals that are governed by territory and state governments.
Some services under this are free and some are at affordable prices. It also has private system
that are managed privately. Medicare or government scheme in health-system that pays for all
services. There is a list of services that are subsidized by the government. Some private health
insurance are also available there that covers: general treatment, ambulance and hospital
treatment. All these work as per the needs of people but there is one main limitation that is poor
communication mode or collaboration (How Does Australia's Healthcare System Work, 2018).
SECTION C
Health system of Australia of 2009-2019 for meeting SDG
In regard to changes and improvements within 10 years it can be said that Australia's
healthcare system focused on some elements and all these efforts made it able in becoming an
effective healthcare system. In regard to healthcare system and trends in last 5 and 10 years it is
found that spending on health has growth by around 40-50%. There were around $113 billion
spending in 2006-07 and it increased to $170 billion in 2015-16. It means spending in 2015-
2016, spent $7100 per person. Over the 4 years to 2015-16 prescription related to subsidized
palliative care rose up by 17% at an annual rate. Palliative care that provided in hospitals of
Australia also rose up by 28%. In the year of 2011-12, there were 57,614 patients were
hospitalized and in 2015-16 it became 73,884. On this basis it can be said that there is
requirement of focusing on changing strategies for meeting SDG (You and Okunade, 2017).
Comparison of health system of Australia with other country
There are some countries in which people have easy access to their personal health data
via E-portal solution. All these countries are counted in countries that have effective health care
system. On the other hand, there are some other countries that have tried and failed. Britain is an
example that introduced accessible personal electronic health record but in the year of 2012 it
closed because it was not popular as like NHS's. Whereas, UK has also launched a strategy
called the power of information. As per this people are able to see their GP record online.

In regard to Australia it is found that healthcare organizations, Australian citizen and
healthcare providers are able to register for gaining easy access to MyHR but there is
requirement for all parties to get themselves registered for benefits (Nationwide Citizen Access to
Their Health Data, 2017).
Social issues: One main common issue that all countries are facing in healthcare is
ageing population. Due to this, hospitalization or patient stay rate is increasing to the great
extent.
Economic issues: It is stated that hospitalization rate and investing rate in healthcare
services is increasing and it has increased within 10 years to the great extent. Due to
technological advancement, cost and budgeting is increasing and it is increasing burden on the
government.
CONCLUSION
It has been summarized from the above study that health system plays a vital role as it
delivers the best quality of healthcare services and meet needs of target population. This study
has discussed communicable and non-communicable disease and their prevalence rate in
Australia. This rate can make aware to people about consequences and actions can be taken
accordingly.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Crosland, P. and et.al., 2019. The economic cost of preventable disease in Australia: a systematic
review of estimates and methods.Australian and New Zealand journal of public health.
43(5). pp.484-495.
Holton, S. and et.al., 2018. The fertility management experiences of Australian women with a
non-communicable chronic disease: findings from the understanding fertility
management in contemporary Australia survey. Maternal and child health journal.
22(6). pp.830-840.
Paterno, P. and Zhao, S., 2018. Queensland Health: Australia's Healthcare IT Catastrophe.
Proceedings of the Northeast Business & Economics Association.
Peres, M.A. and et.al., 2019. Oral diseases: a global public health challenge. The Lancet.
394(10194). pp.249-260.
You, X. and Okunade, A.A., 2017. Income and technology as drivers of Australian healthcare
expenditures. Health economics. 26(7). pp.853-862.
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