Health and Wellbeing: Importance of Health Priority and Health Promotion

This article discusses the importance of health priority and health promotion in improving health conditions and achieving overall wellbeing. It covers the National Health Priority Action Council, chronic diseases affecting the elderly, and the five actions of the Ottawa charter.

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Health and Wellbeing
Author
Institution

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Health and Wellbeing
Health priority is a joint effort involving commonwealth, state governments, non-
government organisation, clinicians and health experts (Jacqueline 2008). This initiative sought
to center public awareness and health policy on parts that are regarded to cause significantly to
the disease burden, leading to high social and financial costs imposed on regional and rural
communities. All these situations have suppressive components. Thus an understanding of them
helps the population to live health-giving lives thus improving health conditions.
Health priority examines the health care system and health status. It is essential to the
point that is of priority because with appropriate and focused attention there is potential for
gaining health (Wortmann 2012). It stresses that to reduce the disease burden, there should be
holistic strategies, including the continuum of care from prevention through treatment and
management. The research had several findings supporting why health priority is important.
Under this program, much has improved in peoples life. The study conducted in Australia had
these findings. Life expectancy is on the increase for both males and females. Females have a
higher likelihood than males. The life expectancy is 6th and 7th in the world for males and females
respectively. There is death decline for those caused by car accidents, cardiovascular disease, and
cancers. Due to education, cardiovascular death rates are declining.
The diseases or conditions supervised by the National Health Priority Action Council
includes; Cardiovascular, mental disorder, musculoskeletal, neoplasms, injuries, asthma,
dementia, obesity* and diabetes. (Kapp et al. 2015) These conditions significantly contribute
cost to both individuals and communities (Goldberg & McGee 2011). This cost may be
substantial, direct or indirect costs. Direct costs are related to preventing condition or diseases
and giving health services to patients suffering from it. They are included in advancing and

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implementing health promotion programs, diagnosis management and the treatment of the
situation. Indirect cost, however, is not related directly to the diagnosis of the disease but occurs
because the person has the condition. If a person is ill is going to be impacted in any way. The
might be insufficient to function and thus have low income. They may be forced to pay for the
commodity they used to do for themselves, such as washing the clothes. Meanwhile, intangible
costs are often impossible to have their monetary value. They usually attach to the emotional side
of disability and illness, and they are tricky to measure.
It is essential to point out that the group that is impacted under this initiative is the
elderly which refers to people who are of 60+ years. The chronic disease mostly affects the
elderly with 78% of them suffering from coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease,
asthma, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, depression or hypertension (Howat, Boldy & Horner
2004). The sad news is that half of they struggle with more than five chronic diseases. The most
common condition is arthritis 49%, hearing impairment 35% and hypertension 38% and high
cholesterol. In five older adults, one has heart disease, stroke or vascular disease. They also have
higher rates of diabetes 15% and cancer 7%. They form 70% of the patients that suffer from
stroke and more than 15% of coronary heart disease. Meanwhile, 20 % are diabetes, and it is
common for men than women. However, with rising survival for cancer patients and the
continuing ageing of the Australian population, cancer recurrence is increasing, raising the
likelihood of it being a comorbid disease. Another significant illness for the elderly is dementia,
which is at risk with 93% suffering elderly suffering dementia. What they also have a higher rate
of injury relates hospitalisations. Falling is the major causes of these injuries and often results in
fractures or other injuries. The growth of the elderly population is predicted to continue. Despite
elderly having a higher rate of chronic disease, their health is good and even better.

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The elderly often receive care from their children and sometimes it becomes difficult
for them to decide who the primary responsibility is thus, becoming hesitant. This is because
caring comes with a financial cost. Elderly also begin to lose friends as they age significantly
losing support network. Economically their health is influenced by reduced employment Howat,
Boldy, & Horner(2004). Meanwhile, retirement also comes with reduced income, and this
hinders choices of health services. Due to increased chronic illnesses and disability incidence
amongst the elderly, access to health services often becomes difficult.
Among the various aspects of wellbeing, Health is the tops people priority. Well-being
encompasses the existence of positive moods and emotions (Ryff & Keyes 2005). Also is the
absence of negative emotions, life satisfaction, fulfilment, and positive functioning. In short, is
seen as feeling good and viewing life positively (Currie 2009). Regarding health matters,
physical wellbeing, for example, feeling very healthy is critically considered as complete
wellbeing.
Health priority is vital in the state of wellbeing. Having good health is better than
disease absence. It is a state that permits people to perceive their aspirations, satisfying their
urges and coping with surrounding thus living a fruitful, long and productive life (Fredrickson,
2000). Therefore, in this way health assist personal, economic and social development crucial to
well-being. Health is the actions of ensuring people expands and enhance their health (Davy
2007). The fundamental of well-being includes the following.
 Emotional well-being.
 Physical well-being.
 Life satisfaction.
 Development and activity.
 Economic well-being.

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 Psychological well-being.
 Social well-being.
 Engaging activities and work.
 Domain-specific satisfaction
To achieve these frameworks, it is essential to prioritize on health. There exists a broad
correlation between health priorities. Consequently, this results in improved immune system
response health, increases longevity, higher pain tolerance, cardiovascular health, reproductive
health, and slower disease progression.
Health promotion is the action of ensuring people improves and increase influence
over their health Pender, Murdaugh, Parson & Ann (2006). Health is viewed as a source of each
day life (Kumar & Preetha 2012). The fundamentals conditions required for good health is peace,
education, shelter, food, stable ecosystem, sustainable resources, income, social justice and
equity. Health promotion three basic strategies as identified in the Ottawa Charter are.
 Advocate - good health is the main source for economic, personal and social growth and
is a vital element of quality of life. Social-cultural economic, political, environmental,
behavioural issues can favor or degrade health. (Bunton & Macdonald 2003).
 Enable – health promotion centres in having equality on health. It aims at reducing
 Mediate – the prospects and prerequisites for health are not guaranteed by the health
section. Health promotions call for joint action for all involved parties encompassing the
health and social, economic sectors, voluntary organizations, non- local authorities,
industry, and the media, governments and non-governments.
Concerning five actions of the Ottawa charter, there exist several gaps between the health
priority and health promotion. Meanwhile, these gaps under are minimized under Close the gap
focus in Australia is aimed at achieving equality by 2030. This is done under the following
categories

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Building healthy public policy
The government wants to ensure there are no gap inequities. They build a national representative
body and funded it to train the taskforce to face the problems of remote indigenous education
Create supportive environments
This is to ensure fresh, healthy food is available, improving housing and waste supplies as well
as removal systems hence improving home quality.
Strengthens community actions
This includes delivering appropriate cultural primary health services by the Aboriginal
community monitored health service.
Develop personal skills
This is done by increasing education levels and providing accessible health care and services.
Also is giving education and health care is given to mothers and children.
Reorients health services
Seeks to utilise central health care to deter and encourage health with therapeutic services. Also
ensure that the communities have water supplies, housing, and mechanism that support health
priority.
Health priority should focus on Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) that has
taken away the lives of 23 people in Saudi Arabia. These statistics were gathered between Jan
21-May 2018. It is a virus disease stretching from Common cold to Severe Acute respiratory.
Meanwhile, it is hard to spot the illness because affects people repressed conditions such as
chronic lung or renal failure and diabetes. Sadly one in three of those suffering this disease die.
Health workers are also at risk of infection if caution is not taken to spot the disease early. Thus
given it extreme dangers, there should be a more strong initiative to eradicate this health. Sadly

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several other cases have been reported apart from Saudi Arabia. Both Oman and United Arab
Emirates had reported the incidence, while a man in Malaysia was infected for drinking un
boiled camel milk in Saudi Arabia. Thus there is pressing urgency to combat this disease.

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