PUB707 Assessment Task 2: Public Health Portfolio

PUB707 Assessment Task 2: Public Health Portfolio
Student Number:
Photograph Checklist (
Every photo must adhere to this checklist)
Yes No
1. Does each photo exclude people? No
2. Did I take each photograph myself? No
3. Did I consider my safety before taking each photograph? No
4. Is the “This is a new public health issue, 2019” logo visible in
each photograph?
Yes
Photo 1
Issue Name: Osteoarthritis
Description:
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis with increased
risk of developing mobility disability. There is no such treatment available
for curing of the disease. The therapeutic strategies only aim to reduce
the pain and improve the joint functioning. Osteoarthritis is usually
assessed by radiography. Osteoarthritis is caused by many factors like
increasing age, female sex and nutritional deficiencies. Heredity is also
responsible for development of osteoarthritis. Mechanical factors include
misalignment, muscle weakness or any kind of damage in the joint due to
accident. Obesity is also another cause of osteoarthritis. Research reveals
that certain factors like joint pain and stiffness, avoidance of physical
activity, impact of sedentary lifestyle are responsible for developing
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osteoarthritis. In Australia, middle-aged women between 47 to 58 years
of age had lower risk of developing joint pain and stiffness. More walking
was associated with lower risk of osteoarthritis. Arthritis affects near
about three million people in Australia that constitutes about 15% of the
population i. It is a major cause for pain and distress among the elderly
population of the country. There are certain measures that can be
adopted to prevent the prevalence of osteoarthritis. Avoiding oily fish and
food in diet, dairy product avoidance, nuts, garlic, broccoli are some of the
ways which can decrease the chances of developing osteoarthritis.
Medicines like Acetaminophen, Tylenol has proved to be of great help to
decrease osteoarthritis of those people who suffer from mild to moderate
pain. Patients can be educated regarding the disease management and
controlling pain, improving the functioning of the joints. There are many
pharmacological and ayurvedic treatments for the diagnosis of
osteoarthritis. Ayurveda should be prioritized. Surgical interventions can
also be implemented in case of emergency ii.
Photo 2
Issue Name: Asthma
Description:
Asthma is a chronic disease that affects the respiratory system.
People suffering from asthma experience wheezing, shortness of breath,
cough and difficulty in breathing. There is no such age group which faces
higher risks of developing asthma. It can affect people of all age groups.
Australia accounts for near about 29% of population suffering from
asthma. Many factors including genetic, environmental and lifestyle
© University of the Sunshine Coast Public Health Foundations

increase the chances of developing asthma. The prevalence of asthma
among the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are double as
compared to the non-indigenous Australiansiii. Currently, there is no such
cure present for preventing the development of asthma. But practicing
good management control can prevent developing the symptoms of
asthma. Drug therapy is the only measure to adopt to address the
problem of asthma. The medications of asthma mainly includes
corticosteroids that are inhaled within regular intervals of time. More than
80% of the corticosteroids inhaled consists of combination of long lasting
beta-agonists. Asthma is mainly caused by airborne substances like
pollen, dust, mites, spores or suspended particles. Respiratory tract
infections or common cold can also lead to development of asthma.
Smoking or air pollutants can lead to asthmaiv. Asthma mainly develops
when the bronchioles of the lungs narrows and it becomes difficult to
inhale and exhale. The bronchioles usually narrows as it gets inflamed due
to deposition of mucus. The chances of asthma can be reduced if the
medications are taken in proper time. Smoking should be quitted. The
surroundings must be cleaned and hygiene must be maintained to avoid
any kind of allergen or dust particles to get inhaled.
Photo 3
Issue Name: Diabetes
Description:
Diabetes is a chronic disease that is mostly prevalent in Australia. It
is mainly associated with high levels of blood glucose level. There are
mainly three types of diabetes: Type 1 Diabetes, Type 2 Diabetes, and
© University of the Sunshine Coast Public Health Foundations