This report outlines the health case of Australia for intervening in order to improve population health and justifying it based on priority assigned to the health problem.
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Running Head: PUBLIC HEALTH 0 Public Health Public Health in Australia (Student details :) 4/7/2019
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Public Health 1 Contents Public Health of Australia..........................................................................................................2 Introduction................................................................................................................................2 Public Health of Australia..........................................................................................................2 The nature of the health problem...........................................................................................2 The population affected by the problem................................................................................3 The magnitude of the health problem within targeted population.........................................3 The distal and proximal determinants of the chosen health problem.....................................3 The core features of the targeted population..........................................................................3 The case for why an intervention strategy by Minister of Health is needed..........................4 Conclusion..................................................................................................................................5 References..................................................................................................................................5
Public Health 2 Public Health of Australia Introduction This report is based on public health policy and practice within Australia. In order to brief to a Minister for Health, this report will outline the health case of Australia for intervening in order to improve population health. In addition, with the help of this paper articulating the strategy as well as justifying it based on priority assigned to the health problem will be covered. Moreover, some important ethical implications of the favoured intervention strategies will be taken into account while writing this report. In this way, a detailed research over a critical health problem of Australian public will be conducted from the perspective of briefing it to the Minister of Health(Macri, 2016). Public Health of Australia In this context, public health ismore important than the absence or presence of disease; as it incorporates public’s physical, social and mental-wellbeing(Patel, Flisher, Hetrick, & McGorry, 2009).Out of all top disease burdens in Australia, mental-illness is the most popular among teenage, young-age as well as old-age public of Australia. In addition, 1 in 2 i.e. 50 per cent Australians have observed having at least 1 of 8 common chronic diseases: cardiovasculardisease, cancer,mentalhealthconditions,back pain,arthritis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), diabetes and asthma(AIHW, 2018). The nature of the health problem In this way, the chosen health problem to be briefed in front of the Minister of Health is Mental-illness among Australian public. The chosen health problem ‘mental disorder’ which can also be seen as ‘Mental illness’ describes a broad range of mental-health as well as behavioural disorders(Naylor, et al., 2012).Mental-illness along with the substance use disorders is mainly responsible for 12 per cent of the total diseases burden within Australia. Mental-illness is the 3rdhighest disease group post cancer as well as cardiovascular diseases (Think Mental Health, 2018).In this way, nature of the health problem can be seen as it affects not only individuals, but also families and their carers. Besides, it has a remote- reachingimpactoverthewholeAustraliansociety,throughcreatingissueslike unemployment, poverty and homelessness(Vargas, 2018).
Public Health 3 The population affected by the problem Reliable sources are majorly suggesting that 20 per cent of adults as well as 14 per cent of children and young people of Australia experience a chronic mental-illness per year (Patel, Flisher, Hetrick, & McGorry, 2009).In addition, around 45 per cent of Australians aged 16–85 do experience a mental-illness during their whole life-span. Hence, targeted population of this health problem suffer from deep anxiety, substance-use disorders and mood-disorders(Macri, 2016). The magnitude of the health problem within targeted population In this context, the groups of targeted people include youngsters; children and adults experience an increased rate of mental illness: • As evidence, for an example men served in the Australian Defence Force (ADF) are twice as likely to feel and face affective disorders like depression(AIHW, 2018). • Moreover, people identified as bisexual or homosexual are more likely to face an anxiety disorder (32%) than those of heterosexual people (14%)(AIHW, 2018). • On the other hand, females aged 15–24 suffer from eating disorders (58%) as well as face hospitalisations for those eating disorders (57%)(AIHW, 2018). The distal and proximal determinants of the chosen health problem In order to examine the risk factors for mental-health illness in male and female adolescents and children, identifying distal and proximal determinants of mental-health issues is necessary, hence they are as follows: Mental-health disease burdens causes chronic respiratory medical conditions like asthma in children aged 0-14(Macri, 2016). The health burden of ‘mental-illness’ causes musculoskeletal and arthritis conditions like back pain and many more. Many chronic kidney diseases are caused due to mental-disorders in old-aged public of Australia(Mental-health, 2018). The core features of the targeted population In this context, writer would like to explain some features of the targeted population of Australian public which should be known by a Minister of Health. In this way, features are as follows:
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Public Health 4 On an average, more than 4 in every 10 Australians aged 14 as well as over have utilised an illicit drug at least some point of their lives. Hence, 3.1 million Australians utilised an illicit drug within the year 2017-2018(Patel, Flisher, Hetrick, & McGorry, 2009). Source:(AIHW, 2018) A major discrimination amid Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander people and others in Australia causes a lot of mental-illness due to mental stress(Mental Health Foundation, 2018). It has been observed in many of the survey and researches that the targeted population of mental-illness in Australia does not eat a healthy diet as well as does not do enough exercise(Macri, 2016). The case for why an intervention strategy by Minister of Health is needed As we know that increasing health problems in Australia further causes health inequalities within the social, economic as well as political mechanisms which may lead to social stratification as per the income, occupation, education, gender and ethnicity or race (AIHW, 2018).In addition, with the help of this research essay lack of enough progress over underlying social determinants of health has been identified being an evident failure of public health within Australia. Thus, for improving the situation of the public health care system of Australia an intervention strategy should be made by Minister of Health(Mental-health, 2018). Moreover, other cases where an intervention strategy by the Minister of Health is required are as follows: Strengthening health system of Australia comprising health info and research system For regulating as well as implementing enforcement within public health For health care system promotion
Public Health 5 To create and manage required public health policies Finding scope for future action within health sector of Australia(Macri, 2016). Conclusion In conclusion, with the help of studying health issue of ‘mental-illness’ within Australia this paper has identified the role of Government and Minister of Health for evolving an interventionstrategy in order to improve the present situation.In addition,social determinants of health include urban planning, living conditions, education, nutrition and child development has been discussed. This paper has provided the cases why Minister of Health should form an intervention strategy for reducing and eradicating the chosen health issue of mental illness within Australia. References AIHW. (2018).Australia’s Health 2018. Retrieved from AIHW: https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/fe037cf1-0cd0-4663-a8c0-67cd09b1f30c/aihw- aus-222.pdf.aspx?inline=true Macri, J. (2016). Australia's health system: some issues and challenges.Journal of Health and Medical Economics, 2(2). Mental Health Foundation. (2018).Stress. Retrieved 12 15, 2018, from https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/a-to-z/s/stress Naylor, C., Parsonage, M., McDaid, D., Knapp, M., Fossey, M., & Galea, A. (2012). Long- term conditions and mental health: the cost of co-morbidities.LSE, 1(1). Patel, V., Flisher, A., Hetrick, S., & McGorry, P. (2009). Mental health of young people: a global public-health challenge.The Lancet, 369(9569), 1302-1313. Think Mental Health. (2018).How to help. Retrieved 12 15, 2018, from https://www.thinkmentalhealthwa.com.au/supporting-others-mental-health/how-to- help/
Public Health 6 Think Mental Health. (2018).How to start the conversation. Retrieved 12 15, 2018, from https://www.thinkmentalhealthwa.com.au/supporting-others-mental-health/how-to- help/how-to-start-the-conversation/ Vargas, S. (2018).‘It’s not an easy conversation’: Mental health in the workplace. Retrieved 12 15, 2018, from https://www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com/articles/17489-its-not- an-easy-conversation-mental-health-in-the-workplace