PUBH6003: Health Systems and Economics - Diabetes in Australia

This report examines the application of systems thinking to address diabetes in Australia, a significant public health issue. It identifies the roles of various stakeholders, including healthcare professionals, the Australian government, and patients, in managing and preventing diabetes. The report also discusses obstacles that hinder the application of a systems thinking approach, such as the complexity of diabetes management and self-licensing behaviors among patients. Furthermore, it outlines new governance strategies to facilitate the use of systems thinking, including problem clarification, productive discussions, and breaking down complex issues into manageable components. The report emphasizes the importance of identifying diabetes types and advising patients on appropriate prevention and treatment mechanisms.

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Diabetes in Australia
Diabetes is one of the primary health threats which has significantly affected people in
Australia and globally. This chronic infection affects both male and female who are from
different age groups. According to scientific research which was conducted in 2015 by CDC
indicated that diabetes is caused by insulin secretion disorder. Diabetic people experience
different signs of the infection and thus it is essential for health care professionals to access
patients keenly and administer to the appropriate (Nankervis, McIntyre, Moses, Ross &
Callaway, 2013). Beside the list of drugs which healthcare professionals refer to patients they
also recommend patients to ensure that they take balanced diets, and they participate in physical
exercises and activities which are capable of controlling high glucose level in the body and
reducing the complications which are associated with diabetes such as kidney failure, nerve
problems, and eye blindness.
Proper control of this infection reduces the risk of stroke and heart attacks among
patients. In Australia, diabetes is considered as a chronic health condition which means in a
controlled situation it can restore life. The most common type of diabetes which affects people in
Australia includes diabetes type 1 and diabetes type 2. Type 1 diabetes which is also referred to
as insulin-dependent diabetes is mostly diagnosed in children and teenagers. This type of
diabetes occurs when the beta cell in the pancreas fails to produce insulin. Type 2 diabetes is the
common type of diabetes which infects people of all age even children. This kind of diabetes
starts when the body of the patients resists insulin, a condition in which fats, muscles, and the
liver cells do not utilize insulin properly (Lee et al., 2013). People who are overweight and
inactive which means they do not participate in physical exercises are at very high risk of been

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infected by type 2 diabetes. Treatment of this health hazard includes taking diabetes medicines
and drugs, having a controlled diet and exercising regularly.
Role of Stakeholders within Healthcare System in Addressing Diabetes in Australia
Various stakeholders play vital roles and responsibilities in treating diabetes in Australia.
The first group of these stakeholders includes healthcare professionals. Healthcare professionals
play a crucial role in providing proper care for patients who are suffering from diabetes, and they
enhance self-care management among diabetic patients in Australia (Brownson, 2017).
Healthcare professionals in Australia are charged with the role of giving prevention advice to
patients through use of behavior change and health coaching techniques. Nurses and other
physicians ensure that they screen citizens in Australia more often so that they can be able to
detect this infection in early stages. It is also necessary that healthcare professionals promote
self-care among patients in such a way that patients are able to take good care of their health
condition. The Australian government is another stakeholder which should actively participate in
addressing the diabetes issue in the country. The government should create awareness in which
people are warned about some risk factor which contributes to diabetes. It should also ensure that
people participate in public education in which they are told about some prevention measures
which they can apply to control and manage this infection. The patient is also a key stakeholder
in prevention of diabetes (Parkinson & Parker, 2013). They should ensure that they adhere to all
the medication and treatments as advised by healthcare professionals. Patients should also ensure
that they take balanced diets which do not expose them to the risk of this infection and they
should also participate in a physical exercise to reduce complications which are associated with
diabetes

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Obstacles That Prevent Application of System Thinking Approach to Prevention of
Diabetes
There are various obstacles which makes it difficult for the use of system thinking
approach in the prevention of diabetes in Australia. In Australia, a large number of the
population is infected with diabetes and thus managing and controlling it becomes complex in
such a way that a system thinking approach cannot be practical to address the health hazard
(Eldredge et al., 2016). Instead of applying the system thinking approach, successful diabetes
management and monitoring requirements that people in the country create new habits in
response to medication and treatments which healthcare professionals give them and that they
change their lifestyle which includes the types of diets they take and participate in physical
exercises more regularly. Another obstacle which is making application of system thinking
approach more difficult to apply to address diabetes in Australia is self-licensing. Mostly the
situation occurs in cases where patients accomplish their goals of having balanced diet and
participating in physical activities (Matheson et al., 2013). Self-licensing is a very powerful
situation which makes it hard for application of system thinking approach. The nature of this
infection does not allow for the use of a system thinking approach. This is because this infection
is made up of various types which are hard to diagnose and multiple things cause them.
New Governance on How a System Thinking Approach Can Be Applied To Address
Diabetes in Australia
There is an establishment of new governance in Australia which makes it possible to use
a system thinking approach to treat diabetes in the country. These governance includes
identifying and clarifying the problem. In diabetes prevention, it means that stakeholders who are
part of the system thinking approach go deep in the identification of the leading cause of this

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health hazard and they clarify the problem so that patients can understand their health situation
(Bailie, Matthews, Brands & Schierhout, 2013). System thinking approach should also ensure
that there is an increase in productive discussion in which individuals are made aware of things
which they should avoid to reduce the risk of this infection and also to reduce health
complications which are associated with diabetes. Enhancing inquiry and challenges
preconceived ideas is another governance which can be applied. System thinking approach
should also be able to break complex problems into small, simple problems which are easy to
handle (Galletly et al., 2016). Health officers should be in a position of identifying the types of
diabetes through consideration of the potentials signs and symptoms and advising patients
respectively on the possible mechanisms of curing and preventing.

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References
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Brownson, R. C. (2017). Dissemination and implementation research in health: translating
science to practice. Oxford University Press.
Eldredge, L. K. B., Markham, C. M., Ruiter, R. A., Kok, G., Fernandez, M. E., & Parcel, G. S.
(2016). Planning health promotion programs: an intervention mapping approach. John
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Matheson, G. O., Klügl, M., Engebretsen, L., Bendiksen, F., Blair, S. N., Börjesson, M., ... &
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Nankervis, A., McIntyre, H. D., Moses, R. G., Ross, G. P., & Callaway, L. K. (2013). Testing for
gestational diabetes mellitus in Australia. Diabetes Care, 36(5), e64-e64.

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Parkinson, A. M., & Parker, R. (2013). Addressing chronic and complex conditions: what
evidence is there regarding the role primary healthcare nurses can play?. Australian
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