PUB707 Public Health Portfolio: New Issues in Australia

This assignment is a Public Health Portfolio for the PUB707 course at the University of the Sunshine Coast, exploring six new public health issues in Australia. The portfolio includes photographs and descriptions of osteoarthritis, asthma, diabetes, depression, anxiety, and hypertension. Each issue is defined and supported with epidemiological data, adhering to the specified checklist that ensures the exclusion of people in photos, self-taken photos, safety considerations, and the inclusion of a specific logo. The descriptions provide insights into the causes, prevalence, and potential preventative measures for each health concern, highlighting the student's understanding of public health principles and their ability to identify and analyze contemporary health challenges within the Australian context. The portfolio aims to showcase a comprehensive understanding of public health issues and the application of relevant knowledge to real-world scenarios.

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
osteoarthritis. In Australia, middle-aged women between 47 to 58 years of age had lower
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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 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
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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 Gestational diabetes. Diabetes have affected nearly
1.2 million people in Australia. It is generally common in males as compared to females.
Type 2 Diabetes is the most common form of diabetes prevalent among the Australian
population. Indigenous Australians who live is remote and socially and economically poor
areas are more susceptible to develop diabetesv. Sedentary lifestyle and fast food diet are
the two main causes of developing diabetes. There are also many complications that
develop with increasing chances of diabetes. The complications includes blindness,
amputations and heart diseases. Type 1 Diabetes is caused by lowered immune system, that
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fails to fight the infection and destroys the insulin producing beta cells of pancreas.
Overweight, obesity and sedentary lifestyle are also responsible for developing diabetes.
The symptoms of diabetes includes increased thirst and urination, increased hunger,
tiredness, fatigue, blurred vision, tremendous weight loss, numbness. Diabetes can be
prevented through many ways. Diets should be restricted to food that are rich in fibres.
Sugary foods and foods rich in carbohydrates must be avoidedvi. Working out regularly can
increase the secretion of insulin that would help to prevent the development of diabetes.
Drinking near about 2 to 3 litres of water everyday can also reduce the risks of developing
diabetes. Excess fat in the abdominal area can also be a reason for diabetes. Losing weight
can help in prevention of diabetes.
Photo 4
Issue Name: Depression
Description:
Depression is a category of mood disorder that is characterized by a continuous
feeling of sadness and loss if interest. It is also known as major depressive disorder or
clinical depression. It is responsible for the various emotional and physical problems.
Research reveals that there are many causes of depression that includes stress, side effects
of medications, mood swings, and genetic vulnerability. There are various types of
symptoms associated with depression. These include a negative feeling of helplessness and
hopelessness, significant loss of interest in daily activities, a drastic change in appetite and
significant weight loss. Other symptoms include change in sleep pattern, anger, irritation,
energy loss and ruthless behaviour. The National Survey of Mental health and Well Being of
the Australian population showed that near about half of the population of Australia, 45.5%
of the people experienced a mental disorder. Females are more likely to suffer from
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depression as compared to males. However, male who are addicted to substance use are
more vulnerable for developing depression as compared to females. There are many people
who take antidepressant medicines to cure their depressionvii. There are natural methods
that can be adopted to reduce the risk of developing depression. Stress should be avoided
which is the main cause for depression. Regular exercise is beneficial as it helps to prevent
depression. Keeping oneself engaged in entertaining activities can also help to prevent
depression. Diet also affects to reduce depression. Foods rich in fibres and green leafy
vegetables can help to decrease the chances of developing depression. Avoiding trans fats
and processed foods like meat, cakes can also aid in the process. Consumption of 6 to 8
glasses of water can significantly decrease the chances of depressionviii. Avoiding any kinds
of substance use , alcohol and drugs are also responsible for reducing the causes of
depression. A good amount of sleep can help to reduce depression.
Photo 5
Issue Name: Anxiety
Description:
Anxiety is a normal emotion that every person feels. But, regular feeling of anxiety
develops a disorder. It becomes a type of mental disorder that leads to the development of
nervousness, fear and worry. People suffering from anxiety develops a feeling of
restlessness, panic and has a feeling of dangerix. Increased heart rate is another symptom of
anxiety. Sweating, trembling, feeling of tiredness or weakness are other symptoms of
anxiety. There are various reasons that causes anxiety disorders. These include various
environmental factors like stress from job or school or friends. Even financial status can also
lead to development of anxiety. The whole population of Australia are vulnerable for anxiety
disorder. Anxiety disorder is mostly prevalent among the median age and the people
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suffering from substance use disorders. It is the most common class of disorders among the
population of Australia. One in seven people of Australia suffer from anxiety. The main
causes of anxiety in Australia are Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Social Phobia. Females
experience higher rates of anxiety disorder as compared to males. 17.9% of females suffer
from anxiety and 10.8% of males suffer from anxietyx. Prevention of anxiety is very
important for a healthy and stress free lifestyle. There are various strategies that can be
adopted to prevent developing of anxiety. Stress can be reduced by changing lifestyle,
switching to a balanced diet, limiting the consumption of alcohol and caffeine.
Photo 6
Issue Name: Hypertension
Description:
Hypertension is a long term medical condition where the blood pressure in the
arteries remains consistently higher than the normal values. It is also known as high blood
pressure. There are basically two types of hypertension: Primary and Secondary. Primary
hypertension only concerns with high blood pressure. On the other hand, secondary
hypertension consists of high blood pressure that occurs in different organs like kidneys,
arteries, heart or the endocrine system. There are many factors that causes hypertension.
Overweight or obesity is a major cause that leads to deposition of unsaturated fats known
as plaques within the lumen of the arteriesxi. This leads to increased blood pressure.
Smoking and lack of physical activity are also other causes of that lead to hypertension. The
symptoms include fatigue, headache, chest pain, difficulty in breathing, irregular heartbeat
and even blood in urine. In Australia, near about six million adults suffer from hypertension.
This represents 33.7% of the Australian population. Male population of Australia are more
prone to develop hypertension as compared to femalesxii. Hypertension can be prevented by
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maintaining a low salt diet and healthy diet. Regular exercise and limiting the consumption
of alcohol can also reduce the risks of developing depression.
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Reference List
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i Ackerman IN, Bohensky MA, Zomer E, Tacey M, Gorelik A, Brand CA, De Steiger R. The projected
burden of primary total knee and hip replacement for osteoarthritis in Australia to the year 2030.
BMC musculoskeletal disorders. 2019 Dec;20(1):90.
ii Gonzalez-Chica DA, Vanlint S, Hoon E, Stocks N. Epidemiology of arthritis, chronic back pain, gout,
osteoporosis, spondyloarthropathies and rheumatoid arthritis among 1.5 million patients in
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disorders. 2018 Dec;19(1):20.
iii Mehr SS, Campbell D, Joshi P, Smart J, Peake JE, Smith PK, Gold M, Wainstein B, Allen KJ, Tang
ML, Loh RK. FPIES epidemiology in Australia: results from a 2-year prospective population study.
Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. 2015 Feb 1;135(2):AB168.
iv Langton D, Sha J, Ing A, Fielding D, Wood E. Bronchial thermoplasty in severe asthma in Australia.
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v Zheng Y, Ley SH, Hu FB. Global aetiology and epidemiology of type 2 diabetes mellitus and its
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1;59(7):1437-45.
vii Eastwood J, Kemp L, Jalaludin B. Each is in different circumstances anyway: A realist multilevel
situational analysis of maternal depression in South Western Sydney, Australia. Sage Open. 2016
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viii Gelaye B, Rondon MB, Araya R, Williams MA. Epidemiology of maternal depression, risk factors,
and child outcomes in low-income and middle-income countries. The Lancet Psychiatry. 2016 Oct
1;3(10):973-82.
ix Stein DJ, Lim CC, Roest AM, De Jonge P, Aguilar-Gaxiola S, Al-Hamzawi A, Alonso J, Benjet C,
Bromet EJ, Bruffaerts R, De Girolamo G. The cross-national epidemiology of social anxiety disorder:
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x Crome E, Grove R, Baillie AJ, Sunderland M, Teesson M, Slade T. DSM-IV and DSM-5 social anxiety
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Mar;49(3):227-35.
xi Morrisroe K, Stevens W, Sahhar J, Rabusa C, Nikpour M, Proudman S. Epidemiology and disease
characteristics of systemic sclerosis-related pulmonary arterial hypertension: results from a real-
life screening programme. Arthritis research & therapy. 2017 Dec;19(1):42.
xii Li M, McDermott R. Obesity, albuminuria, and gamma-glutamyl transferase predict incidence of
hypertension in Indigenous Australians in rural and remote communities in northern Australia.
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