Analysis of the Victorian Public Health and Wellbeing Plan Report

This report provides an in-depth analysis of the Victorian Public Health and Wellbeing Plan 2019-2023, the third iteration of the state's strategy to achieve the highest standards of health, well-being, and community participation for all Victorians. The report examines the plan's framework, goals, and the collaborative efforts required from various levels of government and service providers. It highlights the importance of addressing health determinants, including socioeconomic factors and climate change, as well as the priority areas identified, such as tackling climate change and its impact on health. The report discusses the effects of climate change on health, focusing on environmental, biological, and social determinants, and emphasizes the need for both adaptation and emission reduction strategies. The report concludes by summarizing the plan's key components and the significance of addressing climate change within public health initiatives.

Running head: Public health and wellbeing planning
Public health and wellbeing planning
Name of the student
Name of the university
Author’s name

Public health and wellbeing planning
Part- A
This is the 3rd Victorian strategy for public health and well-being and the main
framework through which they strive to achieve the highest possible standard in terms of safety,
well-being and participation in all ages of Victorians. Victorian people are experiencing high
standards of quality of living, health and wellbeing (Health.vic.gov.au, 2019). It is essential,
though, to acknowledge that health conditions vary significantly across citizens and the most
important cause of health disparities is socioeconomic disadvantage. People live from one or
more chronic diseases longer and often, so the first priority should be reducing the preventable
impact of disease more than ever. The Public Health and Wellness Act of Victoria 2008 includes
the development of a four-year program. In this plan has been developed as a comprehensive
approach to improving public safety and well-being for all victorians. This approach will
encourage action on the factors that most contribute to disease burdens and health inequalities;
ensure that all parts of the sector work together to achieve clear results and take into account
wider health determinants, social or economic, in designing and implementing interventions on
health and wellbeing (Health.vic.gov.au, 2019).
Part- B
The 2019–2023 Victorian Public Health and Wellbeing Plan directs and provides a
framework for co-ordinated intervention to provide victorians of all ages with the opportunity for
optimal health and well-being, to participate fully in their communities in education and/or in
jobs (Health.vic.gov.au, 2019). The Victorian public health and well-being has established

Public health and wellbeing planning
optimistic goals for the future. Attaining these objectives calls for system-wide, collective action,
and everyone has a role, including:
 At the national level: Victorian government departments; high-level bodies; professional
organizations.
 At the local level: Regional and metropolitan governments; social and aging services;
early childhood services and schools; women's health services.
 At the service level: Hospitals; health and primary care organizations; health
organizations controlled by Aboriginal communities; agencies providing human services;
community organizations.
A comprehensive approach is needed to prepare and achieve better results for all Victorians
in public health and well-being. In order to do this they must: • push change towards those
factors which make a major contribution to disease and health inequality • collaborate together
on clear results in every aspect of the field • recognize larger health determinants, both socially
and economically, as to how they plan and execute public health and well-being initiatives
(Health.vic.gov.au, 2019).
The diverse combination between individual characteristics, way of life and the physical,
social and socioeconomic environment relate to health and well-being. Health and wellbeing
have a number of large determinants, including employment, early childhood interactions,
gender stereotypes, values and aspirations, schooling, jobs, social inclusion, accommodation and
environment, living and working environments, air quality, land and water and the health system.
These broader health determinants are part of the long term vision for public health and well-
being in Victoria and must be taken into account in designing and providing public health and

Public health and wellbeing planning
well-being interventions. The program reflects an entire government effort, known as important
strategies to improve public safety and well-being through position and co-design approaches
(Health.vic.gov.au, 2019).
Part- C
The priority areas include:
Tackling climate change and its impact on health • Injury reduction • Preventing all forms of
violence • Enhanced healthy eating • Reducing risk of community pharmaceutical resistant
infections • Enhancing active living • Improving mental well-being • Enhancing sexual and
reproductive health • Reducing harmful alcohol and drug use (Health.vic.gov.au, 2019).
The priority area chosen is tackling climate change and its impact on health and the risk
population are elderly people, pregnant women, young children, and people with chronic
illnesses and also belongs from a lower socio economic background. The plan also reflects for
the first time on measures to address climate change and its impact on wellbeing, an issue which
was recognized as a leading global health threat by the World Health Organization. As the
central issue of public health in the 21st century, identified by the World Health Organization
is climate change. It's an immediate problem with economic, regional and neighborhood
consequences. Climate change has a number of implications for health explicitly due to increased
intensity and frequency of extreme weather events like prolonged heat waves, flooding and bush
fires and indirectly by declining air quality, increases in infectious diseases, threats to food safety
and drinking water and impacts on physical health. Thus, Victorian Public Health and Wellbeing
Plan aim to achieve reduced health impacts from climate change, such as reduced deaths from

Public health and wellbeing planning
extreme heat incidents; less disease from mosquitoes; less crop epidemic, less algal bloom in
drinking water catchments, and increasing steps to lessen emissions of greenhouse gas and to
gain associated health benefits; reduced public health impacts from climate changes. The
approach followed are- Continued emphasis on identifying and assessing the public health
effects of climate change. Promoting collective adaptation to climate change-related public
health threats. Analysis of the common health effects of greenhouse gas emission control
initiatives (Health.vic.gov.au, 2019).
Part- D
The 3 determinants of health that will be discussed here are clean air and safe drinking
water for the community as environmental determinants, individual lifestyle factors like age and
lifestyle as biological determinants and income and education as social determinants. Therese are
linked to priority area an focus group because climate change globally is currently accountable
for increased death and morbidity related to direct health consequences and the risks to
determinants of safety. Adaptation plans are necessary, but must be balanced with concerted
action in order to decrease greenhouse gas emissions (Hayes et al., 2018). The execution of
climate change changes is critical. The award is synergy; many such policies can instantaneously
enhance physical and mental health, for instance in the field of food, travel and community
involvement. In environmental disasters, climate change is a main contributing factor–dryness,
flooding and cliffs, hurricanes and wildfires; and, in shifts in ecosystems, including biodiversity
loss, desertification, ocean acidification, and the rise in sea levels (Banwell et al., 2018). Such
events put stress on a wide number of industries, including livestock and fisheries. Climate
change also has an influence on many primary environmental and social determinants of health,

Public health and wellbeing planning
in addition to its direct health impacts: clean air, potable water, adequate food and safe shelter.
Climate change represents social and health gaps and exacerbates them. Strong evidence shows
that although climate change impacts all societies, some are particularly vulnerable. There are
significant consequences for children older people, people who have low income and poor
housing (Griffiths, 2013).
Under the Victoria Climate Change Act 2017, climate change should be taken into
consideration by both state and local governments in public health and well-being policy. The
effect of climate change is further influenced by increasing disparities in wellbeing, with
population groups including young children, elderly people, pregnant women, people with
chronic illnesses and households of low income who are overwhelmingly affected. Many of the
measures taken by the Victorian plan to reducing greenhouse gas emissions will offer co-benefits
on wellbeing. Healthy eating and healthy lifestyles, walking and taking public transport over
driving are simple examples (Bush et al., 2011). To respond to climate change consequences and
reduce more changes, states, business, service provider, disaster and healthcare industries,
societies, families and people will need to collaborate together. Australians lavish 58% of their
grocery dollars on food and drinks choices. Healthy food and drink choices are often marginal
instead of mainstream in settings where they live, work and play. Ease of access, cost-
effectiveness and promotion of unhealthy food and beverages, along with other socio-economic
and environmental influences (including climate change), strongly influence preference among
citizens. Thus, Victoria is presented by the Climate Change Act 2017 as a world leader in climate
change risk management, maximization of resources resulting from decisive action and
transformation towards a climate-resilient society and environment with net zero emissions by
2050. The Act requires both state government and local governments in order to undertake

Public health and wellbeing planning
public health and well-being planning to take account of climate change (Health.vic.gov.au,
2019).
As a social determinant, climate change affects human health by its influence on under
nutrition and food insecurity. The decreasing rainfall trends and the rise in temperature lead to
lower yields and increased cost of farming have dramatic effects on agriculture in the future. At
the same period, poverty and debt are the key drivers of displacement and are linked to
deprivation and poor health. Nutrition and migration are strongly affected by climate change.
The main cause of migration is food deficiency in the household due to climate variability (Loks
et al. 2015). There is clear evidence of the link between the climate and safety. Climate change is
a hazard to public health in Australia, and adds to the risk of illness and death among poor
people. The health system, though, does not respond to migrants ' needs. Migrants are treated as
strangers and socially isolated when they have access to healthcare. The reported dietary results
confirm migrant mothers ' and children's insecurity (Bhor, N., & Kumar, 2016). On a broader
basis, it is crucial that climate change vulnerability be reduced and the social and environmental
health determinants are addressed at the policy and program level. To counter negative impacts,
a well-structured system of public safety should be in effect. Poverty reduction is one approach
that could provide both stability and disparity reduction. Climate change and the impact on
human wellbeing must be incorporated into research efforts. Program priorities should focus on
the data collected systemically concerning the adverse effects on human health of climate
change. Thus, In the light of the Victoria Climate Change Act 2017, the government and local
governments in public health and welfare programs are expected to take into account climate
change as a major area of focus (Bhor & Kumar, 2016).

Public health and wellbeing planning
Part- E
The report has investigated the Victorian public health and wellbeing plan 2019–2023
strategies. This is the 3rd Victorian Public Health and Well-being Strategy and the key way they
work towards fulfilling the dream for all Victorian people with the highest possible health, well-
being and engagement levels at all ages. Victorians enjoy life, safety and quality of life. A
program must also be developed every four years in compliance with the Victoria Public Health
and Wellbeing Act 2008. In this program they have described an essential method to promote
public health and well-being for all Victorians. The report has addressed the priority area that the
Victorian plan focuses on and identifies the determinants affecting them.

Public health and wellbeing planning
References
Banwell, N., Rutherford, S., Mackey, B., & Chu, C. (2018). Towards improved linkage of
disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation in health: A review. International
journal of environmental research and public health, 15(4), 793.
Bhor, N., & Kumar, P. (2016). CLIMATE CHANGE AND HEALTH: A SOCIAL
DETERMINANTS APPROACH TO MALNUTRITION AMONG MIGRANT
CHILDREN.
Bush, K. F., Luber, G., Kotha, S. R., Dhaliwal, R. S., Kapil, V., Pascual, M., ... & Wilson, M. L.
(2011). Impacts of climate change on public health in India: future research
directions. Environmental Health Perspectives, 119(6), 765-770.
Griffiths, J. (2013). Improving public health by tackling climate change. Israel journal of health
policy research, 2(1), 22.
Hayes, K., Blashki, G., Wiseman, J., Burke, S., & Reifels, L. (2018). Climate change and mental
health: Risks, impacts and priority actions. International journal of mental health
systems, 12(1), 28.
Health.vic.gov.au. (2019). Public health and wellbeing planning. Retrieved 23 January 2020,
from https://www2.health.vic.gov.au/about/health-strategies/public-health-wellbeing-plan
Loks, N. A., Umar, A. M., Mamzing, D., Akila, L. K., & Nyazi, C. (2015). Potential Impacts of
Climate Change on Food Security. Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology A, 5,
799-810.