Health Priorities in Australia
HSC Core 1 – Health Priorities in Australia
1. Using measures of epidemiology, investigate the health status of Australians.
Health status is a holistic concept that is determined by more than the presence or absence of any disease. It is often summarised by life expectancy or self-assessed health status, and more broadly includes measures of functioning, physical illness, and mental wellbeing. Epidemiology is the study of disease in groups or populations through the collection of data and information, to identify patterns and causes. The measures of epidemiology are:
Mortality- refers to the number of deaths in a given population from a particular cause and/or over a period of time.
Infant Mortality- refers to the number of infant deaths in the first year of life, per 1,000 live births.
Morbidity- is the incidence or level of illness, disease or injury in a given population.
Life Expectancy- is the length of time a person can expect to live. More specifically, it refers to the average number of years of life remaining to a person at a particular age, based on current death rates.
In Australia, the median age of death among the entire population in 2007 was 80.5 years old. In 2011 that statistic had risen to 81.5 years old, an increase of one year to the average life. In both years the leading cause of death among Australians was circulatory diseases (diseases of the heart and blood vessels) and the second leading cause in both years was cancer. Although the percentage of cancer deaths rose from 29.2% proportion of totals deaths to 29.8% and the percentage of circulatory disease deaths dropped from 33.8% of the populations deaths down to 31%. In the past 100 years the infant mortality rate as decreased by 95%, from more than one in ten deaths in the first year of life (100+ deaths per 1000 live births) to one in 200 deaths in the first year of life (5 deaths per 100 live births). This can be attributed to improved health education, public sanitation,
1. Using measures of epidemiology, investigate the health status of Australians.
Health status is a holistic concept that is determined by more than the presence or absence of any disease. It is often summarised by life expectancy or self-assessed health status, and more broadly includes measures of functioning, physical illness, and mental wellbeing. Epidemiology is the study of disease in groups or populations through the collection of data and information, to identify patterns and causes. The measures of epidemiology are:
Mortality- refers to the number of deaths in a given population from a particular cause and/or over a period of time.
Infant Mortality- refers to the number of infant deaths in the first year of life, per 1,000 live births.
Morbidity- is the incidence or level of illness, disease or injury in a given population.
Life Expectancy- is the length of time a person can expect to live. More specifically, it refers to the average number of years of life remaining to a person at a particular age, based on current death rates.
In Australia, the median age of death among the entire population in 2007 was 80.5 years old. In 2011 that statistic had risen to 81.5 years old, an increase of one year to the average life. In both years the leading cause of death among Australians was circulatory diseases (diseases of the heart and blood vessels) and the second leading cause in both years was cancer. Although the percentage of cancer deaths rose from 29.2% proportion of totals deaths to 29.8% and the percentage of circulatory disease deaths dropped from 33.8% of the populations deaths down to 31%. In the past 100 years the infant mortality rate as decreased by 95%, from more than one in ten deaths in the first year of life (100+ deaths per 1000 live births) to one in 200 deaths in the first year of life (5 deaths per 100 live births). This can be attributed to improved health education, public sanitation,
Bibliography: http://www.hsc.csu.edu.au/pdhpe/core1/focus/focus1_3/4015/health_pri1_4_1_3.htm; Charles Sturt University & NSW Department of Education and Communities; 2013; 16/10/2013 http://www.hsc.csu.edu.au/pdhpe/core1/focus/focus1_3/4015/health_pri1_4_1.htm; Charles Sturt University & NSW Department of Education and Communities; 2013; 16/10/2013 http://www.who.int/healthpromotion/Milestones_Health_Promotion_05022010.pdf; World Health Organisation; 2009; 16/10/2013 http://www.cancer.org.au/preventing-cancer/sun-protection/campaigns-and-events/slip-slop-slap-seek-slide.html; Cancer Council; 23/3/2013; 10/11/2013 Ron Ruskin; 2009; Outcomes 2 HSC Course; Jacaranda Plus http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/3303.0Chapter22011; Australian Bureau of Statistics; 14/3/2013; 10/11/2013 http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs370/en/; World Health Organisation; 2013; 10/11/2013 http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/productsbytitle/BFDEA1987337522ECA2572820014F0FF?OpenDocument; Australian Bureau of Statistics; 20/11/2009; 10/11/2013 http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mediareleasesbyCatalogue/F95E5F868D7CCA48CA25750B0016B8D8?OpenDocument; Australian Bureau of Statistics; 6/11/2013; 10/11/2013 http://www.who.int/healthpromotion/conferences/previous/ottawa/en/index1.html; World Health Organisation; 2013; 10/11/2013