There are 7 national health priority areas in Australia: cardiovascular disease, cancer, injury, mental health, diabetes, asthma, and arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions. These areas contribute significantly to illness burden in Australia. Risk factors and determinants can be identified for each health area, and behaviors can be modified to reduce prevalence and risks. The key priority areas affect large portions of the population and place high economic and social burdens. Prevention efforts targeting modifiable risk factors may help reduce disease burden.

1. HSC Core 1:
Health Priorities in Australia
S

2. Priority Areas for improving
health
• There are 7 national health priority areas for Australia
• They contribute significantly to the burden of illness in the
community.
• We can identify the risk factors and determinants, and
modify behaviours to reduce the prevalence of these
illnesses or conditions.

3. Cardiovascul
ar Disease
• One of the leading
causes of sickness
and death (36% of
deaths in 2004).
• Males more likely then
females to die from
CVD.
• Can modify risk factors
to reduce risk of CVD.

4. Nature of CVD

5. Extent of CVD

6. Extent of CVD

7. Risk Factors

10. Modifiable
Risk Factors

12. Groups at risk
Tobacco
SES groups
Smokers
Males Family History
Ageing Hypertension
Population Sufferers
Poor
nutrition

13. Nature of Cancer
• Refers to a
diverse group of
diseases with a
common feature-
uncontrollable
growth and
spread of
abnormal body
cells.

14. Extent of Cancer

15. Extent of Cancer

16. Extent of Cancer

17. Extent of Cancer

18. Extent of Cancer

19. Risk Factors
• Lung Cancer:
- Smoking
- Occupation
- Air Pollution

20. Groups at risk: Lung Cancer
‘Blue Collar’ Occupational
occupations hazards
(environment)
Cigarette Over the age
Smokers of 50

21. Risk Factors
• Breast Cancer:
- Family History
- Poor Diet
- Obesity

22. Groups at risk: Breast Cancer
Women who
Family
have never
History
given birth
Women Obese
over 50 Women

23. Risk Factors
• Skin Cancer:
- Fair skin that burns
- To much sun exposure
- Number and types of moles

24. Groups at Risk
People who People in
don’t use low
protection latitudes
People with
People with
outdoor
fair skin
occupation

25. Injury
• It affects all age groups
• Places high burden on
economic, social and
physical aspects on both
individual and the
community.
• It is preventable and is a
major cause to Australia’s
mortality and morbidity
rates.

26. Extent of Injury

27. Extent of Injury

28. Extent of Injury

29. Risk Factors
Social Competing
groups objective
Social and
Complacency
psychological
of impunity
problems
Lack of
Overload
judgement

30. Mental Health
• Previously peoples level of
health and wellbeing was
underestimated
• Its not until recently that the
stigma of mental health has
been removed which has
allowed for improvement in
these areas.

31. Extent of Mental Health

32. Extent of Mental Health

33. Extent of Mental Health

34. Risk Factors: Suicide
Social isolation Depression
Marginalisation
Mental Illness
of some groups
Physical
illness

35. Groups at risk: Suicide
Young gay
People with
or lesbian
depression
people
Previous
suicide Elderly
attempts
Alcoholics

36. Diabetes
• A conditional affecting
the body’s ability to
take glucose from the
bloodstream to use it
for energy. We need
this to perform
everyday activities.

37. Extent of Diabetes

38. Extent of Diabetes

39. Risk Factors: Type 2 Diabetes
45 years
Family
old with
History
HBP
45 years 45 years
old and old and
over overweight

40. Groups at risk
S Being over 35 and being an Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander.
S Being over 35 and having a Pacific island, Indian or
Chinese cultured background.

41. Asthma
• Is a chronic disease of the
respiratory systems.
• It affects a person’s ability
to carry air in and out of the
lungs. The walls of the
airways become narrow,
making it hard to breath

42. Extent of Asthma

43. Extent of Asthma

44. Risk Factors
Colds and Flu

45. Risk Factors
Tobacco Smoke

46. Risk Factors
Inhaled allergens
such as
pollens, animal
hair, dust mites

47. Risk Factors
Air Pollution

48. Risk Factors
Food preservatives

49. Risk Factors
Exercise

50. Arthritis and
Musculoskeleta
l conditions
• Refers to a number of
conditions that affect the
joints of the body.
• It affects a large number of
Australians

51. Extent of Arthritis

52. Risk Factors
Repetitive
use of a Age
joint
Obesity Gender