Public Health and Health Promotion - Essay Example

Public Health and Health Promotion Name Institution Date Public Health and Health Promotion Introduction Several governments and organizations around the world have realised the need for taking measures that are directed towards improving the health of the public. Recent emergence of several serious infections and cases of otherwise preventable disease has caused the concerned bodies to combine resources and bring knowledge and awareness to the citizens and help them improve their health standards. Greatest concern has risen from the fact that most of the infections causing serious medical and financial costs could be prevented if the general public became more knowledgeable of these conditions. Efforts have therefore been made to enhance public knowledge and promote timely testing and screening so that these conditions are diagnosed in time. Other initiatives have been directed towards educating medical care personnel and medical officers. Below is a discussion about some of the initiatives that have greatly improved awareness and have improved the general health of the public populations. 1. National tobacco strategy 2012-2018 Although Australia has had consistent efforts aimed at reducing smoking prevalence for many years, smoking remains a cause of medical complications for many Australians. Despite all the efforts though, smoking rates have still remained high (Intergovernmental Committee on Drugs, 2012). In 2010, for example, 15.1 % of people over 14 years were smoking daily (Intergovernmental Committee on Drugs, 2012). Interestingly, though, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have been found to smoke at rates that are twice that of the entire population. In 2008, 45% of this group of Australians aged 15 years and above smoked daily. The smoking rates in Australia have therefore been a cause of concern for years. from 2008, the National Healthcare Agreement, and in 2012, the Council of Australian Governments committed resources to ensure that by 2018, the national smoking rate reduced to 10% of the entire population (Intergovernmental Committee on Drugs, 2012). The national Tobacco Strategy 2012 – 2018 was developed as a sub strategy of the larger National Drug Strategy 2010 – 2015. The aim of initiative is to improve the health of all Australians. The initiative sought to achieve this by reducing prevalence levels of smoking as well as the associated health, economic and social costs, and the inequality it causes. It is a policy framework for the government and state territory governments in collaboration with the non-governmental agencies in an effort to improve the health and reduce costs caused by tobacco (Australian Government, Department of Health, 2013). Smoking tobacco has been associated with several diseases, and the list has been increased to include almost every organ in the body (Foulds, Delnevo, Ziedonis & Steinberg, 2008). Smoking affects the respiratory track, but evidences have shown that its effects could spread to the lip, oral cavity, and stomach and has been a major cause of lung cancer (Foulds, Delnevo, Ziedonis & Steinberg, 2008). As Collins (2009) further says, the use of tobacco leads to a greater risk of cancer, cardiovascular diseases and lung disease. Almost 90 per cent of lung cancer deaths in male smokers and 80 per cent of female smokers and 80 to 90 per cent of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease deaths result from smoking tobacco (Collins, 2009). Smoking also causes ischemic stroke, peripheral vascular disease and abdominal aortic aneurysm (Bullen, 2008). These are great reasons for concern and collective efforts in the form of such initiatives. Tobacco smoking is arguably one of the most important causes of cardiovascular disease that could be prevented (Bullen, 2008). As Hopkins et al (2001) stresses, it is desirable that this costly, chronic dependence is prevented. This is what makes this initiative very important. A successful program would lead to great reduction of medical costs. It would also mean that several complications associated with smoking are prevented. The tobacco initiative is also important due to the addictive effect of the practice. Its use results in true drug dependence in majority of users and therefore any attempts to quit becomes difficult and relapses common (Hopkins et al, 2001). The national Tobacco Strategy 2012-2018 had several priorities. The health promotion initiative sought to promote public health policy as well as tobacco control policies. It was also determined to strengthen mass media campaigns in an effort to motivate smokers to quit and encourage recent quitters to fight the desire to go back. Another priority was to reduce and finally eliminate public advertising, promotion as well as sponsorship of tobacco products. These, together with several other prioritised targets, the initiative focused on the general public to help Australians overcome the challenges associated with smoking (Lung Health Alliance, 2012). 2. Closing the gap: Indigenous Chronic Disease Package This program was developed to achieve significant reduction of chronic disease cases in Australia by providing necessary support to health sector and improved access to health care by and for Indigenous Australian (Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing, 2012). According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (2013), about 22% of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people that are 15 years or above, reported poor health in 2008. Nearly 32% aged 18 years and above had experienced high levels of psychological distress with higher rates of chronic disease as compared with non-Indigenous people. The Indigenous Chronic Disease Package (ICDP) aims at providing funding for preventative health focusing on the Indigenous groups, families and communities. ICDP also seeks to support and fund coordinated patient focused primary health care and an expanded Indigenous health workforce (Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing, 2012). This initiative is very important since it has been focused on the prevalent indigenous population. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have been found to experience a burden of disease more than two times that of the other Australians (Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing, 2012b). A significant part of this burden has been due to chronic disease like cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, kidney disease and chronic respiratory disease. It has been found that this could be reduced if the condition was identified earlier, and the associated risk factors managed. In November 2008, $ 1.6 billion was committed by the Council of Australian Government (COAG) to close the gap between non-Indigenous and Indigenous Australian within a generation. Hall & Chyun (2010) argue that chronic diseases, like diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease excessively affect adults and are associated with disability and diminished quality of life. They further note that these diseases share several common modifiable risk factors, including physical inactivity and obesity. From the recent past, about 80% of the older adults will have at least one of the chronic conditions, about 50$ will have at least two. Identification of these chronic disease risk factors and early detection of the diseases, through medical screening, may greatly decrease the burden associated with chronic diseases and protect and again promote the health of the older adults (Hall & Chyun, 2010). Nugent (2008) and Abegunde et al (2007), on the other hand, have linked chronic disease prevalence to developing nations, or those communities that live in poverty. This may have been a great contributor for the high rates of the condition in the Indigenous people in Australia who lead difficult lives in low income neighborhoods. The Indigenous Chronic Disease Package initiative was therefore a great effort towards helping these people live a better life and manage their health conditions better. By providing and organizing screening sessions, and guidance on proper risk reduction practices and eating habits, the initiative has greatly reduced the chronic diseases in Australia. 3. Viral Hepatitis Initiative – in the USA Hepatitis is one hidden epidemic that has significant public health consequences. According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (2014), between 3.5 million and 5.2 million people live with the viral hepatitis in the United States. Several other millions remain at risk infection. One characteristic of the condition is that hepatitis can persist for decades before any symptoms are seen. As a result, 65% to 75% of Americans infected with the virus remain unaware of their infection status and therefore live without receiving any form of care or treatment. A great cause for concern is that the hepatitis (which is otherwise preventable) is one of the leading causes of liver cancer. If not addressed in time, the condition is likely to cause 1 in 4 people with the chronic hepatitis to develop liver cirrhosis or liver cancer (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 2014). The virus is present in the human blood, semen, menstrual blood, saliva, virginal secretions and although at lower extents, in breast milk, perspiration, tears and urine of those infected. The virus is highly resilient and the HBV is resistant to breakdown and can survive outside the body. It can be easily transmitted to other individuals through contact with infected body fluids (Lavanchy, 2004). This initiative is therefore very important given the rising cases of cancer in the US and the world. In America, for example, viral hepatitis is a leading cause of death, claiming between 12,000 and 15000 lives every year. In the global scene, hepatitis B virus infection rates stood at 2 billion cases, with about 350 million others suffering from the chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection (Lavanchy, 2004). Since its discovery in 1989, hepatitis C virus has been recognised as one of the major causes of chronic disease in the world (Shepard, Finelli & Alter, 2005). WHO estimations in 2005 reported that the hepatitis C virus prevalence was 2% of the global population, with about 123 million people reported (Shepard, Finelli & Alter, 2005). The government became concerned with the condition given that the viral hepatitis remains largely unknown to the public, those at risk and even the policymakers (Ferrante et al, 2008; Ward 2008). Ferrante et al (2008) further says that even health-care providers do not have knowledge and awareness about the infections. The result is a huge number of Americans living with the virus without their knowledge and will only become concerned when their conditions have developed to critical levels. In 2010, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) release a report in which it identified viral hepatitis as an underappreciated concern in the US and outlined several barriers that could impede efforts to prevent transmission and disease. In the United States, Viral hepatitis was found to be the main cause of liver transplantation (5). If not treated in time, 15% - 40% of people that live with the virus will develop liver cirrhosis or they may experience other conditions that could affect the liver and may result to liver cancer. Liver cancer rates have been seen to increase, with at least 50% of the cases being attributed to hepatitis C virus (9). The viral hepatitis initiative is therefore very important for the US population. Mediation efforts outlined in the initiative would greatly reduce incidence levels and greatly help the nation minimize the spread and effects of the virus. The viral hepatitis initiative aims at ensuring that there is achieved an increase in the proportion of persons who have knowledge of their hepatitis B virus infection status from the 33% to 66%. Another priority was to increase the number of people who are aware of their status regarding Hepatitis C virus infection, from 45% to 66%. The initiative also aimed at reducing the number of new HCV infection cases and elimination of mother-to-child transmission of the HBV Conclusion The above discussion reveals the serious implications of the rising cases of complications that have been related to infections that could be minimized if the public became aware of the causative agents. Cancers and other organ failures have resulted from exposure to harmful substances, with other cases like skin cancer being directly related to exposure to harmful radiations from the sun. Initiatives towards reduction of smoking rates in Australia has been effective in reducing its effects in the indigenous populations, while in the US, intensive initiatives against the Hepatitis virus have significantly reduced the spread of the deadly virus. Public health initiatives are therefore very important for the governments and other stakeholders are to achieve improved health standards for the general public. 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