Health Policy and Advocacy

Introduction

The World Health Organization defines health policy as the choices, strategies, and initiatives made to accomplish particular healthcare objectives within a society. There are numerous types of health policies, including Public health, first Mental wellness, and Insurance for medical care. Health policy is one segment of law that touches almost everyone in a community because of how vast it is. In the United States, some important instances of health policy include:

ADA: Americans with Disabilities Act, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) regulations were impacted by the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court ruling.

Strategy

Framework goals for addressing the chronic condition

The workgroup stated the following vision as part of the strategy framework: “optimum wellness and standard of life for people with multiple chronic conditions.” This vision has four interconnected objectives: Enhance the use of effective self-care strategies and other services by people with chronic conditions. Provide better resources and data to healthcare, and public health, along with social services workers who provide care to people with chronic conditions. Facilitate studying to fill knowledge gaps about, as well as interventions and systems to prevent chronic conditions. Each of these objectives involves crucial tactics that, when used in collaboration with stakeholders, can help direct efforts.

In Australia, chronic disease is the main factor in sickness, incapacity, and mortality. The largest challenge confronting the health system of Australia is approaching chronic diseases and their underlying thesaurus. More to our aging people, growing consumer expectations, expensive medication and treatment costs, and an increase in the frequency of chronic diseases, these factors are putting an unprecedented amount of stress on people, societies, and the healthcare complex (Canberra, 2014).

In the previous 40 years, the incidence of sickness in Australia has altered, shifting far from infectious ailments together with accidents, which are best treated episodically, and toward chronic illnesses, which demand attention to prevention measures and integrated management. Australians may live longer with complicated care demands as chronic illnesses tend to manifest earlier in life (Canberra, 2014). This indicates that over longer periods, individuals need greater services from a variety of sources within the health system

By focusing more on prevention, the prevalence, and severity of chronic diseases might be significantly reduced. Long-term financial savings and better health outcomes will also follow from this. Equally crucial are methods for successfully managing chronic illnesses multimorbidity’sations, and related impairments and improving quality of life (Canberra, 2015).

Beyond creating an economically competitive and sustainable health system, there is more to be gained by minimizing the effects of chronic illnesses. By lessening the physical, psychological, social, and economic consequences of chronic illnesses, persons, families, and communities will have better health outcomes and a higher quality of life. Additionally, it is crucial to acknowledge the uneven effect of chronic diseases with the increasing wide of likelihood factors among eminence populations, especially among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons. More focus has to be given to locating and helping these people to minimize the consequences of chronic diseases and the risk of contracting them (Canberra, 2012).

Chronic Ailments Defined

Chronic illnesses, non-communicable diseases, and long-term health issues are some of the terms used to characterize these conditions. In the Framework, the word “chronic conditions” is used to describe a broad variety of chronic, complicated health issues that affect the full sickness spectrum, including mental sickness, extreme injury, disability, and genetic abnormalities. The goal of this inclusive definition is to shift attention away from a disease-specific strategy. The phrase “chronic disease” is solely used by the Framework to refer to data that is particular to a given condition (Canberra, 2012).

The WHO’s global strategy for managing chronic disorders places a strong emphasis on non-communicable diseases. In contrast, both communicable and non-communicable illnesses have a variety of complicated beginnings and can develop into chronic disorders.

Chronic ailments: have complicated and various underlying causes; can affect people alone or in combination with other conditions; typically manifest gradually, though they can also manifest suddenly and in the intense stages; happen throughout the life cycle, though they are many common in older people; can impair the status of life and result in prescription and inability; are long-lasting and continuous, and often result in a gradual decline in health and loss of reliance (Canberra, 2012).

The WHO’s definition of non-communicable illnesses, which does not specifically include any disease groupings, is congruent with this concept.

Purpose

The Framework replaces the National Chronic Ailment Plan from 2005 and the supporting National Service Improvement Frameworks as the main generalship for the management and prevention of chronic ailments in Australia. To manage chronic diseases and improve health outcomes, it makes suggestions for the growth and bringing about of plans, strategies, plans of action, and services.

Although the Framework focuses on the health sector mainly, it recognizes that to achieve its objective, other sectors must be engaged in advocacy efforts and collaborate with it, the health sector should take a leadership role when necessary. Relevant external sectors include, for instance, those related to the environment, housing, education, labor, transportation, and social services (Canberra, 2006).

Timeframe

The Framework will be in force from 2017 to 2025 for eight years, with proposed revisions occurring every three years.

Concerning the Framework

The Framework is the comprehensive principle framework for chronic illnesses that establishes the course and goals necessary to realize the vision that through efficient management and prevention of chronic illnesses, all Australians enjoy better lives.

By following the Framework’s recommendations, we may decrease the consequences of chronic diseases and enhance the care for individuals who already have them. This will help to guarantee the end goal sustainability of Australia’s healthcare system (Canberra, 2014).

To boost Australia’s strategy for lessening the effects of chronic illnesses, national action is necessary. A coordinated national plan that considers these elements is necessary given the range of policy contexts in Australia, including the diversity of viewpoints and practices that are backed by recent research and current state, national, and international legislation. The Framework offers direction to improve current disease-specific policies and to create fresh, cutting-edge strategies to deal with chronic illnesses; it does not replace current policies or strategies (Canberra, 2012).

THE CONFRONTATION OF CHRONIC CONDITIONS

Situation and Effects of Chronic Diseases

Australia’s health expenditure, the volume of its health systems, and its medical profession are all in danger of being overwhelmed by chronic illnesses. They continue to be the main source of illness, early death, and health system use. In reality, the bulk of Australia’s illness burden in 2011 was caused by chronic diseases (66 percent, or three-quarters of the total burden). It is challenging to determine the prevalence of chronic diseases overall because the phrase refers to a wide range of 10 complicated health disorders (Canberra, 2006).

According to the most recent data, the risk of having various chronic diseases rises with age 14 and there is a commensurate increase in multimorbidities in Australia’s aging population. In 2014–2015, 1 in 4 (2%) The majority of Australians said they had two or more chronic diseases, while more than 50% of people in Australia reported having at least one.

In a report titled “Greater Outcomes for Persons who have Chronic and Composite Health Diseases” that the earliest Health Care Advisory Group gave to the Australian government in December 2015, it is stated that “Our current health system is not optimally set up to fully control long-term effects.” The account also shows that victims of ten encounter a fragmented system, in which givers and services operate separately from one another rather than collaboratively, uncoordinated care, hardness locating the services they require, service duplication occasionally, not existing or delayed services other times, and uncoordinated care.

To properly manage the enormous number of people who have numerous chronic diseases, the research emphasizes the need to enhance primary healthcare. Through continuing national changes to build a more resilient, person-centered health system, significant transformation is now underway (Canberra, 2016).

The Cost of Chronic Conditions

People who suffer from chronic illnesses regularly and for extended periods need medical services and medications; this trend is made worse by the existence of several morbidities. Thus, chronic diseases and expensive medical treatment are related. Healthcare costs are anticipated to increase based on a rise in the prevalence of chronic diseases, growing medical costs, the cost of prescription pharmaceuticals, and increasing service demand (Canberra, 2016).

Data on particular diseases that concentrate on a small number of chronic ailments are the main source of information on the economic effects of chronic conditions in Australia. According to assessments focused on illness-specific disbursement health care spending, some of the most expensive disease categories are chronic, accounting for $27 billion used in immediate health care expenses in 2008-2009 (36% of disbursement health expenditure). Cardiovascular diseases, mental disorders, musculoskeletal ailments, and other illnesses are included in these four disease categories (Canberra, 2012).

National Challenges

Australia suffers comparable difficulties with chronic diseases as other economically developed nations do. Unbalanced diets were rich in foods with high fat, sugar, and salt content, sedentary lifestyles, a lingering weight of cigarette-related sickness, and alcohol-related misery are examples of common qualities (Canberra, 2014).

The increasing and intensive demands on the healthcare system as a result of better healthcare that allows people with chronic illnesses to live longer also come at a cost to individuals, families, communities, and economies in terms of social and financial expenses. Preventive actions are increasingly acknowledged to be crucial for lowering this burden on a global scale (Canberra, 2016).

Prevention and Management

A good objective and policy are to prioritize populations to target for the chronic condition since:

1. Priority populations are less likely to get chronic illnesses.
2. Chronic condition-related consequences, multi-morbidities, or impairments are less common in priority groups.
3. People of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent have a lower likelihood of getting chronic diseases, and those who do have them live longer.

Australia’s health system has placed more emphasis on sickness treatment than illness prevention. All Australians will benefit from improved health, social, and economic outcomes if chronic illness management standards are upheld while prevention activities are given priority (Canberra, 2014). In Australia, strategies for managing and preventing chronic illnesses are developing. Existing customary arrangements are under more pressure due to the rising burden of chronic illnesses on both a national and international scale. Australia has to create a unified, comprehensive design for the efficient anticipation and management of chronic ailments.

Health Determinants

The many and many factors that affect people’s health interact to improve or worsen both their individual and societal well-being. They function to instantly affect health as well as to provide the groundwork for future health at every stage of life, including pregnancy and infancy, childhood, adolescence, maturity, and older age (Canberra, 2016).

The four primary areas of the determinants of health are the physical environment, the social environment, the economic circumstances, and individual traits.

Vision

Effective chronic illness management and prevention help all Australians enjoy longer, healthier lives.

Principles

To facilitate the effective management and prevention of chronic illnesses for all Australians, eight guiding principles have been defined. When formulating, developing, and putting into practice policies, strategies, plans of action, and services targeted at avoiding and/or be-wielding all chronic illnesses, the premises should be abundantly obvious.

The guiding values include shared responsibility, accountability and openness, evidence-based solutions, cooperation and partnerships, equity, and person-centered strategies (Canberra, 2016).

Partners

In the efficacious prevention and management of chronic diseases, a variety of Partners’ contributions play a crucial role. Individuals, careers, and families may all work together to avoid and manage chronic illnesses. Communities in the local area, all ranks of government, non-governmental groups, and the general and private health sections, comprehend all healthcare providers and secluded health insurers, businesses, researchers, and academics (Canberra, 2012).

Depending on their position and ability within the healthcare system, each Partner has a shared responsibility for the health outcomes. A greater partnership can result in better outcomes for both the individual and the system.

Objectives

The subsequent three goals support the realization of the vision:

1. Put a focus on prevention to make Australia healthier.
2. Offer prompt, appropriate, and effective treatment to prolong the lives of people with chronic illnesses.
3. Pay attention to important populations.

CONCLUSION

The Framework’s main goal is to offer high-level advice to enable the development and implementation of particular policies, strategies, initiatives, and services that will improve the quality of life for all Australians by effectively preventing and treating chronic illnesses. To achieve the three overarching Objectives, action must be taken in the areas identified by the Framework as evidence-based strategic priority areas and the policy environment (Canberra, 2006).

Action must be taken right away by the whole health system to address the growing burden of chronic illnesses in Australia to ameliorate population health outcomes and the status of life. The joint reaction of all Partners is necessary to put policies, plans, activities, and services into place to achieve the results defined via the Framework. Following the mandate of organizational charters and governance direction, partners ought to identify the places where they may supply services and/or manipulate action. The time for action is now, and all Partners are accountable (Canberra, 2016).

References

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2014. Australia’s Health 2014. Australia’s health series no. 14. Cat. no. AUS 178. Canberra: AIHW.

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2014. Australia’s Health 2014. Australia’s health series no. 14. Cat. no. AUS 178. Canberra: AIHW.

Australian Health Ministers’ Advisory Council, 2015, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Framework Report 2014, A HM AC, Canberra.

World Health Organization (WHO). Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs) 2013 –2020 [Inter net]. Geneva, Switzerland: WHO Press; 2 013. 10 3 p. Av ail able from: http: //apps.who.int/iris / bitstream /10 6 6 5 / 94 3 8 4 /1/ 978 9 2415 0 62 3 6 _ eng.pdf

National Health Priority Action Council (NHPAC) 2006. National Chronic Disease Strategy. Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing, Canberra.

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2016. Australian Burden of Disease Study: Impact and causes of illness and death in Australia 2011. Australian Burden of Disease Study series no. 3. Cat. no. BOD 4. Canberra: AIHW

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2012. Australia’s health 2012. Australia’s health series no. 13. Cat. no. AUS 156. Canberra: AIHW.