Health for all Australians
Thea F van de Mortel
Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Southern Cross University, Lismore NSW
PP: 169 - 175
Abstract
This paper explores some of the social and political factors that have influenced the way in which the Australian health care system has developed, and the models it uses to deliver health care.
This information is used to suggest changes that need to be made to health policy and the health care system in order to provide equitable access and efficient service to all Australians. The example of persons who have contracted Hepatitis C via injecting drug use is used to illustrate the arguments.
Keywords
health; determinants of health; health policy; health care system
References
Abraham J (1997) The science and politics of medicines regulation. In Elston M (ed.) The sociology of medical science and technology. Blackwell, Oxford.
Cheek J, Shoebridge J, Willis E, Zadoroznyj M (1996) Society and health: social theory for health workers. Longman Australia, Melbourne.
Crofts N, Aitken C (1997) Incidence of bloodborne virus infections and risk behaviours in a cohort of injecting drug users in Victoria, 1990-1995. Medical Journal of Australia 167: 17-20.
Evans R, Stoddart G (1990) Producing health, consuming health care. Social Science and Medicine 31(12): 1347-1363.
Gardner H (1995) Interest groups and the political process. In Gardner H (ed.) The politics of health: The Australian experience. 2nd ed. Churchill Livingstone, Melbourne.
Gardner M, McCoppin B (1995) Struggle for survival by health therapists, nurses and medical scientists. In: Gardner H (ed.) The politics of health: The Australian experience. Churchill Livingstone, Melbourne.
George J, Davis A (1998) States of health: health and illness in Australia. Longman, Melbourne.
Goodwyn L (1996) The nurse's role as change agent in the audit cycle. Nursing Standard 10(22): 43-46.
Grant C, Lapsley H (1992) The Australian health care system 1992. School of Health Services Management, Kensington.
Harper A, Holman D, Dawes V (1994) The health of populations: an introduction. Churchill Livingstone, Melbourne.
Harris E, Comino E, Young L, Berthelson A (2000) Improving the health and life chances of women in disadvantaged communities. NSW Health Public Bulletin 11(1-2): 7-9.
Lee G, Bishop P (1997) Microbiology and infection control for health professionals. Prentice Hall, Sydney.
Livingstone C (1997) Private health insurance: a triumph for market ideology. Health Issues 51: 27-29.
Lowe D, Cotton R (1999) Hepatitis C: a review of Australia's response. Department of Health and Aged Care, Canberra.
Mackay D (1995) Politics of reaction. In Gardner H (ed.) The politics of health: The Australian experience. Churchill Livingstone, Melbourne.
Murty E, Osborn M (2000) Developing a health outcomes framework for women. NSW Public Health Bulletin 11(1-2): 10-11.
NRCCPH (updated 2nd May, 2001) About us. http://nrccph.latrobe.edu.au/aboutus.htm (date accessed 20/5/01)
Palmer G, Short S (1994) Health care and public policy. Macmillan, Melbourne.
Ross M (1994) AIDS and the new public health. In Waddell C, Petersen A (eds.) Just health: inequality in illness, care and prevention. Churchill Livingstone, Melbourne.
Street A (1992) Inside nursing: a critical ethnography of clinical nursing practice. State University of New York Press, Albany.
Waddell C, Petersen A (1994) Just health: inequality in illness, care and prevention. Churchill Livingstone, Melbourne.
Watson J, Cunningham-Burley S, Watson N, Milburn K (1996) Lay theorising about 'the body' and implications for health promotion. Health Education Research 11(2): 161-72.
Willis E (1989) Medical dominance: the division of labour in Australian health care. Allen & Unwin, Sydney.
Witz A (1992) Professions and Patriarchy. Routledge, London.
World Health Organisation (1981) Global strategy for health for all by the year 2000. WHO, Geneva.
eContent Home
