Using the given plan:
. Read the plan
Victorian public health and wellbeing plan 2015-2019.
2: Prepare your written assignment (your Health Plan Review)
2.1 Introduction to your assignment and summary of the Health Plan (approximately 100 -150 words)
Your introduction should explain the purpose of your assignment (aka the Health Plan review) and outline its structure. You should give a brief summary of the Health Plan and then tell the reader what priority area, at-risk groups and determinants you will be focusing on in your assignment.
Example (rough notes only): The following assignment will focus on (state the Health Plan you’ll be focussing on, and add its citation in brackets afterwards). This assignment will firstly provide an overview. The assignment will then detail. The following at-risk groups and three determinants of health will then be critically analysed
2.2 Description of the overall plan, the determinants of health and how they influence the population groups (approximately 200 – 250 words)
Your description should outline the plan (Victorian Public Health & Wellbeing Plan), what it is, who it is targeting, the main aims of the plan and what those aims hope to achieve. Explain in your own words how this plan will improve the health of specific Victorians and describe the at-risk groups mentioned in the plan as well as the relevance of the determinants of health to the wellbeing of the population groups targeted by the Health Plan. Remember here you need to introduce the determinants of health – explain what they are in your own words with supporting literature.
NOTE: The Victorian Public Health & Wellbeing Plan needs to be referenced throughout this section.
Example (rough notes only): The overarching aim of “ is to “ The plan focuses on the following key priority areas and target groups “ Determinants of health are “. This plan acknowledges that determinants of health “ Specific population groups“ The effectiveness of this plan will be evaluated.
2.3 Description of one priority area and two at-risk groups (approximately 200 – 250 words)
Choose one of the below priority areas (as outlined in the plan):
�Preventing violence and injury– or
�Tobacco free living�.
Describe the priority and the actions outlined in the plan (for example, what is your chosen priority, why is it a priority, and what are they planning to do?). Identify two at-risk groups (e.g. adolescents; adults; older adults) relating to this priority area. Describe why they are experiencing poorer health and wellbeing outcomes.
*Nursing students can choose either priority but you must focus on Indigenous at-risk groups.
NOTE: You should bring in supporting evidence in this section as well as in section (2.4).
This priority area focuses on ….and aims to achieve….
The at-risk groups associated to this priority area have poorer health outcomes…the evidence suggests this is because…The actions outlined to address these issues include �. They will be targeted through.
2.4 Discussion of three relevant determinants of health (approximately 650-700 words)
Outline which 3 determinants you are focusing on (1 x social, 1 x biological and 1 x environmental) and detail how these determinants are linked to the priority area and the associated health outcomes for one (1) of the at-risk population groups you discussed above. Please ensure you choose 1 social, 1 biological and 1 environmental determinant as part of your discussion of 1 at-risk group.
Example (rough notes only): The 3 determinants to be discussed include � they are linked to this prioirty area and at-risk group because…this group experiences ….health outcomes and these determinants impact this because…
NOTE: You must support your arguments with (6) relevant and current academic sources of evidence. Remember this is a minimum requirement for this assignment you should bring in extra sources here and in section.
2.5 Conclusion (approximately 100-150 words)
Summarise the main points discussed in your assignment (your Health Plan Review) without introducing new ideas.
Example (rough notes only): This report has It has demonstrated through the investigation of that health outcomes vary across population groups. The report has focused on to illustrate how and why these impacts may be occurring through underlying determinants.
HEALTH PLAN REVIEW
Title: Victorian public health and wellbeing plan
- Introduction
The assignment will firstly provide an overview of the Victorian public health and wellbeing plan 2015-2019. The essay will be organized and structured based on the assignment rubric. It will be structured into three main parts: the introduction, body and conclusion. The introduction section will introduce the discussion by providing an overview, and outline of the assignment. The body of the assignment will specifically discuss the various sections. The body will describe the overall plan and determinants of health, identify and describe one priority area and two at risk groups, discuss three relevant determinants of health. The conclusion section will summarize the main points discussed in the paper. The assignment will then critically analyze two determinants of health namely social, biological and environmental. The priority area that will be discussed will be ‘preventing violence and injury’ while the two at risk groups that will be discussed will be adolescents and older adults.
2.2 Description of the overall plan, the determinants of health and how they influence the population groups.
The Victorian plan is a health and wellbeing plan and vision for the state. It envisages a victoria that is devoid of preventable diseases and injury thereby enabling all Victorian to enjoy high quality health standards, personal wellbeing, and all inclusive participation regardless of age (Department of Health, 2011). The primary goal and aim of the plan is to reduce health and wellbeing inequalities among Victorians. Thus it acknowledged that climate change is a single most critical challenge toward a healthy victoria as t poses significant environmental, economic and health challenges to the population. The determinants of health identified include social, biological and environmental determinants. The social determinants of health include health, housing, employment and education. According to The Victorian Public Health and Wellbeing Plan 2015-2019, determinants of health encompass social, economic, environmental, physical and individual attributes and behaviors ((DoH, 2011, p.17). These determinants“… includes childhood experiences, education, employment, income, social and economic status, housing and geography, social support networks, access and use of health services and the quality of air, soil and water” (DoH, 2011, p.17). Biological determinants of health and wellbeing includes sex and gender, while determinants of wellbeing includes gender roles, norms, expectations and behavior that have a greater impact on people’s potential to live healthy lifestyles, needs response approach, and health services accessibility (Plan., 2010, p.17). Studies have linked social and economic status to health and wellbeing. For instance, illiteracy is associated with low income and hence poor health and hence high disease burden. Illiteracy adversely affects people’s capacity to utilize health information whereas poverty has been linked to reduced access to adequate healthcare services (Marmot, 2011). Additionally, poor housing that is as a result of poverty is linked to communicable disease prevalence. Numerous studies have linked lower social-economic status to smoking and high risk behavior. Geography can also determine their health and wellbeing, with those residing in remote places having reduced accessibility to quality health services (Davis et al., 2015). Poverty has an effect on education and employment outcomes. For instance, the chronic ear disease has been found to adversely affect the education of Aboriginal and Torres Strait islanders and hence the 42.7% workforce participation gap (DoH, 2011). The relative social-economic disadvantage of the Aboriginal people predisposes them to numerous behavioral and environmental health risk factors
2.3 Description of one priority area and two at-risk groups
The plan identifies four key priority areas namely cardiovascular health, cancer control, injury prevention and control, and mental health (DoH, 2011). The priority area selected for discussion is preventing violence and injury.
2.3.1 Preventing violence and injury
This priority area focuses on mitigating family violence since violence and the fret of it has significant impact on health and wellbeing. As such, it aims to achieve a victoria that is free of family violence and injury and having proactive intervention strategies geared toward identification and protection of the most at risk groups (DoH, 2011). The actions outlined to address these issues include early intervention, protection of the most at risk groups, support of victims, convicting perpetrators of family violence and multi-stakeholder integration in combating the social vice. Other actions include early prevention of family violence, reduction of community based violence, adopting evidence-based injury prevention strategies (DoH, 2011). They will be targeted through prioritization of strategies that support the overarching objectives and aims that promote the health and wellbeing of Victorians, implementation of sexual violence related reduction strategies and by prioritizing the reduction of road accident related injuries, mortality and morbidity as well as prevention of other causes of injury at workplace (DoH, 2011). The two at risk groups identified are adolescents and older adults. The adolescents are predisposed to high risk factors that include drug use and addiction. These health risk factors can be linked to other risks such as family violence and injury. The older adults are experience poor health due to high susceptibility to various social, economic and environmental health risk factors. Still, their lack of social immobility further exposes them to significant health risks. As a result, these two groups experience poor health and wellbeing.
2.4 Discussion of three relevant determinants of health
The three determinants of health to be discussed include social, biological and environmental determinants. The social determinants of health include health, housing, employment and education, income, childhood experiences, social economic status, housing, geography and social support networks among others (DoH, 2011).The social determinants can be linked to prevention of violence and injury among the two at risk groups (adolescents and older adults) because they directly affect their overall physical health, accessibility to quality health services and wellbeing (Victorian Government, 2011).
Social determinant- Income
This is an important health determinant for the older adults. Due to age factors, this group lack employment and cannot actively participate in income generating activities. This predisposes them to lack of income which adversely impact on their ability to access quality housing, diet and health care services (National Rural Health, Australia, 2011).
Biological determinants – Decreased immunity (Older adults) and development stage (adolescent)
These two at risk groups are exposed to different health hazards due to biological factors. One biological determinant of health that affects the elderly people is decreased immunity and lack of social mobility (MacDonald, 2010). Firstly, decreased immunity due to ageing exposes them to numerous health complications. Conversely, social immobility exposes them to unemployment and as a result they lack income to help them afford a decent housing and access to quality healthcare (Badland et al., 2014). One biological determinant that affects adolescents is psychosocial and physical immaturity which is associated with the adolescent development stage. The adolescent stage is largely characterized by identity crisis which exposes them to diverse health risks (Marmot, 2011). For instance, through wrong role modeling, adolescents are likely to engage in substance abuse, gain gang membership or engage in risky behavior. These activities can adversely affect their health and wellbeing.
Social determinant – Childhood experiences
One key social determinant of health for adolescents is childhood experiences. Adolescents who grew up in families that were exposed to domestic violence would be are most likely to engage in violence and risky behavior (Marmot, 2011). As a result they would be exposed to other health risk factors like substance abuse which would adversely impact their health and wellbeing.
Environmental determinant -Geography
One environmental determinant of health that affects both at-risk groups is geography. This determinant affects the two groups as it is linked to the quality of air, soil water which affects the health and wellbeing of the two at risk groups (DoH, 2011). For instance poor air quality will predispose the two groups to respiratory diseases while other environmental factors can expose them to multiple communicable diseases. On the hand, exposure to polluted water can cause water-borne diseases. One biological determinant is
2.5 Conclusion
This report has reviewed the Victorian Public Health and Wellbeing Plan 2015-2020. It has demonstrated through the investigation that determinants of health and wellbeing have a direct impact on the health outcomes, even though it varies across different population groups. The report has focused on the determinants of health and how they influence the population groups, one priority area (Preventing violence and injury) sand two at-risk groups (adolescents and older adults) and has delved deeper into discussing one social, biological and environmental determinant of health to illustrate how and why these determinants affect the health outcomes of different population groups.
REFERENCES
Badland, H., Whitzman, C., Lowe, M., Davern, M., Aye, L., Butterworth, Giles-Corti, B. (2014). Urbanliveability: Emerging lessons from Australia for exploring the potential for indicators to measure the social determinants of health. Journal of Social Science and Medicine. (111), 64-73.
Davis, E., Waters, E., Wake, M., Goldfeld, S., Williams, J., Mehmet-Radji, O. & Oberklaid, F. (2015). Population health and wellbeing: Identifying priority areas for Victorian children. Australia and New Zealand Health Policy, 2(1), 35-89.
Department of Health [DoH] (2011). Victorian Public Health and Wellbeing Plan 2011–2015. Public Health, (2008), 41–62.