Area of Study 2 - Promoting Health and Wellbeing​

This area of study looks at different approaches to public health over time, with an emphasis on changes and strategies that have succeeded in improving health and wellbeing. Students examine the progression of public health in Australia since 1900, noting global changes and influences such as the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion and the general transition of focus from the health and wellbeing of individuals to that of populations. Students investigate the Australian health system and its role in promoting health and wellbeing. They conduct a detailed study on a successful health promotion campaign or program, and inquire into priorities for health improvements in Australia.

Outcome 2

On completion of this unit the student should be able to explain changes to public health approaches, analyse improvements in population health over time and evaluate health promotion strategies. To achieve this outcome the student will draw on key knowledge and key skills outlined in Area of Study 2. 

Key knowledge

• improvements in Australia’s health status since 1900 and reasons for these improvements, focusing on policy and practice relating to:
• ‘old’ public health – the biomedical approach to health and improvements in medical technology – development of ‘new’ public health including the social model of health and Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion – the relationship between biomedical and social models of health
• Australia’s health system, including Medicare, private health insurance, the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and the National Disability Insurance Scheme, and its role in promoting health in relation to funding, sustainability, access and equity
• the role of health promotion in improving population health, focusing on one of: smoking, road safety, or skin cancer, including:
  • why it was/is targeted
  • effectiveness of the health promotion in improving population health
  • how the health promotion reflects the action areas of the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion
• initiatives introduced to bring about improvements in Indigenous health and wellbeing in Australia and how they reflect the action areas of the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion
• initiatives to promote healthy eating in Australia including Australian Dietary Guidelines and the work of Nutrition Australia, and the challenges in bringing about dietary change.

Key skills

• analyse data that show improvements in health over time and draw conclusions about reasons for improvements
• analyse the role of Medicare, private health insurance, the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and the National Disability Insurance Scheme in promoting Australia’s health
• analyse the strengths and limitations of biomedical and social models of health in bringing about improvements in health status
• apply the action areas of the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion to a range of data and case studies
• evaluate initiatives in terms of their capacity to improve Indigenous health and wellbeing
• draw conclusions as to why dietary improvements are difficult to achieve in Australia.