Demographically, Australia has a diverse, multicultural community with people of many ages, backgrounds, and ethnicity. These range from indigenous communities and Torres Strait Islanders, to second generation families and recent immigrants. Like many first world countries, Australia is also struggling to deal with the strain of an ageing population on the health care system.

Health professionals and medical scientists aren’t just investing money and time into finding cures for diseases and medical conditions. They are also looking for opportunities and strategies to prevent illnesses from occurring in the first place.

There is a vast quantity of health information available in print and online. Because it is difficult to tailor this data to the unique qualities of an individual, health professionals often categorise and gather information about various health issues by demographic groups. For example, identifying health problems in specific age groups, genders or ethnicity.

LIMITATIONS

Epidemiology has proved to be an effective approach to measuring health status, but it has some limitations.

Examples include:

• it doesn't always show the significant variations in the health status among population subgroups (for example, between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians)

• might not accurately indicate quality of life in terms of people’s level of distress, impairment (loss or abnormality of body structure or of a physiological or psychological function), disability or handicap.

•statistics tell us little about the degree and impact of illness.

• cannot provide the whole health picture. Data on some areas, such as mental health, are incomplete or non-existent.

• fail to explain ‘why’ health inequities persist

• do not account for health determinants — the social, economic, environmental and cultural factors that shape health.

• statistics also have limitations due to: • the varying reliability of data

• the numerous sources of information

VALUE OF EPIDEMIOLOGY

Despite its limitations, epidemiology provides valuable scientific information about disease and associated risk factors. It is useful in providing a basis for issues such as the impact of social, cultural and economic factors that support health or cause disease.

Health authorities have acknowledge the need to put in place measurement approaches that focuses on the health of populations more than the diseases of individuals. To address inequities the data must go beyond the disease and its risk factors to the environmental and social frameworks in which individuals live.

It must:

• incorporate a social perspective to identify

• combat the leading causes of sickness and death in Australia

• reduce inequities in health.

FOR EXAMPLE:

The higher rates of morbidity and mortality in ATSI populations, are directly related to the social and environmental context of these communities. To reduce health inequities, factors such as poor access to health services, low socioeconomic status, attitudes to illness and health promotion, limited education about self-care and health practices must be addressed to support their needs. Epidemiology doesn't always show this.

MEASURES

There are a number of additional measures, which epidemiologists may refer to when analysing a particular illness:

– Mortality: the number of deaths from a given cause in a specific population within a certain time frame

– Infant mortality: the number of deaths that occur in the first year of life per 1000 births

– Morbidity: the rates and trends of a disease, illness and injury in a specific population

– Life expectancy: the number of years an individual or group can be expected to live

Australia has a health budget that the government must invest in wisely. This involves the delivery of campaigns designed to improve health. Releasing information about new vaccinations or changing attitudes and perceptions of modifiable behaviours such as smoking, which can lead to lung cancer, or drinking, which can lead to liver failure.

Measuring the quality of health and conducting statistical analyse of medical issues in Australia serves a critical role in maintaining and improving Australia’s overall health rating. Accessing accurate medical data enables governments and health professionals to make informed decisions about health issues that need to be addressed and allows them to prioritise certain health campaigns and target specific groups.

Who uses these measures?

Epidemiological data is used by a variety of people, agencies and groups to inform decision making processes. This leads to improvement in the planning, implementation and effectiveness of any health promotion programs they introduce.

Some examples of agencies and groups that are interested in the data epidemiology provides are the:

Australian Department of Health: uses epidemiological data to ensure funds are allocated to the areas and health issues in Australia, which need it most.

Department of Education: utilises data to inform students and young people about health issues relevant to their age and circumstances and put policies in place (e.g. no hat no play policy).

Hospitals: study epidemiological data to make informed decisions about which health issues to prioritise and which high risk areas of health to target. Specialists can also use the data to design health promotion strategies, to enforce good health practices.

Pharmaceutical companies: monitor epidemiological data to direct their investment into medical research and marketing, as well as determine which kinds of medications and experimental drugs are in demand.

Doctors: rely on the patterns identified by epidemiologists to inform the direction of their own research. They can also use the information to target patients who require urgent and essential health care or to promote and raise awareness of particular health problems.

Do they measure everything about health status?

Epidemiology does have some limitations. It doesn’t take into account the quality of life and the quality of life lost or the emotional suffering of patients and those around them. The data also cannot provide an explanation as to why people participate in risky behaviour, especially when they are aware of the consequences. Another factor that epidemiological data cannot provide data on is whether there are multiple determinants leading to particular health issues or just one.

Epidemiologists only identify patterns of past behaviours and patterns. They can’t use the results to predict future developments. Unfortunately, epidemiology can’t explain why some groups respond differently to the same program or initiatives or how health funds can be distributed equally and efficiently.