Heart Attack in Australia Public Health Approaches in 1960 and 2020
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Heart Attack in Australia Public Health Approaches in 1960 and 2020
Description
Population mortality due to ischemic heart disease stood at a third of total deaths in the 1960s. There was high rate of cardiovascular disease and a low understanding in the pathophysiological mechanisms, risk factors, and possible interventions. The public health approach was mainly geared towards community education on identification of risk for the disease and the presentation. Public education included sensitizing the community on the lack of treatment approaches to manage the disease process and poor possible outcome. In 2020, there is a progression in disease diagnosis, public access through social media and mainstream media, and the presence of medication to control disease progression to heart attack (Roever, 2018). As of 2020, the target in public health outreach was to ensure disease prevention through adoption of safer lifestyles in feeding and physical exercises. The approach in 2020 also saw a spread in community participation in both the education programs and active programs aimed at preventing development and progression of risk.
Comparison and Contrast
The main similarity in both approaches is the inclusion of public health specialists in shaping the future community intervention in managing the disease. In 1960s, the priority was education on identification of risks to a cardiovascular event. In 2020, the priority was the education of the population on the best ways to ensure disease prevention mainly through behavioral change. Both systems were also reflective of the advancement in disease understanding and the causal relationship between risk factors and the development of disease. The main difference is the level of intervention. The education provided in the 1960s did not provide specific pointers to the contribution of the population in shaping the disease occurrence. There was also an inability to shape practice due to the gap in the establishment of a causal association between risk factors and disease incidence. In 2020, the measures being advocated for at the community level were based on evidence-based strategies. There was research data to back community participation and its role in reducing disease incidence. The community outreach was mainly through mainstream media while by 2020 there was prioritization of the use of social media as well as community-based outreach programs. Such as during care and in wellness organized fairs.
Strengths and Weaknesses
The main strength in the approach used in 2020 is the higher community outreach achieved coupled to the presence of a ripple effect (Sarink, 2018). It became easier to communicate specific goals regarding behavioral change in diet and exercises which has helped reduce the disease incident even further. The use of social media and community-targeted programs has also made it possible to have a long lasting effect. It is possible to reach the population at risk as well as those likely to ensure long-lasting impact such as the youth. The main weakness in this approach is the high cost of rolling the public outreach programs.
The main strength in the approach being used in 1960s was the provision of a generalized community approach without risk stratification which helped ensure population awareness of the disease. There was a weakness in providing enough evidence on the causal factors leading to the disease process.
References
Roever, L., Tse, G., & Biondi-Zoccai, G. (2018). Trends in cardiovascular disease in Australia and in the world. European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, 25(12), 1278-1279.
Sarink, D., Nedkoff, L., Briffa, T., Shaw, J. E., Magliano, D. J., Stevenson, C., ... & Peeters, A. (2018). Trends in age-and sex-specific prevalence and incidence of cardiovascular disease in Western Australia. European journal of preventive cardiology, 25(12), 1280-1290.