NHPA’s

What are they? National Health Priority Areas (NHPAs) are diseases and conditions chosen for focused attention at a national level because of their significant contribution to the burden of illness and injury in the Australian community. The eight NHPAs identified for particular attention are: Arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions Asthma Cancer control Cardiovascular health Diabetes mellitus Injury prevention and control Mental health Obesity.

What is the government doing to improve Australia’s health? The Commonwealth and the States have agreed to a Health Prevention National Partnership, with the Commonwealth providing funding of $448.1 million over four years, and $872.1 million over six years starting from to improve the health of all Australians. This funding could support the following elements: increased access to services for children to increase physical activity and improved nutrition; provision of incentives for workplaces and local communities to provide physical activity and other risk modification and healthy living programs; increased public awareness of the risks associated with lifestyle behaviour and its links to chronic disease; a national social marketing campaign; and enabling infrastructure, including a national preventative health agency, surveillance program, workforce audit, eating disorders collaboration, partnerships with industry and a preventative health research fund, leading to better oversight and research into prevention, leading to improved outcomes.

What is the government doing to improve Australia’s health? This funding will lead to reductions in the proportion of people who smoke, are at unhealthy bodyweight, and/or do not meet national guidelines for physical activity and healthy eating. Specifically, governments commit to: increase the proportion of adults and children with healthy body weight, reduce rates of obesity and avert new cases of diabetes in adults each year; increase the proportion of children and adults meeting national guidelines for physical activity and healthy eating; and reduce the proportion of adults smoking daily, averting premature deaths and ameliorating costs.

Why is Cardiovascular disease a NHPA? Cardiovascular disease is the largest cause of premature death in Australia. Although death rates for cardiovascular disease have declined considerably in recent decades, it continues to be one of the biggest health problems requiring attention in Australia. Its health and economic burden continues to exceed that of any other disease. Improved treatment and management of risk factors for cardiovascular disease may also result in the burden of death and disability to shift to older age groups. This age-associated shift in disease focus, in combination with growing number of older Australians, is likely to add considerably to health care costs over the next several decades. This will also require a stronger focus on the prevention of disability and enhancement of the quality of life in the ageing population, in addition to the continued emphasis on avoiding premature mortality.

Why is Cardiovascular disease a NHPA The major, preventable risk factors for cardiovascular disease are: tobacco smoking high blood pressure high blood cholesterol insufficient physical activity overweight and obesity poor nutrition diabetes.

Why is cancer a NHPA? Cancer has a major impact on the Australian community, in terms of morbidity, mortality and costs. In 2004, more than 488,000 new cases of cancer were diagnosed in Australia. About 390,000 of these cancers were of less threatening types of non-melanocytic skin cancers (NMSC). Based on current incidence, it is estimated that 1 in 3 males and 1 in 4 females in Australia will be directly affected by cancer (excluding NMSC) before the age of 75. More than one-third (34%) of all persons who died in 2005 had a malignant cancer. There were 38,838 deaths directly attributed to cancer (21,860 males and 16,978 females), and a further 5,361 had a malignant cancer as a secondary cause of death. Of deaths caused directly by cancer, lung cancer accounted for 22% of all cancer deaths among males, followed by prostate cancer (14%) and colorectal cancer (11%). Breast cancer (16%) and lung cancer (16%) were the leading causes of cancer deaths in females, followed by colorectal cancer (11%).

Health promotions for NHPA’s Cancer control: Pink Ribbon day, Relay for life, Daffodil day CVD: The heart foundation tick Obesity: 2 & 5 ( 2 fruit and 5 veg), Measure Up