Victorian Public Health and Wellbeing Plan - Health Assignment Help

Assignment Task
 

Introduction:
This report will begin with a summary of the Victorian Public health and Wellbeing plan 2019 to 2023. Subsequently there will be an inclusion of a description and explanation of all the health priorities mainly focusing on improving mental wellbeing. The target groups from the chosen plan will be incorporated primarily focusing on First Nation Australians. Following this, the report will continue to elaborate on what actions are in place to achieve this health priority and focus on the reason the plan targets specific groups. The report will continue by detailing 3 respective Dahlgren and Whiteheads (1991) determinants of health and how they impact the mental health and wellbeing of the First Nations. These determinants of health include unemployment, agriculture and food production and access to health care, specifically mental health care services. Conclusively, there will include an exploration into a health initiative, “Koori Mental Health Project at The Royal Children’s Hospital” and how it addresses sustainably improving mental wellbeing for First Nations.
 

Part 1:
The Victorian Public health and Wellbeing plan 2019-2023 is an inclusive, dynamic and broad approach to deliver improved public health and wellbeing outcomes for all Victorians (Department of Health & Human Services, 2019). The plan targets and serves all Victorians, involving constant community consultation, with the purpose of achieving “a Victoria free of avoidable burden of disease and injury” and allowing Victorian’s to “enjoy the highest attainable standards of health”. (Department of Health & Human Services, 2019). The plan was formulated under the Department of Health and Human Services, alongside multiple communities within Victoria and was legislated under the Victoria’s Public Health and Wellbeing Act in 2008 and evaluated throughout the 4 years (Department of Health & Human Services, 2019). The priority areas of the plan include:
tackling climate change and its impact on health
reducing injury
preventing all forms of violence and increasing healthy eating
decreasing the risk of drug-resistant infections in the community
increasing active living
improving mental wellbeing
improving sexual and reproductive health
reducing tobacco-related harm
reducing harmful alcohol and drug use.
Dahlgren and Whitehead (1991) define the determinants of health as “economic, environmental and social inequalities”, that regulate an individuals’ risk of getting ill, preventing infection, or their access to effectual treatments (Dahlgren-Whitehead rainbow, 2021). The determinants of health include socio-economic, environmental conditions, community networks, individual lifestyle factors and biological factors that impact individual’s health and wellbeing. (Dahlgren-Whitehead rainbow, 2021).
There is a diverse amount of population groups targeted in the plan, serving all Victorians. These include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, people with physical or intellectual disability, refugees and people seeking asylum, people experiencing or at risk of homelessness, people living with a serious mental illness (Department of Health & Human Services, 2019). They also include children in out-of-home care, people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and gender diverse, intersex, and queer and/or questioning (LGBTIQ), people from culturally diverse communities and people living in rural, regional and remote areas (Department of Health & Human Services, 2019). There is a significant target focus for specific groups because each community is diverse with different requirements and “good health and wellbeing is not equally distributed across the population” (Department of Health & Human Services, 2019). By targeting specific groups, it allows for a sustainable and efficient assistance to these groups
 

Part 2:
Improving mental wellbeing is a significant priority from the Victorian Public health and Wellbeing plan 2019-2023. Mental health is an essential component of Victorian’s lives influencing the social, cultural and economic factors (Department of Health & Human Services, 2019). The impact of mental health upon Victorians is vast with 45% of Victorians experiencing a mental health condition within their lifetime (Department of Health & Human Services, 2019).
In order to target improved mental wellbeing, there is a variety of actions in place to focus on. The actions have focus areas to target improving mental wellbeing through increasing resilience among the Victorian communities, families and individuals (Department of Health & Human Services, 2019). By increasing resilience, confidence and comfortability, this can benefit individuals dealing with daily hardships and sustainably reduce the prevalence of mental illness and increase overall wellbeing. An additional focus is on reducing loneliness and increasing social connectedness for at risk groups. By doing so, this can possibly increase levels of social wellbeing and prompt individuals to feel more comfortable in their surroundings and within their community, improving mental health and wellbeing (Department of Health & Human Services, 2019). Following this, aiming to reduce the gap in suicide rates between vulnerable groups and the general population will significantly target improving mental wellbeing (Department of Health & Human Services, 2019). Focusing on reducing suicide ideation and attempts will benefit individuals through targeting external factors to improve their quality of life, health and wellbeing (Department of Health & Human Services, 2019).
The target and high-risk group of First Nations Australians living in Victoria
require a significant focus on improving mental wellbeing. Based on the Australian
Bureau of Statistics, First Nation Australians psychological distress was 2.3 times the
rate of non-indigenous Australians (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2019). First Nation Australians have a notable connection to the land, culture, spirituality and ancestry (Australian institute of health and welfare, 2020). Though, also have to constantly handle the overwhelming grief and trauma of past destruction of their communities (Mental Health Commission, 2014). Following this, First Nations Australian’s feel disrespected and misunderstood by non-indigenous Australians and this can negatively impact their mental health and wellbeing (Mental Health Commission, 2014).
 

Part 3:
Unemployment is a determinant of health that negatively impacts the mental wellbeing of First Nations Australians. It is outlined as an individual who during a particular period is “not employed for one hour or more” (Parliament of Australia," 2021). This significantly at-risk group has an unemployment rate of 16% (Tomyn et al., 2016). With an average income 2/3 of non-indigenous Australians (Tomyn et al., 2016). This economic disproportion is due to social inequalities between First Nations Australians and Non-indigenous Australians (Ketheesan et al., 2020). Furthermore, this can negatively influence the mental wellbeing of First Nations Australians. Following this, the financial stress and anxiety of unemployment consequently overlaps with other factors such as access to health care and food security, making it a substantially negative and consistent influence on the mental wellbeing of First Nations Australians.
Agriculture and food production, specifically food insecurity, is a determinant of health that can significantly impact the mental wellbeing of First Nations Australians. Food security, defined as “constant economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food”, if not achieved can lead to increased stress, anxiety and reduced mental wellbeing for First Nations Australians (McKay et al. 2019). Furthermore, research shows that experiencing food insecurity for First Nations Australians is significantly associated with very high psychological distress (Cunningham & Paradies, 2012). There is a multitude of negative complications correlated with food insecurity. These include financially not being able to afford basic, nutritious food which can affect other risk factors such as obesity and/or malnutrition and cause further deterioration of mental wellbeing. These factors alongside the socio-demographic of First Nation’s Australians being in rural, remote and isolated areas can have a drastically adverse effect on the mental wellbeing and increase levels of helplessness and anxiety for communities.
Access to health care services specifically culturally appropriate mental health services is a determinant of health that positively impacts the mental wellbeing of First Nation Australians. The World Health Organisation outlined that a good health system is one that "delivers quality services to all people, when and where they need them" (WHO 2013a). Ensuring mental health services are implemented effectively and strategically within local First Nation Australian communities can ensure increased ability to target improved mental wellbeing (Reifels et al., 2014). Due to the violent, criminal and overwhelming history experienced, miscommunication, hesitancy and distrust are traits prevalent within First Nations Australian communities towards western medicine and psychologists (Waterworth et al., 2015). Ensuring these services are promoted in a language easily understood by First Nation Australians alongside increased access to culturally appropriate, local mental health care services, can ensure that community members feel increasingly comfortable while explaining their stories (Waterworth et al., 2015). This can improve the quality of life, management of mental health disorders and improve the mental wellbeing of First Nation’s Australians (Waterworth et al., 2015).

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