How can Australians live healthier and happier for longer? The Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences (AAHMS) has released a report on actions that can help.
Almost 40% of Australia’s burden of disease is preventable, and estimates show that every dollar invested in preventive health saves over $14 in health care and related costs.i
The expert report calls on the government, sector and funders to build a robust preventative health system by: improving health literacy, increasing investment in health, and expanding the responsibilities of the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) to formally cover preventative health.
Academy President Professor Louise Baur said an effective preventive health system is needed to improve the wellbeing of individuals, relieve the strain on hospitals, and reduce the need for expensive, emissions-intensive treatments.
“Nearly half of Australians of all ages have one or more chronic conditions such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, or lung disease,” she said.ii
“As the leading body representing the health and medical sciences community, the Academy was encouraged by the government’s launch of the National Preventive Health Strategy in 2021.
“However, successful implementation of the Strategy will require progress in key priority areas such as leadership, governance, and funding, research and evaluation, partnerships, and community engagement.”
Professor Baur said the Academy report presents the findings of its 2023 roundtable exploring the actions needed to advance preventive health measures in Australia.
“The collective expertise of roundtable participants spanned cardiovascular health, nutrition, child and adolescent health, public health, health equity, implementation science, mental health and health policy,” she said.
“Despite some progress since the roundtable, for example in skin cancer screening and Australian Prevention Partnership Centre (TAPPC) research funding, there remains a critical need for a more robust and coordinated approach to fully implement the National Preventive Health Strategy by 2030.”
The Academy’s report on the future of preventive health can be read here.
Media: AAHMS Head of Media and Communication Katie Rowney,
[email protected] or P: 07 3102 7212 M: +61 (0) 419 787 551