CATEGORY 1: How Healthy Are Australians? (KIQ: How healthy are Australians? — health status data, mortality/morbidity, life expectancy)
100 points Q: What is the epidemiological term for "the number of deaths in a population"?
A: Mortality
Q: Name the five population groups identified in the syllabus as experiencing health inequities in Australia.
A: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, socioeconomically disadvantaged people, rural and remote communities, culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) populations, and people with disability
Q: What is Medicare, and how is it funded?
A: Australia's universal public health insurance scheme, funded by the Medicare Levy (part of income tax) and general taxation
Q: Name two examples of digital health technologies used in Australia.
A: Any two of: Telehealth, My Health Record, mobile health apps, wearable devices, ePrescriptions
Q: What does "SDG" stand for, and how many goals make up the United Nations' 2030 Agenda?
A: Sustainable Development Goals; 17 goals
Q:According to AIHW (2023), what is the leading cause of death for Australian males, and what is the leading cause of death for Australian females?
A: Males — coronary heart disease; Females — dementia
Q: What health inequities are commonly experienced by people living in rural and remote communities?
A: Greater incidence of chronic illness, injury and suicide, and reduced access to specialists/health services
Q: Explain the difference between "equality" and "equity" of access to healthcare.
A: Equality means everyone receives the same healthcare; equity means fairness — ensuring people with different needs and circumstances can access care that meets those needs (e.g. rural Australians may need telehealth to achieve the same outcomes as people in cities)
Q: What is "big data" in a healthcare context, and name two sources it is collected from.
A: The vast and complex health-related information collected from multiple sources; examples include electronic health records, Medicare/PBS data, wearable devices, population health surveys, genomic data, hospital statistics (any two sources)
Q: Which SDG focuses on "Good Health and Wellbeing," and give one Australian example of it being applied.
A: SDG 3; examples include free vaccination programs, mental health initiatives (e.g. Beyond Blue), or Indigenous health strategies (e.g. Closing the Gap)
Q: Name the major causes of morbidity for the general population in Australia (AIHW, 2024).
A: Cancer, mental health conditions and substance use disorders, musculoskeletal conditions, cardiovascular diseases, and neurological conditions
Q: Give one statistic that demonstrates the health gap between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and non-Indigenous Australians.
A: Any one of: 2.3 times the burden of disease; infant mortality rate almost twice as high; rates of psychological distress 2.5 times higher; life expectancy approximately 8 years lower
Q: Identify the three levels of government responsible for Australia's health system and give one example of each one's role.
A: Federal (funds Medicare, PBS, public hospitals), State/Territory (deliver services like emergency care, mental health, community health), Local (environmental health services e.g. food safety inspections, water quality monitoring)
Q: Give one way that big data is being used to reduce healthcare spending in Australia.
A: Any one of: identifying effective treatments to avoid wasteful/duplicate procedures; helping government target investment where it has the greatest impact; supporting earlier, lower-cost interventions; streamlining patient care to reduce delays and errors
Q: Which SDG relates to "Reduced Inequalities," and what well-known Australian campaign is an example of this goal in action?
A: SDG 10; the Closing the Gap campaign, which aims to reduce health, education and economic inequalities between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous Australians
Q: What was Australia's combined (male and female) life expectancy in 2023, and what overall trend is life expectancy showing?
A: 83.2 years; life expectancy continues to improve over time for all Australians, with a more pronounced improvement for First Nations people
Q: Identify two causes that underpin health inequities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples
A: Any two of: historical disadvantage and colonisation (dispossession, intergenerational trauma), lower education/employment levels, overcrowded or inadequate housing, limited access to culturally safe health services, systemic racism and discrimination
Q: What proportion of Australia's total health expenditure goes toward prevention, and what does this reveal about the balance between healthcare and prevention spending?
A: Only around 1.5%; Australia spends a much larger proportion on treatment and acute care (e.g. hospital admissions) than on prevention (e.g. health promotion, screening)
Q: What measures need to be taken to protect the privacy and confidentiality of personal health information in a big-data healthcare system?
A: De-identification, data governance and regulation, access controls, cybersecurity systems, and public awareness and consent
Q: Identify one strength and one area of concern in Australia's health status compared to other OECD countries.
A: Strength (e.g. life expectancy, infant mortality, cancer survival, smoking rates) — Concern (e.g. obesity, mental health, alcohol use, or health inequities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, rural/remote, or disadvantaged populations)
Q: Explain the difference between "incidence" and "prevalence," and give an example of how each might be used when analysing a chronic condition.
A: Incidence = the number of NEW cases of a condition in a given period; Prevalence = the TOTAL number of people living with a condition at a given time (e.g. incidence of new cancer diagnoses per year vs. prevalence of people currently living with cancer)
Q: Explain how social justice and health promotion work together to reduce health inequities.
A: Social justice improves health inequities by ensuring fairness through equity, access, participation and rights; health promotion reduces inequities by addressing the determinants of health, empowering individuals and communities, and using culturally appropriate, community-driven strategies
Q: What is complementary healthcare, and give two examples of complementary products or services.
A: Non-mainstream health practices used alongside (not instead of) conventional medical treatment, focused on physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing; examples include acupuncture, naturopathy, massage therapy, chiropractic care, herbal remedies, or vitamins/supplements (any two)
Q: Identify one success and one limitation of digital health in connecting Australia's health information.
A: Success (e.g. My Health Record has over 23 million users; telehealth access improved significantly during COVID-19, especially in rural/remote areas) — Limitation (e.g. My Health Record is underused/inconsistently updated by some health professionals; not all services are fully integrated; some patients and providers lack digital skills or reliable internet access)
Using either Japan or Sweden as an example, explain one strategy from another OECD country that could be applied to improve the health status of an Australian community.
A: Japan — a diet low in saturated fat and high in vegetables/fish, combined with a strong culture of physical activity, contributes to one of the highest life expectancies in the world. Sweden — addresses health equity through universal childcare, education and progressive taxation. (Either explanation is acceptable.)