Access to healthcare services and education amongst people with disability in Australia:
Access to healthcare services and education amongst people with disability in Australia:
Review of literature:Student number: 22075020
Student name: Heni Patel
Introduction:
The inclusion of people with disabilities in Australia has been a primary focus for the government and community on a large-scale. In the last few years, there has been a concerted effort to improve the involvement and support for people with disability in all areas of the community, including teaching, access to healthcare services, and community participation (Swartz L, 2019). There are numerous organizations in Australia that focus on empowerment for young people with disabilities, such as the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), which gives support and financial aid for people with disabilities so that they can engage in a range of activities. There are also many support groups that work to increase awareness of the needs and rights of people with disabilities, and to promote their involvement in all areas of the community (Swartz L, 2019).The health status of people with disability
According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) Report, published in 2020, young Australians aged 15-30 with disabilities have higher rates of chronic health status than their non-disabled peers. Without access to healthcare services, disabled people suffer from many health conditions such as further complications in relation to their condition as well as negative impacts on mental and emotional health. They are often not assessed in regular basis health check, thus increasing the cost of healthcare for such individuals. Data show that a lack of healthcare services impacts disabled people. Without these services, people aged 25-64 (8.9% or 150,000), are not able to see the general practitioner because of the high cost" (AIHW,2018). Additionally, a lack of education is a significant factor which impacts the health of disabled people. Without adequate education, disabled people are less likely to understand how to access support resources or and to gain the same employment opportunities as non-disabled people. This reduces the quality life significantly (AIHW, 2018). Statistics shows that more than three-quarters (77%), of non-school students with disability do not receive any support from their educational institution (AIHW, 2018). In addition, young Australians with disabilities face remarkable obstacles in being able to obtain healthcare services. Some issues include the price, accessibility, and an appropriate service. Social Determinants and the health impact on people with disability in Australia:Adequate access to healthcare services and education is an important element of improving the health of disabled individuals.
Access to Healthcare Services:
Access to healthcare services is an important part of improving the health status of people with disabilities. The healthcare caregiver must provide accessible and culturally appropriate healthcare services to people with disabilities (WHO,2023). This includes healthcare services which are physically available, provide transportation and language support, and teach the healthcare providers how to provide care to people with disabilities. This is important as according to research, disabled people are more likely to use the following healthcare services than non-disabled people: General Practitioners (93% compared with 82% of those without disability), medical specialists (58% compared with 26%), hospital emergency departments (20% compared with 10%), (ABS 2016a) (AIHW, 2018). However, the accessibility of the services and the care provided to disabled people is poor. Statistically only 47% of people aged 5-64 with disability who need health care assistance receive only informal assistance. (AIHW,2022). In addition, people aged 1564 with disability wait longer than they feel acceptable to get an appointment with a GP (AIHW, 2022). However, without access to healthcare services, people are suffering many health problems such as a high risk of developing a secondary condition, mental health problems (i.e., anxiety, depression), poor health outcomes which render individuals unable to daily activity. All of which ultimately reduces the quality life.
Education:An estimated 1 in 10 (10% or 380,000), school students in Australia have disability, and almost 1in18 (5.4% or 206,000) have severe or profound disability (AIHW, 2022). Thus, we can see the need for improved education for disabled people. Lack of education impacts disabled peoples ability to develop new skills and knowledge which in turn impacts their ability to gain employment. A lack of education also results in a lack of independence and a lack of self-esteem which may cause further mental health issues in the future. Both factors ultimately impact the health of disabled people as they are unable to afford medical care and are equipped with poor health literacy. Additionally, for people aged 15-64 who acquired disability before age 15, more than 1 in 5 (21% or 85,000), left school before age 16, compared with almost 1 in 4 (23% or 350,000), who acquired disability after age 15 and 1 in 11 (8.9% or 1.2 million) without disability (AIHW,2018). Thus, education has the ability to improve the health outcomes for individuals with disability (AHSIS, 2023).
Interaction between access to healthcare services and education for people with disability
Both access to healthcare services and education are social determinants which impact the health of disabled people, however, both often work in synergy. Education about healthcare services and how to access them can improve the utilization of healthcare services among people with disabilities. This can be particularly important for those living in remote or rural areas, who may face barriers to accessing healthcare service (AIHW, 2018). Education about health-related issues, such as chronic disease management, medication management, and healthy lifestyle choices, can improve health literacy of people with disabilities. This, in turn, can lead to better health outcomes and improved quality of life (AIHW,2018). Education about specialized care for people with disabilities, such as assistive technology or physical therapy, can improve the health outcomes of individuals with disabilities (Healthy People, 2030).Thus, education is a significant social determinant which impacts disabled peoples ability to access healthcare services and manage their condition. Additionally, providing education without adequate healthcare services would impact the disabled students ability to learn as poor healthcare can lead to secondary condition, poor confidence and issues pertaining to mental health. Providing education without adequate access to healthcare services can also be detrimental to the health of disabled individuals as they may face unacceptable waiting times for health appointments, increased costs, informal care, more frequent hospitalization, etc (AIHW, 2018). Thus, both social determinants need to be addressed in order to improve health outcomes for disabled people. Conclusion:
In conclusion, improving access to health services and education, would improve the health outcomes of people with disabilities in Australia (AIHW,2018). Communication between healthcare providers and educators can lead to standard, flexible, quality and effective care, improved access to resources and education, and advocacy for policy changes that address the social determinants of health (WHO,2023). Healthcare providers and educators can better the provision of healthcare and education through from training and capacity development programs that a focal point on disability inclusion and health equity, ultimately improving the health of disabled individuals.
Assessment 2 - Addressing Health Inequalities for Disabled People
To improve health outcomes for disabled people, improving the healthcare services and education standard is necessary. Barriers in accessing healthcare services and education is a major cause of inequality for the disabled population group (AIHW, 2020).
Policy and implication:
Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA): This DDA act aims to provide legal protection for everyone in Australia against discrimination based on disability. This DDA act allows people with a disability to gain employment, education, goods and services, etc (Australian Human Rights Commission, 2015). The Act also specifically improves their access to healthcare services (Disability Rights Commission, 2018). However, while the DDA provides legal protection for the population group, enforcing the law is often challenging at times which brings into question the efficacy of this policy.
Education Policy Australian Federation of Disability Organisations (AFDO, 2013): This framework has an explicit goal for children and young people with disability to be provided with equality in opportunities, better learning and adequate support. The aim is to enable children with disability to grow into adults with a capacity for strong social and economic participation (Disability Inclusive Education, 2019). The policy, however, is difficult to implement as it requires a great degree of collaboration between stakeholders, i.e. educators, parents, etc.
Our Disability Day Programs (DDP): The program involves having hubs where programs and activities are specifically designed for people with disabilities, to learn practical life skills in an encouraging, supportive environment (Elaine Hill, 2019). At these hubs they can learn something new like cooking or how to use a computer. This program helps participants develop basic skills which enable them to become independent and confident (DRC,2018). The limitation, however, is that such the Disability Day Programs have limited resources, funding, staff or equipment. This would limit range of services offered and the skills taught.
Recommendations for Action
According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 47% of people aged 564 with disability who need health care assistance receive only informal assistance and 21% of school students with disability need more support than they currently receive (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2022). Thus, sensitising and providing specialised training to professionals is an ideal way to mitigate the impact of social determinants on disabled individuals. This statement would include specialised training for healthcare professionals as well as educators, so they can better account for the needs of disabled people (AIHW,2018). The quality of services and expertise can be improved by offering incentives for healthcare workers and teachers to participate and specialise in disability-related training.
How the recommendation will address the issues faced by people with disability:
Having well-trained professionals who can provide specialised healthcare services to disabled people will improve the patients access to personalised healthcare services catered towards their disability rather than generalised advice and care which may be of poor quality. Being able to receive personalised care ensures that the overall health of patients improves as patients are provided with the necessary treatment and are equipped with more knowledge on how to manage their condition. It also ensures that there is a greater degree of understanding between the healthcare worker and the patient, as specialised training allows the workers to better understand the needs and concerns of the patient (AHRC, 2015). Having educators specialise in providing education to disabled students will also improve the level of education such students receive, which will consequently improve their employment opportunities, quality of life, etc. Specialised education ensures more equitable learning outcomes for disabled people as they are able to receive the same level of knowledge, despite the wide range of various disabilities, students may face (AIHC, 2015). Having a trained educator will also ensure improved communication with students which will ensure any student concerns are addressed.
Academic integrity and honestyBy submitting my assessment, I declare that:This assessment item is entirely my own original work, except where I have cited or acknowledged the use of source material such as the World health organization, the Australian institute of Health and Welfare, various research websites, PubMed, online journal article, various government policy and reports, use the various materials provided by the University library, the internet or the contribution of other identified persons. I collected the information about basic guidelines for policy and program and social determinants that I have mentioned. I have presented my own ideas and original material, except where acknowledgement has been given to researchers. I also contacted the library online. I have used the American Psychological Association (APA-7) reference style in my assessment. This academic integrity follows the University Academic policy or guidelines. Moreover, I was in contact with the peer group and my tutor also helped me with any queries I had.Reference:
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