The Medical journal of Australia
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The aim of the National Health Priority Area (NHPA) initiative is to promote cooperation between government and non-government organisations to monitor, report on and develop strategies to improve health outcomes for Australians. The seven existing NHPAs (cancer control, injury prevention and control, cardiovascular health, mental health, diabetes mellitus, asthma and musculoskeletal conditions) were selected on the basis of their profound burden on the health of Australians. Up to eighty per cent of Australians will experience back pain at some point in their lives and 10% will experience significant disability as a result. ⋯ A disadvantage of making back pain an NHPA is the risk that back pain management could become further medicalised and ineffective interventions could become more accepted. Coordinated action on back pain is needed, and integrating back pain into the NHPA framework is one solution. Informed decision making through consultation with key stakeholders is a necessary first step towards ensuring that favourable outcomes are achieved.
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Comparative Study
Adverse outcomes of labour in public and private hospitals in Australia: a population-based descriptive study.
To compare the rate of serious adverse perinatal outcomes of term labour between private and public maternity hospitals in Australia. ⋯ For women delivering a single baby at term in Australia, the prevalence of adverse perinatal outcomes is higher in public hospitals than in private hospitals.