Early Public Health Career Network Workshop APACPH, 19 th Nov Dr John Hall Senior Lecturer School of Public Health University of Sydney

2. Demography Main features of the Australian population: - Concentrated in Eastern / SE corner of the continent. -Low population growth rate. -Small families. -Growth is from in-migration -An ageing population.

2. Demography (cntd) 20 million people in % live in cities of >1 mill. (1996). 18% live in rural areas. (1996) 16% people not born in Australia, UK or Ireland. (1996) 386,000 Indigenous Australians. (1996)

Summary of the State of Health of Australians -Change from infectious diseases to non- communicable disease (cardiovascular, stroke, myocardial infarction, diabetes, cancer, mental health) -Risk factors – sedentary life style, obesity, tobacco. -Aging population -Indigenous Australians

Indigenous Australians Made up 386,000 of Australian population of 20 mill. Have worst health status in Australia.

Indigenous Australians In the Far West of NSW: -Average age of death of Aboriginal males is 33 year (78 years for white males). -Alcohol deaths for Aboriginal males are 8 times the national average. -Blindness is 10 times the national average. -Teenage pregnancy is 16 times the national average. -Have the highest incidence of lung cancer, premature births and STIs in NSW. -Have the highest rates of death from heart disease, diabetes, injury, suicide and homicide in NSW.

Public Health Workforce in Australia Risk factor modification – behaviour change - tobacco, exercise, diet. Evidence based interventions – population screening for cancer? Indigenous health. Ageing health.

School of Public Health, The University of Sydney MPH – key Public health issues in Australia. M.Clin.Epi. – evidence based decisions. MIPH – key Public Health issues in resource poor and transition settings. - since 2000, 107 enrolments – China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Indonesia, PNG, Australia.