Communicable disease control | This category includes all activities associated with the development and implementation of prevention and education programs to prevent the spread of communicable diseases.
Expenditure on communicable disease control includes for example - HIV/AIDS, hepatitis C and sexually transmitted infections
- Needle and syringe programs
- Other communicable disease control.
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Selected health promotion | This category includes activities that are delivered on a population-wide basis that foster healthy lifestyle and a healthy social environment, and health promotion activities that target risk factors to reduce the chance of developing disease for example skin cancer from lack of protection from the sun, or cardiovascular disease that may be related to poor diet or inactivity. Selected health promotion includes activities that encourage a change in behaviour to result in a healthier lifestyle. The underlying criterion for the inclusion of health promotion programs within this category is that they are population health programs promoting health and wellbeing such as: - Public health nutrition
- Exercise and physical activity
- Personal hygiene
- Mental health awareness promotion
- Sun exposure and protection including shade structures
- Injury prevention including suicide prevention
- Gambling minimisation measures
- Organised population health screening of heart disease and diabetes risk factors.
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Organised immunisation | This category includes immunisation against communicable diseases provided within a range of settings including GP practices, school immunisation programs, immunisation education, public awareness, immunisation databases and information systems. Examples include the following: - Organised immunisation for children aged 0-4 years under the National Immunisation Program to protect them against 13 diseases
- Organised pneumococcal and influenza immunisation – the target groups
- COVID-19 vaccination
- HPV vaccination for adolescents and young adults, particularly those aged 12-13, as part of the National Immunisation Program. The vaccine is typically delivered through school-based programs and is free for those aged 9 to 25
- All other organised immunisation (for example tetanus)—as opposed to ad hoc or opportunistic immunisation.
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Environmental health | This category relates to: - health protection education (for example, safe chemical storage, water pollutants)
- expert advice on specific environmental issues
- development of standards
- risk management
- public health aspects of environmental health protection.
The costs of monitoring and regulating are to be included where costs are borne by a regulatory agency and principally have a public health focus (for example, radiation safety, and pharmaceutical regulation and safety). |
Food standards and hygiene | This category includes the development, review and implementation of food standards, regulations and legislation as well as the testing of food by the regulatory agency. |
Screening programs | This category includes the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program, BreastScreen Australia Program, National Cervical Screening Program, Lung Cancer Screening Program and the Newborn Bloodspot Screening Program. Bowel cancer screening relates to the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (NBCSP). The screening pathway includes self-administered home-based tests for eligible people across Australia who mail results in for analysis, the assessment/diagnostic service and program management.Breast cancer screening includes the complete breast cancer screening pathway through an organised program. The breast cancer screening pathway includes such activities as client recruitment, screen taking, screen reading, assessment including all relevant diagnostic services, service management and program management. Cervical screening relates to the national cervical screening program and rural access programs, including coordination, provision of screens and assessment services. Cervical screening, funded through Medicare, for both screening and diagnostic services is also included. The screening program uses low-dose computed tomography (low-dose CT) scans to look for lung cancer in high-risk people without any symptoms. Healthcare providers offer bloodspot screening for all babies born in Australia. This simple test identifies babies at risk of becoming seriously ill from a rare condition. Screening aims to improve the health of these babies by allowing early intervention. |
Prevention of hazardous and harmful drug use | This category includes activities targeted at the general population with the aim of reducing the overuse or abuse of alcohol, tobacco, E-cigarettes/vaping, illicit and other drugs of dependence, and mixed drugs. The Australian Standard Classification of Drugs of Concern includes analgesics, sedatives and hypnotics, stimulants and hallucinogens, anabolic agents and selected hormones, antidepressants and anti-psychotics, and miscellaneous drugs of concern. |
Public health research | Public health research focuses on investigating and addressing health-related issues and concerns at the population level. Its primary goal is to improve the health and well-being of communities and societies by understanding the factors that influence health, preventing diseases and injuries, and promoting healthy behaviours and policies. Research findings are used to inform public health policies, interventions, and programs designed to improve population health. |
Public health n.f.d | Comprises public health services that could be a combination of the above public health categories, but which could not be further disaggregated. |
