Introduction
Before one can understand and be able to solve Waterville’s health woes, one has to consider the geographical and resource-based restraints that apply to the area. Waterville is a remote regional center whose deteriorating health status can be linked to several factors including personal and social issues. Others issues that are relevant to Waterville’s case are environmental and economic factors. In this specific scenario, there are three prevailing problems in Waterville; alcohol abuse, social-cultural tensions between the indigenous and non-indigenous populations, and the town’s location. This paper explores the ways through which the health status of Waterville can be improved.
Education
Waterville is a center for people with different levels of education. In addition, it is important to acknowledge that the efficiency of education depends on a joint effort between the Australian government, local authorities, and community development groups. Therefore, it would be a prudent gesture to develop an educational curriculum that takes into consideration the cultural practices and social ideals of the majority groups in Waterville. Furthermore, non-governmental organizations that focus on small areas would help alleviate the levels of education in the remote areas of Waterville. Having sufficient education raises literacy levels among the rural population thereby increasing their health awareness. The National Rural Health Alliance of Australia notes that ignoring the educational plight of the people living in remote areas is a misinformed strategy (Dixon & Welch, 2000).
Employment and Economy
Another approach that can be used when improving the health status of Waterville is focusing on its residents’ employment opportunities. First, there is a need to enforce and increase the support of existing community-development employment schemes as a means of encouraging the general population to take up and develop feasible business ventures. This approach is the most cost-effective means of reducing unemployment and enhancing the wellbeing of both the indigenous and non-indigenous populations within the community. The rural Australian factsheet notes that unemployment increases the risk of premature deaths. This risk is commonly manifested through suicide and heart-related problems that are prevalent among young people, especially men (National Rural Health Alliance, 2009).
The rate of employment usually determines the level of economic independence in a certain area. On the other hand, the economic independence of individuals is directly related to their health status. Most of the studies that have been conducted on Australia’s health status indicate that the wellbeing of the people living in Metropolitan Australia is better than that of those in rural areas. Furthermore, there are some economic problems that only affect rural Australia. For instance, most commercial establishments in rural areas rely on the economic boom and bust sequences. These sequences are mostly dictated by the performance of international markets and weather patterns. Most stakeholders in the rural communities are aware of the economic shortcomings of such areas. Therefore, the health status of Waterville could benefit from programs that are aimed at subsidizing unemployment levels and other economic downturns. The Australian government can collaborate with local groups in the formulation of programs that can cushion Waterville residents from high unemployment rates and sudden changes in the economic environment. However, in the past non-governmental organizations’ programs have been more successful than government initiatives (Department of Health, 2014). Achieving economic independence enables residents to be able to maintain their health and at the same time keep up their health-insurance remittances.
Access to services
The significance of Waterville’s Geographical location when considering the town’s health status cannot be ignored. The isolation of the area can make it hard for the town’s population to access specialized treatment from other major urban centers. Poor infrastructure and poor transport systems could also contribute to delays when seeking medical attention. The burden of bridging Waterville’s isolation gap lies with both the area’s local governments and the Australian central government.
The level of psychosocial awareness in the rural areas has also been found to be wanting. Non-governmental organizations, community wellness advocates, and other government agencies should encourage Waterville residents to change their attitude towards counseling services and seek preventive health services. This approach would ensure that the residents maintain high-level personal health statuses. Furthermore, community-health stakeholders should create awareness among Waterville residents and educate them on the need to maintain good health by seeking professional services
Other Initiatives
Increasing health centers that offer primary healthcare in Waterville can promote the health status of the area. In addition, increasing the medical services’ workforce by initiating financial support and scholarship schemes offered to medical and health students from the region would be beneficial to Waterville. The latter approach would ensure that students from Waterville return to the area and serve their community.
The introduction of retention payments to medical providers based on the length of service they have offered to the community can also improve the health outlook of Waterville. This kind of incentive will help in retaining the existing general practitioners and assist in enhancing the stability of medical services in the region. Enhancing the knowledge levels of existing health practitioners by linking their practices to health-service centers and hospitals would also yield good results.
References
Department of Health. (2014). Australian Government 2013-14 Health and Ageing Portfolio Budget Statements. Web.
Dixon, J., & Welch, N. (2000). Researching the rural–metropolitan health differential using the ‘social determinants of health’. Australian Journal of Rural Health, 8(5), 254-260.
National Rural Health Alliance. (2009). Fact Sheet 15: Rural Australia. Web.