Population groups

Page content: Adolescent health | Childhood health and development | Gay and lesbian health | Healthy ageing | Koori and Indigenous health | Men's health promotion | Multicultural health | Women's health & wellbeing

Department of Human Services recognises the need to develop, support and promote public health and prevention and promotion strategies based on the health needs of particular population groups, defined in terms of lifecycle stage, gender, cultural and linguistic diversity and other key socio-biological factors.

This section is a gateway into key publications and websites based on population groups.

Adolescent health

Evidence-based health promotion: resources for planning. No. 2 Adolescent health (May 2000)

The Australian Clearinghouse for Youth Studies (ACYS) provides information and services for those working in the youth field. The site also offers a monthly online newsletter and extensive resources related to adolescent health.

The Gatehouse Project is a research project aimed at promoting emotional wellbeing of young people in schools. The project has been conducted by the Centre for Adolescent Health in Victorian secondary schools since 1996.

For further resources including information on the DHS secondary school nursing program visit the School Nursing Program website.

Childhood health and development

Best Start web site.

The health of young Victorians - October 1998 downloadable from the Health Status of Victorians website.

The Positive Spin website looks at proactive approaches to the mental health of children and young people.

Department of Human Services (2001) Best start for children: summary of the evidence based underlying investment in the early years, prepared by Centre for Community Child Health, Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne. Further information is available from the Child Health Record website.

For further information on the DHS Primary School Nursing Program visit the School Nursing Program website.

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Gay and lesbian health

Ministerial Advisory Committee on Gay and Lesbian Health website.

What’s the difference? health issues of major concern to gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex (GLBTI) Victorians downloadable from the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Gay and Lesbian Health (MACGLH) website.

Gay and Lesbian Health Victoria website.

Healthy ageing

Well for Life
The Well for Life program aims to improve the health and wellbeing of frail older people in aged care settings by improving nutrition and increasing levels of physical activity.

Well for Life - Improving nutrition and physical activity for older people at home
This kit is an intiative of Public Health and Aged Care. It has been developed for staff of primary health and community service organisations who are responsible for the care of older people living at home. It addresses the nutritional and physical activity issues of older people living at home and their carers.

Improving Care for Older People website.

The Wellness Guide for Carers available from the Deakin University website.

Making this the age to be in Victoria: a forward agenda for senior Victorians (2002) downloadable from the Office of Senior Victorians website.

Active living: getting better with age - activity options for older people available from the Aged Care in Victoria website.

Evidence-based health promotion: resources for planning. No. 3 Falls prevention (2001)

Preventing Falls Among Older People website at

• Aged Care in Victoria website.
• Monash University - Business and Economics website.

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
Obesity Trends in Older Adults

Active for Life
Practical information about physical activity

Better Health Channel
Topics -> Life stages -> Seniors
Includes articles on healthy ageing

HealthInsite
HealthInsite is an Australian Government initiative, funded by the Department of Health and Ageing. It aims to improve the health of Australians by providing easy access to quality information about human health. Lifestyle -> Exercise, Fitness & Sport -> Exercise -> Exercise & Older people. Includes links to: Facts on the benefits of exercise (NHMRC Report), Walking tips for seniors & benefits of walking and Media releases.

International Council on Active Ageing
The ICAA is dedicated to changing the way we age by uniting professionals in the retirement, assisted living, fitness, rehabilitation, and wellness fields to help dispel society's myths about aging. It aims to help these professionals to empower aging baby boomers and older adults to improve their quality of life and maintain their dignity.

Active for Life
Active for Life® (AFL) (Canada) has been established to learn how to deliver research-based physical activity programs to large numbers of mid-life and older adults, and to sustain such programs through existing community institutions.

The Coalition for Active Living
The Coalition for Active Living in Canada Coalition is made up of hundreds of groups, organizations and individuals committed to making sure that the environments where we live, learn, work and play support regular physical activity.

In motion
In motion is a health promotion strategy from Canada designed to make regular physical activity a part of every day life. Includes a focus on “older adults”

Active Living Coalition for Older Adults
The Active Living Coalition for Older Adults (ALCOA) strives to promote a society where all older Canadians are leading active lifestyles that contribute to their overall well-being.

National Institute on Ageing (America)
The NIA’s mission is to improve the health and well-being of older Americans through research.

Active Living by Design (America)
Promoting environments that offer choices for Active Living, a way of life that integrates physical activity into daily routines. You can download a range of “active living” resources.

American Society on Aging
The American Society on Aging has created strategies and materials to enhance the capacity of national, state and local organizations in serving the health promotion and disease prevention needs of older adults.

Canadian Centre for Activity and Aging
Canadian Centre for Activity and Aging aims to develop, encourage and promote an active, healthy lifestyle for Canadian adults that will enhance the dignity of the ageing process.

National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (USA)
- Nutrition and Physical Activity Program
Contains wide ranging information on:
Programming
Community Resources
Research
Training initiatives

Active Aging Partnership (USA)
Includes:
Public information and aging tips (facts sheets) on such topics as exercising safely, reasons for inactivity.

Live Long and Live Well (USA)
Health Promotion & Disease Prevention for Older Adults
A range of web based health promotion resources targeting older adults
Live Long, Live Well Health Promotion module

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Koori and Indigenous health

DHS Koori Health Website
The DHS Koori Health website provides information on the Aboriginal health and welfare issues, Victorian and national data, and links to relevant Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and welfare publications and resources.

Aboriginal Health Promotion and Chronic Care Partnership (AHPACC) Partnership
The Aboriginal Health Promotion and Chronic Care (AHPACC) Partnership aims to increase the access by Aboriginal populations to culturally appropriate health care. The AHPACC Partnership will support Community Health Services (CHSs) and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs) to work collaboratively to improve health outcomes for Aboriginal Victorians with, or at risk of, chronic disease. The AHPACC Partnership webpage provides information, resources and useful links associated with the implementation of the Aboriginal Health Promotion and Chronic Care (AHPACC) Partnership.

Aboriginal Health Promotion and Chronic Care Partnership - Resource List (328kb, pdf)
The resource list provides are a number of links to data and best practice strategies on a range of health promotion, chronic disease prevention and management topics.

Australian Institute for Health & Welfare
Expenditures on health for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people 2001-2. Public expenditure on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health.

Aust. Centre for Economic Policy Research (2005) (523kb, pdf)
The above document is available from The Australian National University website.
Health status of indigenous and non indigenous Australians.

Social Justice Report 2006
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner (April 2007).

Men's health promotion

Men's health promotion: developing an intersectoral strategic framework (2001).

Australian health inequalities: trends in male mortality by broad occupational group.

Multicultural health

A range of resources from the Victorian Office of Multicultural Affairs including Access to information about government services among culturally and linguistically diverse audiences (2001), Valuing cultural diversity (2002), Victorian multicultural resources directory 2002–03 (3rd ed.) downloadable from the Victorian Office of Multicultural Affairs website.

Action on Disability within Ethnic Communities Inc. (2003) The better ethnic access to services kit: a resource for primary care partnerships is downloadable from the PCP website (under publications). A range of information is also available from the Action on Disability within Ethnic Communities website.

The Centre for Culture Ethnicity and Health serves to enhance, develop and support the capacity of Victorian health care agencies and staff to provide high quality services to a culturally and linguistically diverse community. Check out their resources at the Centre for Culture Ethnicity and Health website.

The Ethnic Communities' Council of Victoria is the peak non-government body representing the views of ethnic communities throughout Victoria. Ethnic Communities' Council of Victoria website.

The Health Translations Online Directory aims to:

• improve access to health information for people who speak languages other than English
• reduce duplication of translated information. Agencies are encouraged to register their translated health information on the directory
• enhance the sharing of translated health information. The directory is a web portal providing direct links to translated health resources.

For more information and to register go to the Health Translations Directory website.

The multicultural communication website is a useful resource for health professionals working with communities from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. The website offers a range of valuable resources including a directory of multicultural health promotion projects and research, a number of useful guidelines and an online catalogue.

The Victorian Multicultural Commission (VMC) promotes the participation of Victorians regardless of their ethnicity, culture and religious background in building a successful future.

Victorian Interpreting & Translating Services (2000), We speak your language: a guide to cross-cultural communication, Melbourne.

Women's health and wellbeing

BreastCare Victoria is an initiative of the Victorian Government to improve breast services for women with breast cancer.

Victorian women’s health and wellbeing strategy:

• Policy statement and implementation framework 2002–2006
• Annual action plan 2002–2003 downloadable from the Office of Women's Policy website.

Women's Health Victoria is an independent statewide women's health promotion, advocacy and information service run by women for women. Check out the Clearinghouse Connector which is a new tool designed to connect partners with the resources available in the Clearinghouse on specific topics. Furhter information is available from the Women's Health Victoria website.

Women’s Health Australia website.

Women’s Health Victoria - Gendered Policy Framework. Gender Impact Assessment: Mental Health and Social Connectedness (84kb, pdf).

Women's Health Victoria - Gender as a determinant of health.

Women’s Health West (2002) A gender agenda: planning for an inclusive and diverse community, ISBN: 0 9585404 4 6, Melbourne.

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