Virtual Issues
Interdisciplinary Approaches to Improving Oral Health
Globally, oral diseases are highly prevalent and a major public health issue in populations. The cost of managing the morbidity associated with oral diseases is as high or higher than that of other major non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular diseases and cancers. The Global Burden of Disease studies report that dental caries is the most prevalent non-communicable disease (NCD). Yet, oral diseases are generally neglected in major health policies or health advocacy documents, most likely due to low mortality associated with oral diseases, while ignoring the very high disease burden due to morbidity.
Health promoting, interdisciplinary and team approaches are emerging as effective methods to manage and prevent oral diseases, improve oral health outcomes and reduce health inequalities. In alignment with other non-communicable diseases common risk factor approaches are needed for more efficient disease prevention.
The aim of this virtual issue is to highlight those papers that describe health promoting interdisciplinary and professional team efforts to address various aspects of oral healthcare, including access, vulnerable groups and new models of service delivery. We hope this issue will encourage initiatives and research on the integration of non-dental professionals into oral health and putting the mouth back into the body.
Dr Bradley Christian and Dr Ron Knevel
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health
This virtual issue focusses on research papers involving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health which have been published in Australian Journal of Primary Health in the last ten years from around the country. We have included research papers which respond to community health priorities, and were authored by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Included papers used a variety of research methods including qualitative, quantitative, geospatial mapping, and systematic review methodology.
A key message these research papers convey is the importance of community-driven, culture strengthening interventions in primary health care settings.
Geoffrey Spurling, Catrina Felton-Busch and Sarah Larkins
Challenges in China’s Health System Reform: Lessons from Other Countries
Over the last three decades, there has been rapid development and modernisation of China’s tertiary hospitals, but the primary care system has been seriously weakened. We provided an overview of the major challenges in China’s health system reform in our recent Editorial (Liu and Legge 2017). This virtual issue of Australian Journal of Primary Health brings together 12 recent papers with relevance to these challenges.
Lin (2016) describes a Chinese program providing comprehensive community-based aged care. Social work agencies are contracted to provide case management. This article is complemented by a review of commissioning for integrated care in the National Health Service in the UK (Addicott 2016).
Hillen and colleagues (2016) argue that there is considerable scope for strengthening collaborations between general practice and aged care in Australia. Kralik and colleagues (2008) report on a literature review of medication management for community-dwelling older people with dementia and other chronic conditions.
In two Australian studies, researchers explore well-coordinated primary health care and the impact on emergency and hospital care (Evangelista et al., 2016; Mallitt et al., 2017). Mclnnes and colleagues (2017) identify challenges building effective GP-nurse partnerships in Australia under fee for service arrangements. The experiences of GPs in the Netherlands with 'pay for performance' are described by Kirschner and colleagues (2013).
Quality in primary health depends on consumer engagement and collaboration among health professionals. Ranson and colleagues (2016) discuss challenges facing service providers and families with chronic conditions in rural Australia. A survey of non-prescribed antibiotic use in the Australian Chinese community is described by Hu and Wang (2016). Mitchell and colleagues (2015) summarise approaches to integrating the work of specialist and primary care practitioners. In a policy paper from Ireland, Wallace (2009) reports on the experience of partnership building.
Chaojie Liu and David Legge