Australian Journal of Primary Health
Volume 31
Number 4 2025
Australian primary healthcare is at a crossroads due to ageing populations and increasing chronic disease. To address the needs ofr marginalised groups, Gough Whitlam introduced the Community Health Program in 1973. Today, care for vulnerable populations occurs in private general practice.Victoria isthe only state with generalist, non-government community health centres. This paper examines innovations in a private clinic that has replicated elements from Community Health. These innovations are of importance for governments re-thinking policy for primary care today.
This article belongs to the collection: Models of Community Health in Action.
Although a majority of young people visit their general practitioner at least once a year, there are significant gaps in our understanding of the role of primary care for youth. In this study, we examined de-identified electronic medical records of >22,000 adolescents. Findings highlight relatively low attendance rates, as well as key changes in adolescents’ reasons for visit to general practice, particularly for mental health concerns. This study brings important understanding to contemporary trends in adolescent health.
Community health services play an essential role in addressing health inequities through the provision of place-based, affordable and accessible care. Case studies demonstrate the successful application of common community health approaches, including multi-disciplinary care, peer-led models, setting-based approaches, early intervention and capacity building. Enhanced investment in community health and preventative care is vital to alleviate the pressure on acute healthcare settings, and improving long-term health and wellbeing outcomes for individuals and communities.
This article belongs to the collection: Models of Community Health in Action.
Migrants experience higher diabetes prevalence and poorer outcomes. Among people aged ≥30, those born in South-East Asia, North Africa and the Middle East, Southern and Central Asia and Oceania had higher prevalence compared with the Australian-born population. Individuals from Southern and Eastern Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, South-East Asia, Southern and Central Asia, and North-East Asia are at greater risk of poor diabetes outcomes. Different strategies for diabetes prevention and control should be implemented for diverse migrant groups.
Strong partnerships are critical for effective co-planning of primary healthcare models that meet rural community needs. The study aim was to explore the factors enabling a 4-year-old health service partnership to plan and design sustainable health models in a rural region where four health services of mixed funding models were facing limited resources, longstanding workforce shortages, and increasing community health issues. The factors for enabling partnerships in this rural thin market context inform partnership development for other regions.
This article belongs to the collection: Quality Improvement and Evaluation in Primary Health Care.
Patient-centred health services incorporate user preferences into all stages of service delivery from design to evaluation. This study specifies the characteristics of health services delivery that are important for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander child health services, and prioritises carer and staff preferences for child health services. Identifying the specific aspects of health services delivery that benefit Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and their carers helps to focus resources towards quality improvement initiatives that directly benefit health service users.
Multiple factors influence GP acceptance, with research lacking on exploring the mechanism behind patients’ switching behavior from large hospitals to GPs. By examining the push–pull–mooring effects on patients’ decision-making, this study elucidates how factors from both high-level hospitals and the GP system interact to shape patient’s switching intentions, thus, a deeper understanding can be gained of the nuanced dynamics underlying switching behaviors. These findings offer valuable insights on developing targeted strategies to optimize the effectiveness of the healthcare system.
Sarcopenia, the age-related loss of muscle mass and strength, is an emerging concern in aging societies, particularly in primary care. This study demonstrates that a 12-week, primary care-based intervention combining exercise and nutrition significantly improved physical performance and reduced frailty in older adults in rural Korea. These findings highlight the feasibility and potential impact of implementing integrated care models to manage sarcopenia in real-world primary care settings.
