►HSC Core 1: Health Priorities in Australia:
Critical Qu. 1 How are priority issues for Australia’s health identified?
● measuring health status pg.2
● identifying priority health issues pg.5
Critical Qu. 2 What are the priority issues for improving Australia’s health?
● groups experiencing health inequities pg.7
● high levels of preventable chronic disease, injury and mental health problems pg.102
● a growing and ageing population pg.27
Critical Qu. 3 What role do health care facilities and services play in achieving better
health for all Australians?
● health care in Australia pg.29
● complementary and alternative health care approaches pg.36
Critical Qu. 4 What actions are needed to address Australia’s health priorities?
● health promotion based on the five action areas of the Ottawa Charter pg.38
► HSC Core 2: Factors Affecting Performance
Critical Qu. 1 How does training affect performance?
● energy systems pg.42
● types of training and training methods pg.48
● principles of training pg.54
● physiological adaptations in response to training pg.57
Critical Qu. 4 How does the acquisition of skill affect performance?
● stages of skill acquisition pg.62
● characteristics of the learner pg.63
● the learning environment pg.65
● assessment of skill and performance pg.69
● Psychology and performance pg.72
● Nutrition, recovery strategies and performance pg.73
► HSC Option 3: Sports Medicine
Critical Qu. 1 How are sports injuries classified and managed?
● ways to classify sports injuries pg.73
● Soft tissue injury pg.74
● Hard tissue injury pg.76
● assessment of injuries pg.77
Critical Qu. 2 How does sports medicine address the demands of specific athletes?
● children and young athletes pg.78
● adult and aged athletes pg.79
● female athletes pg.80
Critical Qu. 3 What role do preventative actions play in enhancing the wellbeing of the
athlete?
● physical preparation pg.81
● sports policy and the sports environment pg.84
● environmental considerations pg.86
, ● taping and bandaging pg.90
Critical Qu. 4 How is injury rehabilitation managed?
● rehabilitation procedures pg.91
● return to play pg.92
H1 Describes the nature and justifies the choice of Australia’s health priorities
H2 analyses and explains the health status of Australians in terms of current trends and groups
most at risk
H3 analyses the determinants of health and health inequities
H4 argues the case for health promotion based on the Ottawa Charter
H5 explains the different roles and responsibilities of individuals, communities and governments
in addressing Australia’s health priorities
H7 explains the relationship between physiology and movement potential
H8 explains how a variety of training approaches and other interventions enhance performance
and safety in physical activity
H9 explains how movement skill is acquired and appraised
H10 designs and implements training plans to improve performance
H11 designs psychological strategies and nutritional plans in response to individual performance
needs
H13 selects and applies strategies for the management of injuries and the promotion of safety in
sport and physical activity (Option 3)
H14 argues the benefits of health-promoting actions and choices that promote social justice
H15 critically analyses key issues affecting the health of Australians and proposes ways of
working towards better health for all
H16 devises methods of gathering, interpreting and communicating information about health
and physical activity concepts.
H17 selects appropriate options and formulates strategies based on a critical analysis of the
factors that affect performance and safe participation.
HSC Core 1: Health Priorities in Australia
Q.1 How are priority issues for Australia’s health identified?
Measuring health status
Role of epidemiology
Epidemiology considers the patterns of disease in terms of:
● Prevalence (the number of cases of disease that exists in a defined population at a point
in time.)
● Incidence (the number of new cases of disease occurring in a defined population over a
period of time.)
Observations and statistics help researchers and health authorities to:
● Describe and compare the patterns of health of groups, communities and populations
● Identify health needs and allocate health-care resources accordingly
● Evaluate health behaviours and strategies to control and prevent disease
● Identify and promote behaviours that can improve the health status of the overall
population, such as eating less fat and more fibre.
Epidemiology commonly uses statistics on:
Births
Deaths
,Disease incidence
Disease prevalence
Contact with health-care providers
Hospital use (treatment received in hospitals for medical problems)
Injury incidence
Work days lost
Money spent on health care.
Limitations of epidemiology
Epidemiology is an effective approach to measuring health status, however it has a few
limitations such as:
● Not always show the significant variations in the health status among population
subgroups (for example, between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians)
● Might not accurately indicate quality of life in terms of people’s level of distress,
impairment (loss or abnormality of body structure or of a physiological or psychological
function), disability or handicap. Statistics tell us little about the degree and impact of
illness.
● Cannot provide the whole health picture. Data on some areas, such as mental health,
are incomplete or non-existent.
● Fail to explain ‘why’ health inequities persist
● Do not account for health determinants - the social, economic, environmental and
cultural factors that shape health.
Statistics also have limitations due to:
● The varying reliability of data
● The numerous sources of information
● Imprecise methods of data collection
● Whether surveys use standard instruments (methods or devices for recording,
measuring or controlling, definitions and classifications.)
, Broadening the framework of epidemiology
Health authorities have acknowledged the need to adopt a measurement approach that focuses
on the health of populations more than the diseases of individuals. The higher rates of
morbidity and mortality in rural and remote populations are directly related to the social and
environmental context of these communities.
To reduce health inequities, factors such as poor access to health services, low socioeconomic
status, attitudes to illness and health promotion, limited education about self-care and health
practices must be addressed.
Measures of epidemiology (mortality and morbidity)
The common indicators of the health of a community include measures of mortality (deaths),
infant mortality, morbidity (ill health) and life expectancy.
Mortality
the number of deaths from a given cause in a specific population within a certain time frame.
Data on mortality can be used to compare health status across groups and between years. In
Australia overall, the main causes of death are cardiovascular (heart and blood vessels)
diseases, cancers and respiratory diseases. For some of the leading causes of death, such as
heart disease, strokes and some types of cancer, the death rates are falling.
Infant mortality
The infant mortality rate is the number of infant deaths in the first year of life per 1000 live
births. This measure is considered to be the most important indicator of the health status of a
nation, and can also predict adult life expectancy.
Infant mortality can be divided into:
● Neonatal (deaths in the first 28 days of life)
● Post-neonatal (deaths in the remainder of the first year of life).
The former is influenced by the quality of maternal and neonatal care. The infant mortality rate
in Australia has declined steadily over the past few decades
The decline in the infant mortality rate over recent decades can be attributed to:
● Improved medical diagnosis and treatment of illness
● Improved public sanitation
● Health education
● Improved support services for parents and newborn babies and children.
Morbidity
Morbidity (sickness) refers to patterns of illness, disease and injury that do
not result in death. Illness, disease and injury are all conditions that reduce
our quality of life, either temporarily or permanently.
Morbidity measures and indicators include:
● Hospital use (the cause and number of admissions to hospital).
● Doctor visits and Medicare statistics. Medicare statistics (services claimed on Medicare)
indicate the reasons for doctor visits and the number of visits.
Critical Qu. 1 How are priority issues for Australia’s health identified?
● measuring health status pg.2
● identifying priority health issues pg.5
Critical Qu. 2 What are the priority issues for improving Australia’s health?
● groups experiencing health inequities pg.7
● high levels of preventable chronic disease, injury and mental health problems pg.102
● a growing and ageing population pg.27
Critical Qu. 3 What role do health care facilities and services play in achieving better
health for all Australians?
● health care in Australia pg.29
● complementary and alternative health care approaches pg.36
Critical Qu. 4 What actions are needed to address Australia’s health priorities?
● health promotion based on the five action areas of the Ottawa Charter pg.38
► HSC Core 2: Factors Affecting Performance
Critical Qu. 1 How does training affect performance?
● energy systems pg.42
● types of training and training methods pg.48
● principles of training pg.54
● physiological adaptations in response to training pg.57
Critical Qu. 4 How does the acquisition of skill affect performance?
● stages of skill acquisition pg.62
● characteristics of the learner pg.63
● the learning environment pg.65
● assessment of skill and performance pg.69
● Psychology and performance pg.72
● Nutrition, recovery strategies and performance pg.73
► HSC Option 3: Sports Medicine
Critical Qu. 1 How are sports injuries classified and managed?
● ways to classify sports injuries pg.73
● Soft tissue injury pg.74
● Hard tissue injury pg.76
● assessment of injuries pg.77
Critical Qu. 2 How does sports medicine address the demands of specific athletes?
● children and young athletes pg.78
● adult and aged athletes pg.79
● female athletes pg.80
Critical Qu. 3 What role do preventative actions play in enhancing the wellbeing of the
athlete?
● physical preparation pg.81
● sports policy and the sports environment pg.84
● environmental considerations pg.86
, ● taping and bandaging pg.90
Critical Qu. 4 How is injury rehabilitation managed?
● rehabilitation procedures pg.91
● return to play pg.92
H1 Describes the nature and justifies the choice of Australia’s health priorities
H2 analyses and explains the health status of Australians in terms of current trends and groups
most at risk
H3 analyses the determinants of health and health inequities
H4 argues the case for health promotion based on the Ottawa Charter
H5 explains the different roles and responsibilities of individuals, communities and governments
in addressing Australia’s health priorities
H7 explains the relationship between physiology and movement potential
H8 explains how a variety of training approaches and other interventions enhance performance
and safety in physical activity
H9 explains how movement skill is acquired and appraised
H10 designs and implements training plans to improve performance
H11 designs psychological strategies and nutritional plans in response to individual performance
needs
H13 selects and applies strategies for the management of injuries and the promotion of safety in
sport and physical activity (Option 3)
H14 argues the benefits of health-promoting actions and choices that promote social justice
H15 critically analyses key issues affecting the health of Australians and proposes ways of
working towards better health for all
H16 devises methods of gathering, interpreting and communicating information about health
and physical activity concepts.
H17 selects appropriate options and formulates strategies based on a critical analysis of the
factors that affect performance and safe participation.
HSC Core 1: Health Priorities in Australia
Q.1 How are priority issues for Australia’s health identified?
Measuring health status
Role of epidemiology
Epidemiology considers the patterns of disease in terms of:
● Prevalence (the number of cases of disease that exists in a defined population at a point
in time.)
● Incidence (the number of new cases of disease occurring in a defined population over a
period of time.)
Observations and statistics help researchers and health authorities to:
● Describe and compare the patterns of health of groups, communities and populations
● Identify health needs and allocate health-care resources accordingly
● Evaluate health behaviours and strategies to control and prevent disease
● Identify and promote behaviours that can improve the health status of the overall
population, such as eating less fat and more fibre.
Epidemiology commonly uses statistics on:
Births
Deaths
,Disease incidence
Disease prevalence
Contact with health-care providers
Hospital use (treatment received in hospitals for medical problems)
Injury incidence
Work days lost
Money spent on health care.
Limitations of epidemiology
Epidemiology is an effective approach to measuring health status, however it has a few
limitations such as:
● Not always show the significant variations in the health status among population
subgroups (for example, between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians)
● Might not accurately indicate quality of life in terms of people’s level of distress,
impairment (loss or abnormality of body structure or of a physiological or psychological
function), disability or handicap. Statistics tell us little about the degree and impact of
illness.
● Cannot provide the whole health picture. Data on some areas, such as mental health,
are incomplete or non-existent.
● Fail to explain ‘why’ health inequities persist
● Do not account for health determinants - the social, economic, environmental and
cultural factors that shape health.
Statistics also have limitations due to:
● The varying reliability of data
● The numerous sources of information
● Imprecise methods of data collection
● Whether surveys use standard instruments (methods or devices for recording,
measuring or controlling, definitions and classifications.)
, Broadening the framework of epidemiology
Health authorities have acknowledged the need to adopt a measurement approach that focuses
on the health of populations more than the diseases of individuals. The higher rates of
morbidity and mortality in rural and remote populations are directly related to the social and
environmental context of these communities.
To reduce health inequities, factors such as poor access to health services, low socioeconomic
status, attitudes to illness and health promotion, limited education about self-care and health
practices must be addressed.
Measures of epidemiology (mortality and morbidity)
The common indicators of the health of a community include measures of mortality (deaths),
infant mortality, morbidity (ill health) and life expectancy.
Mortality
the number of deaths from a given cause in a specific population within a certain time frame.
Data on mortality can be used to compare health status across groups and between years. In
Australia overall, the main causes of death are cardiovascular (heart and blood vessels)
diseases, cancers and respiratory diseases. For some of the leading causes of death, such as
heart disease, strokes and some types of cancer, the death rates are falling.
Infant mortality
The infant mortality rate is the number of infant deaths in the first year of life per 1000 live
births. This measure is considered to be the most important indicator of the health status of a
nation, and can also predict adult life expectancy.
Infant mortality can be divided into:
● Neonatal (deaths in the first 28 days of life)
● Post-neonatal (deaths in the remainder of the first year of life).
The former is influenced by the quality of maternal and neonatal care. The infant mortality rate
in Australia has declined steadily over the past few decades
The decline in the infant mortality rate over recent decades can be attributed to:
● Improved medical diagnosis and treatment of illness
● Improved public sanitation
● Health education
● Improved support services for parents and newborn babies and children.
Morbidity
Morbidity (sickness) refers to patterns of illness, disease and injury that do
not result in death. Illness, disease and injury are all conditions that reduce
our quality of life, either temporarily or permanently.
Morbidity measures and indicators include:
● Hospital use (the cause and number of admissions to hospital).
● Doctor visits and Medicare statistics. Medicare statistics (services claimed on Medicare)
indicate the reasons for doctor visits and the number of visits.
