About preventive health in Australia – Australian Government Department of Health

Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care
Looking after your body and mind by eating well, being active, getting vaccinated and avoiding risky behaviours – like smoking or drinking too much – can prevent many diseases and keep you healthy and well. We work to enable healthy living through supportive environments.
Australian Bureau of Statistics and Australian Institute of Health and Welfare research has found that in Australia:
Risk factors like these all increase the risk of developing ill-health. Almost half of Australians have one or more chronic conditions like diabetes, heart disease and cancer.
We can prevent many of these conditions from developing, or reduce their impact, by creating systems and environments that support people to live a healthy lifestyle.
We have developed the National Preventive Health Strategy 2021–2030.
The strategy will improve the health and wellbeing of all Australians at all stages of life, through a systems-based approach to prevention that addresses the wider determinants of health, reduces health inequities and decreases the overall burden of disease.
The strategy aims to ensure that:
The strategy includes seven system enablers and seven focus areas. The enablers outline what is needed for a stronger a prevention system, and the focus areas highlight areas that require critical action to reduce risks of poor health and disease.
We consulted extensively while developing the strategy. Read the:
A steering committee provided us with expert advice from across different health fields as we finalised the strategy.
The strategy is part of Australia’s Long Term National Health Plan and will guide our work over the next 10 years.
It builds on many other policies, guidelines and strategies that aim to prevent disease and improve health and wellbeing.
Health is currently developing a blueprint for action to guide the implementation of the strategy over the coming years.
We have developed tailored strategies to guide us over the long term as we work to improve the health and wellbeing of:
The strategies outline our national approach to:
We developed these strategies to build on:
We are also working to improve the health of children and young people, with the National Action Plan for the Health of Children and Young People 2020–2030.
This plan aims to ensure that children and young people, can fulfil their potential, and are healthy safe and thriving, regardless of background or circumstances.
We help Australians stay healthy through:
We also fund research and screening programs:
Injury is a major cause of preventable death and disability in Australia. We are working to reduce the frequency of injury across all age groups.
A National Injury Prevention Strategy helps governments and non-government organisations embed safe practices in programs and policies.
This increases safety in our environment, the products we use and our communities to reduce injury. 
We fund water safety initiatives to reduce water-related accidents and deaths, including the National Recreation Safety Program, which provides funding to:  
We are also observers at the Australian Water Safety Council, which provides a collective voice for Australia’s leading water safety organisations.  
We support the Australian Ski Patrol Association (ASPA) to improve safety in Australia’s alpine areas. This enables everyone to safely enjoy alpine activities. 
We work with many partners on preventive health measures.
We fund agencies, universities and research bodies to carry out studies, surveys, reporting and analysis. The studies’ insights are essential in helping us:
We work closely with the Australian Bureau of Statistics and the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare to publish datasets about health in Australia.
We were also a member of the Social, Health and Welfare Unit of the Data Integration Partnership for Australia, which built and expanded critical data assets.
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The Department of Health and Aged Care acknowledges the traditional owners of country throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and to elders both past and present.
© Commonwealth of Australia | Department of Health and Aged Care

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