Letters
Health services administration
Volume 188 - Issue 6

Our hearts and minds — what would it take to become the healthiest country in the world?

Authors:  Ian T Ring and John F O’Brien

Med J Aust 2008; 188 (6): 375. || doi: 10.5694/j.1326-5377.2008.tb01665.x
Published online: 17 March 2008
Download PDF (362 KB)
Share: Share on Blue Sky Share on Facebook Share on LinkedIn Share by email

In reply: Our paper demonstrates the considerable potential for improving Australia’s already competitive international mortality ranking by focusing on several selected conditions and inequalities in their distribution among Australians.1 Hart recognises the aspirational nature of the paper and proposes several challenges and opportunities to improve the health of the mothers, babies and young children of Australia.

We agree. As shown by our evidence, Australia’s performance on mortality in infancy and early childhood is less than stellar. We acknowledge that our ranking on some childhood risk factors, such as obesity (which can confer lifelong health disadvantage and may affect future mortality), may well be similar or even worse. A critique of these was beyond the scope of our paper, as we confined our analysis to measures of past mortality.

There is ample evidence of effective interventions for infants, children, adolescents, adults and older people, and for various population groups. The interventions include preventive or clinical services — as the Journal’s own repository of guidelines shows.2 We contend that rather than being alternatives, childhood and adulthood interventions are complementary (as are biomedical and social interventions), and we have to advance simultaneously on many fronts.

Australia has accelerated to be among the world’s leaders on mortality and life expectancy, but, as Hart presages, this will not remain the case merely through a continuation of current trends. It may take a revolution, but we can at least be clear about how we compare in these areas and what we need to achieve.

View this article on Wiley Online Library