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Social Structures. Unemployment and Health. How does the organisation of our society contribute to poor health in the unemployed & their families ?. Work-related injury or illness rate(a), By occupation groups 2005 - 2006. Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2006.
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Social Structures Unemployment and Health
How does the organisation of our society contribute to poor health in the unemployed & their families?
Work-related injury or illness rate(a), By occupation groups 2005 - 2006 Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2006
How does the organisation of our society contribute to poor health in the unemployed & their families?
HIH – Insurance Collapse • HIH - an economic power • It’s collapse incr. Medical indemnity insurance costs • Govt did not incr. Medicare’s Scheduled fee • Drs had to recover costs by reducing bulk billing rates: • GPS & obstetricians • Rural and remote areas • HCC holders Sources: Kehl 2001; Elliot 2002
GOVERNMENT INTERVENTIONS ECONOMY Pharmaceautical companies Medical practitioners Allied health professionals Alternative therapists WELFARE Centrelink payments Medicare HCC & PBS Public health service Work Cover . . . . .
Limitations to the Welfare system • Centrelink benefit = very limited budget • Medicare • doesn’t cover Drs fees • doesn’t cover dentists, physio., psych., dieticians, etc • HCC & PBS – not all medicines eligible • Public health system – overloaded • Public legal aid – limited scope • Workers’ compensation – limit $200K or 5ys
SOCIAL CLASSES Rains of Poor Health Conglomerate wealthy (big co.s) Upper class Upper Middle Class Middle Class Working Class Unemployed Gov’t & Economic Umbrella
REFERENCES • Elliot, Amanda 2002, The Decline in bulk billing: Explanations and implications, Current Issues Brief no. 3 2002-2003, Parliamentary Library, Parliament of Australia, viewed 25 April 2008, <http://www.aph.gov.au/library/pubs/CIB/2002-03/03cib03.htm#howmuchhasitdeclined> • Kehl, David 2001, HIH insurance group collapse, E-brief: Online only issued 29 November 2001, Parliament of Australia, Parliamentary Library, viewed 24 April 2008, <http://www.aph.gov.au/library/intguide/econ/hih_insurance.htm> • Office of the Queensland Parliamentary Counsel, Workers’ compensation and rehabilitation act 2003, reprint no. 3, Queensland Government, Australia, viewed 24 April 2008, <http://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/LEGISLTN/CURRENT/W/WorkersCompA03.pdf> • Rural, regional and remote health: indicators of health status and determinants of health 2008, cat. no. PHE 97, Sections (pdf), Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, viewed April 24 2008, <http://www.aihw.gov.au/publications/index.cfm/title/10519> • Southern Public Health Unit Network (Public Health Services) 2003, Social determinants of health support package: Unemployment fact sheet, Queensland Health, viewed 18 April 2008, <http://www.health.qld.gov.au/phs/Documents/sphun/20407.pdf> • Work Related Injuries – Australia 2005-06 2006, cat. no. 6324.0, Summary of findings, Australian Bureau of Statistics, viewed 25 April 2008, <http://www.abs.gov.au> • Yeates, Anthony 2003, ‘The Dole Wars', Journal of Australian Studies, issue 78, pp1-8, 193-194, viewed 24 April 2008, USQ library, Informit database, ISSN: 1444-3058.