SDHB seeks public feedback on chronic illnesses

Thursday 19 July 2007 “Quality and Humanity in Health”

SDHB seeks public feedback to preventing and managing ‘the health care challenge of the century’

Southland District Health Board (SDHB) is seeking the public’s feedback on how best to prevent and manage what the World Health Organisation is calling “the health care challenge of the century” – chronic illnesses – as part of a new community consultation.

Chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, respiratory illness now account for 80% of deaths in New Zealand and the management of chronic conditions is the leading cause of hospitalisations with it estimated that 70 percent of health care funds is spent on chronic disease management.

Joanne Morton, SDHB’s Chronic Disease Policy Analyst says that the Southland population is no exception.

“The prevalence of chronic conditions such as Type 2 Diabetes and cardiovascular disease is increasing rapidly within our Southland community. The level of acceleration, if it continues, will result in large numbers of patients suffering from complications of these diseases in coming years,” Ms Morton said.

“This consultation is about getting community input into how we can all support healthy lifestyles to prevent further onset of chronic diseases and how best we can arrange screening and health services to support Southlanders to manage their chronic disease.”

Melanie McKenzie, SDHB’s Healthy Eating Healthy Action coordinator said that part of the consultation was focused around the prevention of chronic disease by engaging the community to address the key lifestyle risk factors that impact significantly on the chronic condition incidence.

“For example almost half of adult Southlanders have a lower intake of fruit and vegetables than recommended, with Maori and men having particularly low rates – so how can we as a Southland community best address this?”

“We’re interested in whether people believe we are targeting healthy lifestyle messages to the right people and through the right mediums – for example are schools an appropriate place, how can workplaces become more involved in these messages and creating supportive healthy lifestyle environments?. "

Ms Morton said that as an example of the significance of burden of chronic disease, it is estimated that there is in excess of 3200 Southlanders diagnosed with diabetes, who already must live with this condition. SDHB is interested in getting feedback around how services should be arranged to support these people and others to manage their condition.

“This consultation is about improving the quality of care provided for people with chronic conditions; improving the quality of life of their carers and families; and reducing crisis situations and unplanned and avoidable admissions to hospitals.”

Ms Morton said the goal of the consultation was to establish systems of care that are geared toward the needs of people with chronic conditions and to ensure that the health care system can address the rising burden of chronic care going forward into the future.

Public consultation meetings are being held around the Southland region from 23 July until 1 August For further information and to access copies of the consultation documents refer to www.sdhb.govt.nz , or alternatively call the health board on 03 214 7224.

ENDS

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