Women’s Health across PHCS

PHCS Managers Planning WorkshopFriday 4 May 2007

Port Adelaide Primary Health Care Service

How is women’s health a whole of region/state issue?

Women make up ~51% of the population. Women often have the role of caregiver in terms of

health of their partners and families. Women’s experience pressure in society to conform to certain roles and stereotypes. This may affect wellbeing.

Women have specific health needs, most obviously relating to reproductive health but also more broadly.

Women often experience barriers to health such as financial, time-poor relating to their role as a carer.

Violence against women has been identified as the biggest single health risk for women aged 15 – 44years (more than obesity, smoking or high blood pressure). (SA Office for Women).

Violence against women 1 in 4 women who have been in a relationship have

experienced violence by a partner (ABS 1996) Violence against women most often occurs as they become

more dependant on their intimate partners as a result of pregnancy, illness, disability, age. (85% of women with disability have experienced domestic violence)

Women exposed to violence are more likely to have alcohol problems, smoke, and use non-prescriptive drugs such as amphetamines and solvents. Young women who have been exposed to violence are more likely to have an unplanned pregnancy, a termination or a miscarriage. (Vic Health 2002.)

Women exposed to violence have a far greater risk of developing mental health problems including depression, anxiety, pain syndromes, phobias, somatic and medical symptoms. (WHO 200l.) There is a clear dose-response relationship.

The total cost of domestic violence in 2002-2003 in Australia is estimated to be $8.1 billion. (Access Economics, 2004)

How will/could the PHC Plan strategies be achieved?

Primary Health Care Directorate – Primary Health Care Plan 2007-2009

Strategic Objective - Maternal/Family/Child & Youth Health (Client Focussed Care)

CNAHS Primary Health Care works with the Children, Youth and Women’s Health Service to provide a comprehensive maternal, family, child and youth health service to people in the region.

Outcome 3: Women’s Health Action Plan, safety strategy and other key policy frameworks are operationalised.

Strategies

PHC Directorate Implement agreed Regional responsibilities arising from relevant policy frameworks and the Women’s Health Action Plan

Partnerships Develop joint programs with GPs to support families experiencing violence.

Negotiate with Children, Youth and Women’s Health Service to establish Regional responsibilities arising from the Women’s Health Action Plan.

How will/could the PHC Plan strategies be achieved?

Clear direction from PHC Directorate Plan regarding implementation of the WHAP & Family Safety Framework.

Work with other CNAHS directorates to gain buy-in to WHAP and FSF

Pursuing joint planning between the 2 women’s health teams – adopting a whole of directorate approach to planning.

Ensuring other PHCS sites are informed about overall implementation of the WHAP and what may be required from them.

Joint work with other health regions.

Work with Divisions of GPs & GPs around responses for women experiencing violence

What’s in place or needs to be in place to assist implementation?

CNAHS WHAP Implementation Committee (includes representatives from all Directorates to ensure that all initiatives are rolled out across CNAHS)

MOU between CNAHS, SAHS & CYWHS regarding collaborative approach to implementing the WHAP across metropolitan Adelaide.

WHAP Initiative 10 - Working GroupWorking Group established to progress Initiative 10. Initiative 10. Development of evidence based models of service delivery, addressing the impact of violence on women’s mental health and wellbeing, in the context of a recovery based approach, for use in all regional health services including mental health services and drug and alcohol services.This working group reports to the CNAHS WHAP Implementation Committee

Joint planning by the 2 specialist women’s health teams. Taking a cross directorate approach to service delivery planning– including joint work with other PHCCs

Family Safety Framework trial implementation (Holden Hill) followed by full roll-out – will require cross-directorate work for implementation and work with other agencies