Continuum of Care for Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health in Australia - Essay Example

Continuum of Care for Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health in Australia Executive Summary The prime aim or purpose of this report is to critically examine an issue, which is relating to continuum of care for maternal, newborn as well as child health in Australia. In this respect, various significant aspects that include identification of the problems, distinct contributory factors that caused the need for introducing continuum of care and most vitally certain action-oriented recommendations have also been described in this report. In previous years, it can be apparently observed that a huge figure of women suffering with long-term disability died because of childbirth as well as pregnancy. Apart from this, various instances were also appeared in the circumstance, wherein it was found that children have been born prematurely or stillborn. These problems mainly arise due to having lack of knowledge regarding preconception care and also the prevailing bio-medical conditions. Thus, in terms of recommendations, it can be affirmed an effective and quality continuum of care may support in mitigating the above stated problems by a certain degree. Table of Contents Executive Summary 2 Introduction 4 Issue Discussion 4 Issue Outcomes 6 Recommendations 7 Conclusion 9 References 10 Introduction “Continuum of care” is regarded the concept of healthcare wherein patients are supported through an integrated system of care. This particular approach has been largely evolved in this modern day context due to increasing level of complexities arising in maternal as well as newborn and child health concerns throughout the globe (Kotch, 2012). With this concern, the report intends to analyse and discuss an issue concerning the continuum of care especially relevant to maternal along with newborn and child health focusing on Australia. Issue Discussion In relation to the approach of continuum of care for maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) context, it can be apparently observed that the ineffectiveness of continuum of care to the infants or newborn children in Australia is the prime issue. In this regard, the factor that restricts effective continuum of care for MNCH is lack of potential human resource in Australia. The lack of skilled human resource is a significant issue or barrier that restricts in providing effective care in relation to MNCH segment. This eventually led towards the rise of several diseases and health issues in the nation. It will be vital to mention in this regard that there lay certain reasons, which affect the child health in Australia and eventually trigger for introducing an effective continuum of care in order to eradicate such adverse effects. In this regard, it is observed that the common health issues that an infant and young child faces in Australia include cough and cold accompanied by fever. Apart from these, evidences also reveal that many of the infant and young children have the regular tendency of vomiting. This is primary because of their weak immunity system and incapable of digesting several foods. They are also incapable of enduring environmental stresses like extreme hot or cold climate and thus give rise to several other diseases. These phenomenons are observed throughout the world including Australia. Besides, another common child health issue, which can be noticed in Australia, is formation of rashes in the body. The prime reason for such skin disease may be the wet diapers use by the child (Kotch, 2012). The lack of skilled professionals for delivering effective continuum of care also contributed in making people to suffer from long-term disabilities associated with maternal problems including pregnancy. More importantly, it can be inferred that the factors concerning attainment of little treatment from the beginning till the period of first pregnancy and varied biomedical conditions among others eventually contribute in raising maternal as well as newborn issues in Australia (Kotch, 2012). The issue concerning the lack of introducing effective continuum of care relating to MNCH as observed in Australia is mostly evident at the rural areas. It is observed in Australia that continuum of care based on the above context is effective in the urban areas, which is quite opposite in the rural areas. The reason behind this can be ascertained as attainment of adequate knowledge about the above discussed health issues and failure in keeping alignment with the prevailing biomedical conditions. Moreover, it is also observed that the socio cultural barriers in the rural areas of Australia are also one of the major factors, which raised the need of introducing such approaches in order to dealt with critical health issues regarding maternal, child health as well as newborn (Kotch, 2012). Issue Outcomes Considering the above stated issue, certain outcomes or consequences of the same can ascertained. While determining and explaining the outcomes of the stated issue, it will be vital to mention that women along with children’s health in Australia have been one of the prime concerns towards developing the societal structure of the nation. Therefore, the outcomes might bring certain challenges that result in restricting the societal development of Australia by a considerable extent. In this regard, one of the challenges relating to the outcomes of the issue can be shortage in making greater access towards any social policy such as family planning and failure to make better use of contraceptives (Acton, 2012). In the context of the issue concerning the need of introducing continuum of care for new mothers, certain consequences or outcomes are likely to be apparent. In this regard, in Australia, the varied health complexities in the form of fatigue and increased body weight after pregnancy often leads towards the development of several diseases like diabetes, hyper tension and even death as well. Moreover, it is also observed that the pain from caesarean section and episiotomy after the birth of child leads towards greater development of serious health issues. It is evident that the maternal death is quite high in Australia because of the ineffectiveness of continuum of care (Acton, 2012). Thus, the evidences relating to these contexts have been portrayed in the following: Fig.1: Infant mortality rate in Australia Source: (Office of the Commisioner for Sustainability and the Environment, 2007) Fig.2: Maternal deaths in Australia Source: (Kildea & et. al., 2010) Recommendations The aforementioned issue and its consequences may impose adverse effects on the developmental pace of societal structure of Australia in the form of rising complexities in the approach of continuum of care relating to MNCH context. Thus, it is of extreme importance to recommend certain measures based on which the issue can be addressed as well as mitigated, resulting in limiting the incidences of rising health criticalities within the segment of MNCH. In this regard, it is recommended that the Australia government should undertake a serious step to train the professionals about delivering quality continuum of care for MNCH. Moreover, it also recommended that the allocation of sufficient budget to improve the process may result in addressing the needs of such program Apart from the above discussed aspects, there is need for the development of infrastructure in the rural areas in Australia as compared to the urban areas. This would certainly facilitate in providing better care towards the rising complexities in MNCH segment. It must be ensured that the rural people support the continuum of care professionals while performing their respective activities for the betterment of the society (Pillitteri, 2013). It is extremely important that a child is provided with quality and effective continuum of care in order to limit the rising levels of child health complexities. Similarly, in relation to the case of maternal and newborn cases, the program i.e. continuum of care is to be designed in such a way so that the deaths in Australia causing from pregnancy and childbirth can be lessened by a considerable extent (Ehiri, 2009). There are certain maternal health issues that are observed in Australia as discussed above. In this regard, it is essential that the issues of fatigue and increased body weight that normally experiences by the women should be lessened. It is recommended that the mothers of newborn babies must consult with the dieticians for prescribing a proper diet that would address and mitigate such issues. Moreover, it is also observed that the pain from caesarean section and episiotomy is also a common phenomenon within the people belonging to Australia. In this regard, it is recommended that the attainment of quality continuum of care and the improvement of the same by taking into concern the above stated factors will eventually support in overcoming such adverse situations and make the nation i.e. Australia to be freed from any such issue in future (Pillitteri, 2013). Conclusion From the above analysis and discussion, it can be ascertained that the issue concerning the introduction of effective as well as quality continuum of care relating to MNCH is quite vital to consider for Australia in order to make broader societal development and also limiting the rising deaths resulting from childbirth and pregnancy. In this regard, it has been suggested that generating greater awareness about the benefits associated with continuum of care and considering the prevailing biomedical conditions may assist in addressing along with mitigating such issue in a broader context. References Acton, Q. A., 2012. Issues in Environment, Health, and Pollution: 2011 Edition. Scholarly Editions. Ehiri, J., 2009. Maternal and Child Health: Global Challenges, Programs, and Policies. Springer Science & Business Media. Kildea, S. & et. al., 2010. Distribution of Births and Maternal Deaths in Australia by Remoteness Area of Usual Residence and Indigenous Status. Rural and Remote Health. [Online] Available at: http://www.rrh.org.au/articles/subviewnew.asp?ArticleID=1383 [Accessed December 22, 2014]. Kotch, J. B., 2012. Maternal and Child Health. Jones & Bartlett Publishers. Office of the Commissioner for Sustainability and the Environment, 2007. Infant mortality. ACT State of the Environment 2007. [Online] Available at: http://www.environmentcommissioner.act.gov.au/publications/soe/2007actreport/indicators/communityhealth07 [Accessed December 22, 2014]. Pillitteri, A., 2013. Maternal and Child Health Nursing: Care of the Childbearing and Childrearing Family. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Read More