Primary health care for youth in New Zealand. Are current health strategies working?
This article presents a critique of New Zealand health strategies in terms of how well they are serving youth. It is argued that over the last two decades successive changes in government policy, while aimed at improving people's health, have either not worked or had negative effects for specific population groups. There is now clear evidence that lower socio-economic status has an adverse affect on health, particularly among disadvantaged groups such as Maori and Pacific Islanders. In discussions about disadvantage and health inequalities youth as an age group is often ignored. Yet young people have special needs in relation to their developmental stage, the transition between child and adult. They have high potential for behaviours identified as placing them 'at risk'; and that may impact on their future health. The New Zealand Health Strategy released by the Government in 2000, and the Primary Health Strategy (King, 2001) were intended, through additional funding and emphasis on primary health care, to lead to better health for all New Zealanders. For some groups, such as youth, these gains have not been achieved, and in many instanced the situation has worsened.
Dutton
Jane
J
Student Health Centre, UCOL, Wanganui.
D000293:Adolescent; D016497:Adolescent Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D018166:Health Care Reform / Q000458:organization & administration; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009520:New Zealand; D024802:Nurse's Role; D011203:Poverty; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D035862:Vulnerable Populations