Measuring health status is an important aspect of promoting health in Australia. It allows us to identify priority health issues, monitor progress and re-evaluate health promotions. The measurement of health status uses epidemiology to provide a picture of many aspects of Australia’s health and to help health authorities determine future actions required.

Australia is one of the world’s healthiest countries but has many lifestyle diseases and other illnesses that need to be addressed. Epidemiology has a vital role in determining the priority areas for Australia’s health and provides plenty of information, however, this information is limited in what it can tell us.

You need to ensure that you critique the use of epidemiology and can interpret graphs and tables that present epidemiology in a format more readily understood.