Population Health and Strategic Direction

Epidemiology

Epidemiology is a unit of Population Health and Strategic Direction Directorate. Epidemiology aims to provide an effective public health resource within the Area Health Service for:

The development of the knowledge base that informs local health policy decisions,
Planning and evaluation of the processes and outcomes of existing health services and programs and
Development of tools and methods for monitoring and reviewing the effectiveness of health care services.

The Unit has major responsibilities in relation to supporting evidence-based health promotion programs, provision of information, and advice on epidemiologic issues and a range of specific projects.

Broadly speaking, Epidemiology aims to support the planning and evaluation of public health interventions, systematic approaches to development of strategies and systems for the routine surveillance and evaluation (including development of valid and meaningful indicators) and local reporting on health status of populations and population groups within Sydney West Area Health Service.

Epidemiology Contact

A/Director /Epidemiologist

Helen Achat

Helen_Achat@wsahs.nsw.gov.au

Projects - current

The relationship of physical health and mental health status

Feasibility study of the UK’s Ideal Design of Emergency (IDEA) Access Programme for application to SWAHS Emergency Departments

Ongoing Health Information Exchange (HIE) data compilation

Supporting Nutrition in Sydney West Primary Schools

Injury Surveillance

Evaluation of Sydney West Immunisation Awareness Program

Social and Health Atlas for viewing on the intranet

Sydney West Area Health HIV, Hep C and Sexually Transmissible Infection (STI) Epidemiologic profile

Profile of overweight and Obesity amongst Children and adolescents (2-18 years), in SWAHS: prevalence, risk factors and health consequences

Coordinated Vascular Risk Assessment and Management Program (CVRAMP)

Access To Primary Health Care Services within a Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Population in Blacktown Local Government Area

Blacktown LGA Tobacco Control Place Based Strategy

2005 Sexual Health Surveillance Report: HIV/AIDS, viral hepatitis and sexually transmissible infections in Sydney West Area Health Service.

Examination of sexual assaults linked to pubs and clubs

Survey of attitudes of pub and club staff regarding to sexual assault and sexual assault linked to pubs and clubs

Community solutions: Evaluation of Programs Sustained home visiting and Mobile Outreach Therapy

Projects - Past

SydneyWest Area Health Epidemiologic Profile

Report on Social and Health Atlas in the LGAs of Auburn, Baulkham Hills, Blacktown, Holroyd and Parramatta

Prevalence of influenza and influenza related conditions among the elderly and at risk groups admitted to hospitals in western Sydney

To determine if elevations in rates of hospitalisation for asthma in selected postcodes in WAHS can be explained.

Profile of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Population in the LGAs of Auburn, Baulkham Hills, Blacktown, Holroyd and Parramatta in 2001.

Selected demographic profile of the Indigenous population in SWAHS Census 2001

Publications

Date of Publication	Title
June 2005	Postcode list for Sydney West AHS
March 2005	Cross-sectional view of health indicators: the new Sydney West Area Health Service 2005
March 2005	Selected Demographic Profile of the Indigenous Population in Sydney West Area Health Service, Census 2001
Feb 2005	Social and Health Atlas in the LGAs of Auburn, Baulkham Hills, Blacktown, Holroyd and Parramatta
Dec 2004	Indigenous demographic and socio-economic factors: Western Area Health Service 2004
Jul 2004	Indigenous Health & Welfare Profile, 2004
Jun 2004	Profile of Mental Health and Mental Disorders in Western Sydney
Jun 2004	Heart Failure in Western Sydney
Dec 2003	2001 Demographic Profiles Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Populations Western Sydney Area Health Service Supplement
Nov2003	Colorectal Cancer in WSAHS
Oct 2003	The Health Status and Wellbeing of Children and Youth in Western Sydney 2003
Aug 2003	2001 Demographic Profiles Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Populations Western Sydney Area Health Service
Oct 2002	Profile of falls in older persons in Western Sydney and NSW: prevalence, hospitalisation and mortality
Oct 2002	Injury Surveillance Bulletin October Issue 2002: Overview of WSAHS Emergency Department Presentations due to Injury in 2000-2001
Sep 2002	WSAHS Health Inequality Profile
July 2002	2001 Census for WSAHS
July 2002	Health and health care of older people in Western Sydney
Apr 2002	Evaluation framework
Jun 2001	Health Matters in Western Sydney: A brief epidemiologic profile
Jan 2001	Mortality and Morbidity in Western Sydney AHS 1990-1998
Aug 2000	Demographics and Health Status of Multicultural Communities for Western Sydney Area Health Service
Aug 2000	Cancer in Western Sydney
Mar 2000	Health Status and Well Being of Children and Youth in Western Sydney Area Health Service
Mar 2000	The Impact of Tobacco Smoking in Western Sydney
Mar 2000	Lifestyle and risk factors - 1989/90 to 1998
2000	Equity and Health in Wentworth area Health Service 1996-2000
2000	WAHS Health Profile 1993 – 1998

Address

Epidemiology Cumberland Hospital, Gungurra Building 68 5 Fleet Street North Parramatta NSW 2151 Locked Bag 7118 Parramatta BC NSW 2150	Epidemiology Nepean Hospital 1A Barber Avenue Kingswood NSW 2747 P.O. Box 63 Penrith NSW 2751

Telephone (02) 9840 3603, (02) 9840 3708 Facsimile (02) 9840 3608	Telephone (02) 4734 2022 Facsimile (02) 4734 3300

LINKS

Links to third party Internet sites are provided for your convenience and are neither endorsed nor supported by Sydney West Area Health Service.

Bandolier: a web based source of independent evidence based reviews:

General population health:

Commonwealth Department of Health & Family Services:

Centres for Disease Control and Prevention:

National Institutes of Health (USA):

World Health Organisation Statistical Information System (WHOSIS):

Australian National University Virtual Library:

Public Health in Australia

PH&SD

Population Health and Strategic Direction

Epidemiology

Epidemiology Contact

Projects - current

Projects - Past

Publications

Date of Publication

Title

Address

LINKS

Data

Resources for research and evaluation:

Statistics methods:

Reviews

General population health: