Neuroplasticity refers to the brain’s ability to form and re-form connections and bonds through the evolution of neuron pathways. It is a broad term that refers to the brain’s ability to alter, adapt, and adjust its structure and function throughout life and in response to experiences, predominantly sensory ones. Individual variations in brain structure and function, like individual differences in neuroplasticity processes, contribute to the observed diversity in the structure and function of the brain. It is traditionally high in children and young adults, yet recent studies indicate the prevalence of neuroplasticity beyond young age.
A rising number of studies have demonstrated the brain’s extraordinary ability to rearrange itself in response to significant sensory inputs. The traditional understanding of the brain’s plasticity is that it is mostly restricted to brief epochs during early development. Although there have long been examples of neuroplasticity occurring outside of these restricted temporal windows, scientists have recently begun to better grasp the regulators that control and influence plasticity. The factors in question primarily concern the quality and quantity of specific sensory inputs, with exposure to white noises being an example of such. Additionally, neuroplasticity is often influenced by neuromodulator systems, particularly the amount of norepinephrine in the system. Diverse variables, such as variations in genetic, cellular, molecular, and environmental individual characteristics, might shape and regulate the tendency for experience-dependent plasticity throughout life.
In Australia, neuroplasticity is primarily practiced within private clinics that specialize in brain research and relevant surgeries. The causes and influential conditions in relation to it are currently studied in Sydney’s University Brain and Mind Center, where the experts attempt to fully comprehend the science behind the rewinding of the human brain. At the same time, medical institutions, such as Perth Brain Center, offer their patients QEEG brain scans, neurofeedback therapy and personalized treatment plans. Neurological research and medical practice are coming together to explore and utilize the phenomenon of neuroplasticity, but what would its’ overall impact be on the flawed Australian healthcare system?
The Australian healthcare system is known to be fragmented and contradictory, with an inconsistent mix of public and private services. Only the most privileged citizens, those being middle-class residents of large cities and urban centers, may be confident in their capacity to access the best forms of medical care available. Other Australians, however, especially in rural areas, often have to rely on underfunded and underdeveloped facilities. The inconsistent health-related outcomes between urban and rural Australians are commonly known as the great health divide. It presents a major social policy issue to the Government, as over thirty percent of Australians currently live in rural areas.
The issue may primarily be addressed through the appropriate funding re-distribution with separate initiatives generated to assist the healthcare system in rural regions. Although the revision of the financial program and the balance between private and public healthcare has the capacity to influence the divide substantially, it is unlikely to tackle all of the relevant causes. The distribution of health risk factors and how they combine with the characteristics of rural and distant areas is even more relevant.
The density of these factors often influences how early an individual will die since, together, they form a habitat a person operates in on a daily basis. National Health Performance Authority statistics report that life expectancy at birth is at 83.6 years in metro regions, 81.5 years in regional hubs and finally 78.2 years in rural areas. Rural Australian residents have fewer years of finished education and lower average income rates than those of the major cities. Additionally, a higher percentage of them are disabled or engage in substance abuse, while a lower percentage have access to modern technologies.
At the moment, Australia is in dire need of better, more effective healthcare education due to the current general understanding of the available services being fragmented across the population. Effective national strategies in medical education and training are hampered by a lack of coherence between health and education sectors, as well as national and state domains. In Australia, existing medical education and training systems are disjointed, ill-resourced, and under strain. A coordinated national strategy to assessing overseas medical graduates, as well as addressing their educational and training needs, is required. These areas of medical education, though indirectly, affect the main topic of the post: the level of healthcare literacy among the general Australian population.
Health literacy refers to how people get, comprehend, and apply health information to improve their health. People with inadequate health literacy are more likely to have negative health outcomes and engage in unhealthy behaviors. The concept of health literacy is fluid and changing. There are several published definitions, but there is no agreement on what it means. The capacity of patients to read and understand medical information was once the emphasis of health literacy, but the delivery method in relation to information’s presentation is equally important and should be regulated on a structural level. As a result, there are two key components to health literacy: individual health literacy and the impact on the environment.