HLTAHPR005 Promote awareness and prevention of chronic disease

Release: 1

HLTAHPR005 Promote awareness and prevention of chronic disease

Modification History

Not applicable.

Application

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to provide clients with information about chronic disease, its prevalence in Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander populations, and to encourage prevention and early detection.

It requires the ability to discuss risk factors and ways to reduce the risk of chronic disease, and to inform clients about chronic disease screening programs. It covers the coordination of follow-up for any clients who advise of any health concerns.

Information may be provided to individual clients in the course of general health service provision, or during dedicated group education sessions.

Education about diabetes and cancer is covered by additional specific units.

This unit is specific to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people working as health workers or health practitioners. They work as part of a multidisciplinary primary health care team to provide primary health care services and health education activities to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients.

The skills in this unit must be applied in accordance with Commonwealth and State or Territory legislation, Australian standards and industry codes of practice.

No regulatory requirement for certification, occupational or business licensing is linked to this unit at the time of publication. For information about practitioner registration and accredited courses of study, contact the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practice Board of Australia (ATSIHPBA).

Pre-requisite Unit

Nil

Competency Field

Health Promotion

Unit Sector

Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Health

Elements and Performance Criteria

ELEMENTS	PERFORMANCE CRITERIA
Elements describe the essential outcomes	Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element.
1. Provide information on chronic disease and its incidence.	1.1. Communicate consistently in culturally appropriate and safe ways with clients, using plain language. 1.2. Provide information about the incidence of different types of chronic disease in Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities. 1.3. Explain to clients the nature of different types of chronic disease, their impact and potential complications. 1.4. Use visual aids and provide culturally appropriate consumer-based education resources about chronic disease to support client understanding. 1.5. Encourage client questions and check understanding of information through appropriate questioning.
2. Discuss chronic disease risk factors and healthy lifestyle choices.	2.1. Explain risk factors for chronic disease in the context of local community, cultural and family issues. 2.2. Provide information on ways to reduce the risk of chronic disease. 2.3. Provide information about nutrition and lifestyle choices, and impact of unhealthy choices, including alcohol and smoking. 2.4. Provide consumer-based education resources and information on nutrition, healthy eating and exercise.
3. Promote early detection of chronic disease.	3.1. Discuss common signs and symptoms of different types of chronic disease and the importance of early detection. 3.2. Explain to clients the importance of regular check-ups and, screening tests in the early detection of chronic disease. 3.3. Promote availability of chronic disease screening programs and advise how clients can access services. 3.4. Describe chronic disease test procedures in ways that reduce client resistance and fear of participating.
4. Encourage clients to discuss health concerns.	4.1. Provide opportunities for client to share information about their health. 4.2. Establish trust with client by demonstrating and respecting confidentiality. 4.3. Support clients to identify and discuss any health concerns that could indicate chronic disease. 4.4. Recognise situations requiring further investigation and take appropriate action, according to organisational procedures.
5. Evaluate effectiveness of health education activities.	5.1. Seek and evaluate feedback from clients about value of information and education resources provided. 5.2. Evaluate effectiveness of information provided from own perspective and identify areas for improvement. 5.3. Provide ongoing feedback to relevant people based on clients’ views and own input.

Foundation Skills

Foundation skills essential to performance in this unit, but not explicit in the performance criteria are listed here, along with a brief context statement.
SKILLS	DESCRIPTION
Reading skills to:	interpret detailed and sometimes unfamiliar plain language consumer-based education resources.
Oral communication skills to:	provide information to clients using plain language and terms easily understood ask open and closed probe questions and actively listen to determine client understanding of information.
Numeracy skills to:	interpret statistics presented as percentages and in charts and graphs.
Learning skills to:	use information provided in credible evidence-based consumer resources to update and extend knowledge of different types of chronic disease.

Unit Mapping Information

This unit supersedes and is not equivalent to HLTAHW028 Provide information and strategies in chronic condition care.

Links

Companion Volume implementation guides are found in VETNet - https://vetnet.gov.au/Pages/TrainingDocs.aspx?q=ced1390f-48d9-4ab0-bd50-b015e5485705