GLOSSARY

Dental professional

A specialist in the field of oral hygiene. This includes dentists, dental hygienists and dental specialists such as periodontists, orthodontists and oral and maxillofacial surgeons.

Health professional

A health professional is a person who helps in identifying, preventing or treating illness or disability. Health professionals may include, but are not limited to:

• general practitioners
• medical specialists
• physiotherapists
• dieticians
• nurses
• pharmacists
• surgeons
• optometrists
• chiropractors
• cardiologists
• dermatologists
• gastroenterologists
• haematologists
• neurologists
• obstetricians
• oncologists
• psychiatrists.

Hospital admission

The formal acceptance by a hospital or other inpatient health care facility of a patient who is to be provided with room, board, and continuous nursing service in an area of the hospital or facility where patients generally reside at least overnight.

Hospital emergency department visit

Any time a person went to an emergency department for their own health, whether it was within normal GP practising hours or after hours.

Imaging test

Imaging tests or diagnostic imaging include all tests that produce images or pictures of the inside of the body in order to diagnose diseases. Tests involve the use of radiant energy, including x-rays, sound waves, radio waves, and radioactive waves and particles that are recorded by photographic films or other types of detectors.

Index of disadvantage

This is one of four Socio-economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFAs) compiled by the ABS following each Census of Population and Housing. This index summarises attributes such as low income, low educational attainment, high unemployment and jobs in relatively unskilled occupations. The first or lowest quintile refers to the most disadvantaged areas, while the 5th or highest quintile refers to the least disadvantaged areas. For further information about SEIFAs see SEIFA: Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas on the ABS website.

Medical specialist

A doctor that practises one branch of medicine. Patients are usually referred to a specialist by their general practitioner or by a specialist from another branch of medicine. Examples include cardiologists, dermatologists and obstetricians.

Out-of-pocket expense

Refers to the cost to be paid for medical services or procedures after the Medicare rebate has been deducted. Respondents were allowed to estimate the amount to be paid.

Pathology test

A laboratory test that includes analysis of specimens such as urine and blood in order to diagnose disease.

Prescription medication

A drug that requires a prescription from a medical practitioner before it can be dispensed. This differs from over-the-counter medication, which can be purchased without a prescription.

Private health insurance

Refers to voluntary coverage through the private health care system (e.g. Medibank Private, MBF, NIB, HCF and Manchester Unity). Private health insurance supplements the tax-financed public Medicare system, that is available to all Australians. Depending on the type of cover purchased, private health insurance provides cover against all or part of hospital theatre and accommodation costs in either a public or private hospital; medical costs in hospital; and costs associated with a range of services not covered under Medicare, including private dental services, opticians, chiropractors, home nursing, ambulances and natural therapies.

Private patient

Patients admitted to public or private hospitals can choose their treating doctor. Medicare pays 75 per cent of the Medicare schedule fee for services and procedures provided by the nominated doctor. For patients who have private health insurance, some or all of the outstanding balance may be covered.

Public patient

Patients admitted to public hospitals as public (Medicare) patients receive treatment by doctors and specialists nominated by the hospital. Public patients are not charged for care and treatment or after-care by the treating doctor, as the schedule fee for services and procedures is fully subsidised by Medicare.

Remoteness

The Australian Standard Geographical Classification (ASGC) (cat. no. 1216.0) is used by the ABS for the collection and dissemination of geographically classified statistics. The classification divides Australia into six broad regions called Remoteness Areas. The ASGC Remoteness classification was developed by the ABS in response to a demand for a statistical geography that allows quantitative comparisons between 'city' and 'country' Australia, where the defining difference between 'city' and 'country' is physical remoteness from goods and services.

Self-assessed health status

A person's impression of their own health against a five point scale from excellent through to poor.

Statistical significance

Differences between population estimates are said to be statistically significant when it can be stated with 95% confidence that there is a real difference between the populations. (See the Technical Note for more information).

Urgent medical care

The term 'urgent' was left to the respondent's interpretation. Discretionary interviewer advice was to include health issues that arose suddenly and were serious (e.g. fever, headache, vomiting, unexplained rash). Seeing a GP to get a medical certificate for work for a less serious illness would not be considered urgent.