← Health and Movement Science syllabus

NSWHealth and Movement Science

Focus Area 1: Health in an Australian and global context

8 dot points across 8 inquiry questions. Click any dot point for a focused answer with worked past exam questions where available.

How is Australian health care structured, funded and delivered?

Examine the structure, funding and roles of Australia's health care system, including Medicare, the PBS, public and private hospitals, primary care, allied health, and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services
A focused HSC Health and Movement Science answer on the structure and funding of Australia's health care system. Covers Medicare, the PBS, public and private hospitals, primary care, allied health, and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services with their funding flows and respective roles.
9 min answer →

How do the determinants of health create and maintain inequities?

Analyse the determinants of health (individual, sociocultural, socioeconomic, environmental) and how they interact to create health inequities in the Australian population
A focused HSC Health and Movement Science answer on the determinants of health. Defines individual, sociocultural, socioeconomic and environmental determinants; explains how they cluster and interact; applies the framework to a named Australian priority population.
9 min answer →

Why does universal coverage in Australia still leave some groups with worse access to health care?

Assess equity of access to health care in Australia, including barriers faced by priority populations and the strategies designed to overcome them
A focused HSC Health and Movement Science answer on equity and access to health care in Australia. Distinguishes equity from equality, maps the main barriers (geographic, financial, cultural, language, time, digital), and reviews strategies including bulk-billing incentives, the Aboriginal Health Worker model, RFDS, telehealth and refugee health services.
9 min answer →

Why do health outcomes differ between population groups in Australia, and who is prioritised?

Analyse health inequalities between population groups in Australia and explain why specific groups are designated priority populations
A focused HSC Health and Movement Science answer on health inequalities and priority populations. Distinguishes inequalities from inequities, identifies who is designated a priority population in Australia, explains how priority status is decided, and contrasts targeted versus universal approaches with named programs.
9 min answer →

How does Australia promote health, prevent disease, and advocate for healthier conditions?

Explain health promotion using the Ottawa Charter, distinguish primary, secondary and tertiary prevention, and analyse the role of advocacy in shaping Australian health outcomes
A focused HSC Health and Movement Science answer on health promotion, prevention and advocacy. Explains the Ottawa Charter's five action areas, distinguishes primary, secondary and tertiary prevention, and analyses advocacy through named Australian programs including Cancer Council tobacco control, the Heart Foundation, beyondblue and DrinkWise.
9 min answer →

What is the health status of Australians, and how is it measured?

Investigate the health status of Australians using measures such as life expectancy, mortality, morbidity, burden of disease, incidence and prevalence, and compare to global indicators
A focused answer to the HSC Health and Movement Science Focus Area 1 sub-topic on health status. Defines life expectancy, mortality, morbidity, burden of disease, incidence and prevalence; uses current AIHW data and compares Australia to the OECD; identifies the leading causes of burden in 2026.
9 min answer →

How do the Sustainable Development Goals frame global health, and how does Australia contribute?

Explain the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) relevant to health and apply them to a current global health issue and Australia's role
A focused HSC Health and Movement Science answer on the UN Sustainable Development Goals as a global health framework. Lists the health-relevant SDGs, applies SDG 3 to a current global health issue, and analyses Australia's aid and policy contribution.
8 min answer →

How are technology, digital health and big data reshaping Australian health care, and who benefits?

Investigate how technology, digital health and big data influence health outcomes, access and equity in Australia
A focused HSC Health and Movement Science answer on technology, digital health and big data. Covers My Health Record, Medicare-funded telehealth, wearables and continuous glucose monitors, AI in diagnostics, the Atlas of Healthcare Variation, plus the data-privacy and digital-divide equity questions these technologies raise.
9 min answer →