Australian Community Health and Primary Health Care Policies from 1970s to 2020s: A Policy Analysis of Changing Interpretations.

ABSTRACT: Community health and primary health care (PHC) concepts are contested globally. We analysed 122 Australian federal and state government policy documents relating to women's, Aboriginal community controlled, generalist and workers' community health services from the 1970s to 2022 using institutional theory to understand how ideas and interests had shaped community health and PHC in Australia. We found an initial flourishing of diverse ideas was contested and constrained over time to reflect a more biomedical, general practice-centric approach to PHC. This was influenced by federal government decisions to prioritise general practice, and state governments' emphasis on reducing hospital costs. This reflects the power of established institutions and biomedical framings that have constrained de

SUBMITTER: van Eyk H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC13646415 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature