Health of Our Region
Health and Medical Priorities
![](https://www.une.edu.au/research/research-centres-institutes/neihr/media/images/living-ageing-growing-well-400.jpg/living-ageing-growing-well-150.jpg)
Supporting Healthy Ageing
One in five residents of New England and North West NSW are aged 65+ years.
As we age, there are significant impacts on our region’s:
- economic stability; and
- how our healthcare infrastructure meets community needs.
Our health workforce is also ageing.
![](https://www.une.edu.au/research/research-centres-institutes/neihr/media/images/neihr-healthy-minds-small.jpg/neihr-healthy-minds-small-150.jpg)
Improving Health Outcomes
Regional and rural Australians experience:
- mental health problems at rates at least as high as those in major cities; and
- more chronic disease.
We die younger than those living in major cities.
![](https://www.une.edu.au/research/research-centres-institutes/neihr/media/images/neihr-sustainable-health-small.jpg/neihr-sustainable-health-small-150.jpg)
Increasing Access to Generalist and Specialist Healthcare
In the past decade, digital healthcare options have been developed to reduce barriers to healthcare.
Integrating our limited resources with e-health modalities has the potential to improve the health of our region.