Be Health Aware
Understanding our own health and how to access the care we need is now more important than ever. Advances in modern medicine and knowledge about what care best suits each of us is flourishing, increasing our options.
How do we make good decisions about our health and care? Improving our Health Literacy is how we become equipped to achieve better health.
Be Health Aware is the CHF portal for evidence-based information and resources.
The best health outcomes rely on people who are engaged and informed about their health and healthcare choices. The resources on this page will help you with your health care decisions and choices. They have been created by credible and reputable sources. Be Health Aware is a part of our advocacy of health literacy, central to consumer-centred health care.
Use the links in the right-hand column to navigate the page and find the information you need, whether in relation to a particular disease, treatment, service or policy. If you have ideas of resources to include on this page we would love to hear from you
What is health literacy?
Health literacy is how people understand information about health and health care, and how they apply this information to their lives, use it to make decisions and act on it (Australian Commission of Safety and Quality in Health Care or ACSQHC).
Resources
About Health Literacy
- To learn more about health literacy visit the ACSQHC website
- ACSQHC Report: Taking action to improve quality and safety
- ACSQHC National Statement on Health Literacy
- Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
Quick links
- COVID-19 and vaccination
- About vaccines
- What to ask your Doctor
- Being Well
- Health Complaints
- Patient Guides
- Medicines and medical devices
- Digital Health
- Private Health Insurance
- Medicare
- Health Concessions
- Oral Health
- Mental Health
- Indigenous Health
- Disability Services
- Carers
- Finding a Health Service
- Hotlines
- Consumer Centred Care
- Multicultural Health and Support
- Research
- Interpreting Services
- Multicultural Health and Support
- Research
- Feedback about this page
Covid-19 and vaccination
Information from the Australian Department of Health
- Find a clinic and book a vaccine
- Vaccine information in your language
- Healthdirect COVID-19 symptom checker
The COVID-19 restriction checker from Healthdirect — a search tool to help you find the restrictions in your state or territory.
Healthdirect provides free, approved medical advice and |information for Australians on COVID-19.
For medical advice visit Healthdirect or see your doctor or pharmacist.
More from Health direct
- Get covid clarity - a campaign to help people know how to manage their COVID symptoms.
- What happens after you recover from COVID -19? – an updated blog sharing information about when people can expect to feel better after COVID -19
Is it true? Answers to common questions and misconceptions about COVID-19 vaccines
- Answers to your questions from medical experts
- Handy mythbusters from the World Health Organisation
National coronavirus and COVID-19 vaccine helpline
If you need information about COVID-19, COVID-19 vaccines or help with the COVIDSafe app, call the COVID-19 helpline 1800 020 080. More information about the helpline, finding a vaccination service and FAQs from the Australian Department of Health.
How to find your COVID vaccination record
Advice on different ways to access your vaccination record from the Australian Digital Health Agency
Your COVID-19 action plan
If your doctor has assessed you as being at high or moderate risk of severe illness if you contract COVID-19, this action plan will help you manage risks.
COVID-19 factsheets and posters in other languages
Available from the Healthdirect website under the heading: "Resources in other languages."
Australian Department of Health
National COVID-19 clinical evidence taskforce - High-priority, evidence-based clinical COVID-19 guidelines
Digital Health Agency - accessing proof of vaccination
Connections for older Australians, - advice from COTA
More advice and support line for older Australians to stay healthy and safe.
Making sense of COVID-19 - information for HIV and LGBTIQ communities
Stay up-to-date with news about COVID-19 - ABC coronavirus hub
Coronacast - podcast by Dr Norman Swan, Physician and Health Journalist with the ABC.
Covid19 Data - Data verified with federal, state and territory health departments run by Fairfacts Data and volunteers.
Consumer information about vaccines
The following resources about the vaccination program are from the science community and have been published by trusted organisations.
Get the facts on the pandemic, vaccines and misinformation in this explainer from the Australian Academy of Science.
The Australian Academy of Science also provides credible consumer information about COVID-19 and the science of immunisation
Patient guides
Learn more about specific illnesses, medications and available supports.
Medicine and medical devices
Learn more about your medicines, medical devices, and where to go if you are having issues with them.
Falls, troubles concentrating, dry mouth and more. Could it be your medicines?
NPS MedicineWise has produced information in collaboration with the Older Peoples Advocacy Network (OPAN) and Carers Australia to help people prepare for a medicines review, ask questions and understand the options around changing your medicines and make any changes to the medicines you are taking.
General consumer information about medicines/devices
Report adverse events or side effects of medicines/devices
Safely and effectively use your prescription or OTC medicine
What is the Black Triangle Scheme
What does my medicine label mean?
Buying medicines or medical devices online
Digital health
Learn about digital health and how it can help us track, manage, and improve health outcomes, care environments and lead to greater independence.
How to use your vaccination record
You can now get your immunisation history statement from My Health Record to show proof of your vaccinations. The statement is also available if you're not eligible for Medicare but have a record. Learn more
Private Health Insurance
Do you need Private Health Insurance? With so many policies to choose from, how do you know which one is right for you? On 1 April 2019, private health insurance begins the most extensive changes in recent years. Learn more about how it works, compare policies and understand your options.
Medicare
Learn more about Medicare, the scheme that gives Australian residents access to healthcare. You can access your Medicare account through myGov, a system that allows you to securely access multiple government services with one login.
Mental health
Foster your own mental health and enjoy a general state of wellbeing, including the ability to cope with changes and challenges and live your life in a positive and meaningful way.
Healthdirect — mental health resources from the governement-funded healthcare information service
Head to Health — Australian Department of Health: apps, online programs, online forums, and phone services, and a range of digital information resources
SANE Australia — mental health support and resources
Lifeline Australia — 24-hour telephone support for people in crisis and suicide prevention services
Beyond Blue — information and resources for Australians to acheive their best mental health
Black Dog Institute — medical research institute for the early detection, prevention and treatment of common mental health disorders - public resources including research studies, education programs, digital tools and apps and clinical services
Healthy Mind — an online Easy Read tool designed for people with Intellectual Disability (ID)
Indigenous health
Resources to support the physical, cultural, social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people.
Wellmob - healing our way - Social, emotional and cultural wellbeing online resources for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People, developed by eMHPrac (e-Mental Health in Practice) in collaboration with the Australian Indigenous HealthInfonet, at Edith Cowan University
Health and Welfare of ATSI people
Summary of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health
Yarning to make choices together - resoucres for the mob about shared descion making
Disability services
Services and resources to support people living with a disability and their carers.
National Disability Insurance Scheme
Improving health outcomes for people with developmental disabilities
Healthcare rights for people with cognitive impairment: Easy English Guide
Intellectual disability - training for health professionals
Healthy Mind — an online Easy Read tool designed for people with Intellectual Disability (ID) from the Black Dog Institute
Australian Commission of Safety and Quality in Healthcare National Standards for intellectual and inclusive healthcare
Carers
Carers are those who provide care and support to a family member or friend with a disability, mental illness, chronic condition, terminal illness, an alcohol or other drug issue or who are frail aged. If you are a Carer, it is important that you also take care of your own health and wellbeing.
Hotlines
Whether you have a health enquiry or are looking for support during difficult times, there are many free hotlines that provide information, referrals and advice for a range of situations.
healthdirect 1800 022 222 — Non-urgent 24/7 health advice
Medicine line 1300 MEDICINE (1300 633 424) — Information on prescription, over-the-counter and complementary medicines.
Cancer council 13 11 20 — Confidential information & support on cancer-related issues
Strokeline 1800 787 653 — Information and advice on stroke prevention, treatment and recovery
Lifeline 13 11 14 — 24/7 crisis support
Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636 — 24/7 support & advice from a trained mental health professional
Kids Helpline 1800 551 800 — 24/7 support for kids, teens & young adults
QLife 1800 184 527 — nonymous LGBTI peer support and referral
Do you need an interpreter to help with a medical emergency or inquiry?
Always call 000 directly if you need to contact emergency Ambulance, Police or Fire services. The 000 emergency services line will call the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS National) and connect you with an interpreter using a priority line 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
TIS National can help communications with: medical and health practitioners, pharmacists and emergency services. It provides interpreting services to people who do not speak English and to agencies and businesses that need to communicate with their non-English speaking clients. These services enable non-English speakers to independently access services and information in Australia.
TIS National can call on 3000 interpreters across Australia in more than 160 different languages. Non-English speakers can access immediate telephone interpreters through TIS National by calling 131 450.
Alternatively, if you contact an organisation directly it may organise an interpreter on your behalf.