The Chief Public Health Officer’s Report

Chief Public Health Officer’s Report 2020-2022

The Chief Public Health Officer’s Report is developed to meet the requirement of Section 23 of the South Australian Public Health Act, 2011 (the Act) to report biennially on the state of public health for South Australia.

The Chief Public Health Officer’s Report 2020-2022 (PDF 12.7MB) is the sixth report.

Chapter One – Administering the South Australian Public Health Act 2011

Chapter One (PDF 1.2MB) sets public health in its strategic context by providing the rationale for public health action that is enabled by the South Australian Public Health Act 2011, and briefly outlines its legislative, policy and planning tools.

Chapter Two – State of public health 2020-2022

Chapter Two (PDF 3MB) reports on the key public health trends in South Australia for the reporting period July 2020 to June 2022.

The information within this chapter comes from a variety of sources. While some comparisons may be from outside the reporting period, they are included as they describe trends important to understand from a public health perspective.

Chapter Three – Our leading risk factors

Chapter Three (PDF 3.6MB) reviews South Australia’s leading disease risk factors, with reference to a combination of information from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Australian Burden of Disease Study 2022 and 2018 and other Australian Government and local data sources.

Chapter Four – Climate change and health

Chapter Four (PDF 1.8MB) explores the impacts of climate change – the most significant global threat to human health.

The planet is getting hotter and is experiencing more extreme weather events such as flooding and bushfire. This is being seen in South Australia, Australia and internationally, and we need to respond to this threat today, not tomorrow or in the distant future. The changes to the climate are caused by humans and human-made greenhouse gas emissions.

Chapter Five – The South Australian experience of the COVID-19 pandemic

Chapter Five (PDF 2.6MB) focuses on subsequent actions taken by South Australia from July 2020 to July 2022 to reduce the risk and impact of further COVID-19 waves in the state. This included preparing the healthcare system; the whole of community vaccination program, which allowed a deliberate decision to open the state borders on 23 November 2021; and the subsequent epidemiology and impact on our community of successive Omicron variant waves over 2022.

Chapter Six – Public health in action 2020-2022

Chapter Six (PDF 9.5MB) highlights statewide and local level public health initiatives that have been implemented during the 2020-2022 period. They provide key examples of public health in action but are not exhaustive of the work done at many levels to protect and promote the health of South Australians. The examples chosen are aligned with the priorities, actions and emerging issues described by the State Public Health Plan.

Previous reports