The purpose of the portfolio is to get you to make connections between the unit material and real life application and issues surrounding rural communities, and working and living in rural communities in Australia. At some point in your professional career you will treat people who work and live in rural and remote areas of Australia. You will need to have an understanding of rural/urban differences generally in order to deliver the best care and support possible.

You need to select and complete four (4) portfolio questions on the template provided on the unit Moodle site. Each answer response must be 500 words (+/-10%) for a total word count of 2,000 words (+/-10%). Each answer needs to show a word count at the end. In your answers you are encouraged to use examples where possible to make and support points, and to illustrate your understanding to the marker.

Each answer needs to: address the question, use relevant sociological key concepts, reference sociological literature, show understanding of issues and key concepts, and provide a meaningful critique. The list of questions are drawn from content covered in weeks 1 – 5 of the unit.

Question 1. Using a sociological perspective examine a major health issue in a rural and/or remote Australian community (apply the
sociological imagination of History, Structure and Culture to a social issue to elaborate and explain your discussion).

Question 2. What is one (1) of the social challenges facing rural and remote practitioners in contemporary Australia? (use supporting evidence and examples to back up your argument).

Question 3. Define "Rural health" and explain its importance to rural and remote Australia.

Question 4. Explain why ethnic minorities living in rural or remote areas have lower health outcomes than the Australian urban population.

Question 5. Explain how "age" impacts population health outcomes in a rural and remote Australian context.

Use of sociological references to inform your answers is essential to presenting a sociological understanding and perspective. You may elect to use either the APA or Harvard (author-date) referencing styles (see the two referencing style guides in the Assessment block).

The aim of this assessment is for you to demonstrate competency in the stated unit learning outcomes and facilitate online discussion amongst other students. You are encouraged to discuss the questions with other students in the Assessment Discussion Forum in order to expand your knowledge and learn from your peers. Through use of the discussion forum you will receive guidance and input from the Unit Coordinator on your sociological thinking and academic writing style prior to submission of this assignment. Please do not post drafts or written out ideas of your work to the discussion forum as this could result in plagiarism. Instead bring to the discussion your insights, useful references, examples and questions. In the portfolio, you are required to demonstrate that they have engaged with and understood the unit material, as opposed to repeating back information given in the lecture notes and set readings.

Instructions to students
The word count is measured from the first word of the answer to the last word of the answer and includes in-text referencing. The reference list is not included in the word count. A 10% leeway is permitted on either side of the word count. If you exceed the word limit, only the first 500 words (+10%) will be read and marked. When answering the question you do not need to restate it at the beginning of your answer.

Overuse of direct quotes detracts from the originality of the writing and will result in a loss of marks. As a general rule direct quotes should not comprise more than 10% of the word count. The writing standard expected is that of an advanced unit level and with academic style presentation.

Include a Title page at the front with:
- student name
- student number
- unit code
- unit name
- term date and year
- name of unit coordinator
- name of assignment
- due date for submission (if an approved extension has been given, include the new submission date)
- your final word count.

Within the portfolio you are required to:
- Write in the third person (e.g. do not use ‘I’, or ‘me’)
- Use double-line spacing and Arial 11-point font
- Include a reference list correctly formatted to APA 6th Edition (2010) or Harvard (author-date) (Term 1 2017 Edition) referencing style
- Submit your assignment by the due date and allow several minutes for submission to be completed. Contact your unit coordinator if you are in doubt about your submission upload and include a copy of your assignment in the email as proof of completion.
- Upload with the file named in the following format: Surname_ First name_ Student number_ A1.

This assignment requires you to write a 2,500 word essay based on two scenarios given to you and using academically credible literature and other associated relevant documents to support your introduction, discussion and conclusion. The essay gets you to engage with two individuals from some of the culturally diverse groups that live and work in rural and remote Australian communities.

The following task is a problem based learning activity that requires you to write an essay on both scenarios. You are encouraged to discuss the two scenarios with other students on the Assessment Discussion Forum and to review the supporting literature in order to treat the person effectively and provide the most appropriate support. Please do not share your written out ideas, or draft assignment with others as this can lead to plagiarism.

The purpose of this task is to prepare you for professional practice in rural and remote communities, and to understand the whole person through a broader lens.

Your essay needs to address the following two areas in the discussion:
1. Historical and contemporary social and cultural issues to accessing health care
2. Action that professionals can take to improve access, health outcomes and delivery of services to people from rural communities and culturally diverse backgrounds.

Scenario 1.
Harry West is a 60-year-old retired Aboriginal man who lives in a small flat in a regional town with his wife, Edna. Harry and Edna had one son who was killed 10 years ago. They have a daughter-in-law, Bridget, who is a nurse, and one grandson, Trevor. Harry is concerned about Edna because she is experiencing frequent memory lapses.
Harry was admitted to the hospital last night after he contacted the doctor and told him that he could not catch his breath. Harry has several medical problems including hypertension and high cholesterol. His failing health and his concern for his increasingly forgetful wife lead him through various transitions that affect his family and his living situation. Their daughter-in-law, Bridget, also has concerns for their living arrangements.

Scenario 2.
Mandy Lawrence is an 84-year-old female who lives alone in a small home in a remote location. Her husband, Howard, passed away a year ago and she has a cat, Paws, who is very important to her. Mandy has one daughter, Denise, who is 50, who lives nearby, and is Mandy's major support system. Her current medical problems include: hypertension, glaucoma, osteoarthritis of the knee, stress incontinence and osteoporosis.  Mandy is at the GP's surgery for a routine examination and medication follow up. She is taking several anti-hypertensive medications, diuretics and analgesics. 

Several weeks after the clinic visit, Mandy is in the hospital with a diagnosis of urinary tract infection and dehydration. Her presentation is atypical and she is confused.  At the 3:00 PM shift change, Mandy has been in her room on the medical-surgical unit for about six hours. She was in the Emergency Department overnight because there were no available beds on the medical units. Due to her confusion, Mandy did not take her medications properly in the days prior to admission and as a result, her blood pressure is very elevated. Mandy's daughter, Denise is at the bedside and is quite concerned about the confusion and elevated blood pressure. 

Based on the material covered in the unit, think about the various barriers and issues, and socio-cultural factors impeding Harry and Mandy’s recovery. Also, think about what may be some of the issues for Mandy and her professional health care person that may be impeding her access to services, treatment and management to better her health and well-being outcomes. Consider options available for Harry to access health services and to gain the necessary support he requires to manage the challenges confronting him.

To gain more insight into these two scenarios reflect on the broader social structures (social class, age, gender, ethnicity), cultural norms and expectations, and past history of rural communities and Australian society.

Instructions to Students
You are expected to utilise the electronic databases available through the library website to access peer-reviewed sociology journal articles and newspaper articles. Other sources of use include government reports, government and professional protocols/ guidelines and good (reputable) internet sites. Use reputable and quality sources and references to complete your assignment. Look to use references that are: current (less than five years old), objective/unbiased, relevant and from authority sources (e.g. academic journals, Queensland Health, Queensland Health Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Capability Framework 2010-2033).

Failure to use any references in each of your answers will result in zero marks. Correct referencing using one of the two listed referencing styles must be used to acknowledge information sources and any direct quotes. Do not quote or use the lecture notes and study guide. This is a sociology assessment and you are required to source sociological references (not psychology or medical references).

Marks will be deducted for exceeding the set word limit, using bullet points or numbered lists, not using and citing references, not using correctly either the APA or Harvard (author-date) referencing style.

The word count is measured from the first word of the answer to the last word of the answer and includes in-text referencing. The reference list is not included in the word count. A 10% leeway is permitted on either side of the word count. When answering the question you do not need to restate it at the beginning of your answer.

Include a Title page at the front with:
- student name
- student number
- unit code
- unit name
- term date and year
- names of unit coordinator
- name of assignment
- due date for submission (if an approved extension has been given, include the new submission date)
- your final word count.

Within the essay you are required to:
- Write in the third person (e.g. do not use ‘I’, ‘me’)
- Use double-line spacing and Arial 11-point font
- Include a reference list correctly formatted to APA 6th Edition (2010) or Harvard (author-date) (Term 1 2017 Edition) referencing style

Submit your assignment by the due date and allow several minutes for submission to be completed. Contact your unit coordinator if you are in doubt about your submission upload and include a copy of your assignment in the email as proof of completion. Upload with the file named in the following format: Surname_ First name_ Student number_ A2.