Lifestyle Risk Factors
Last updated August 7, 2023
The Primary Health Network is dedicated to helping the communities in the Hunter New England and Central Coast region. Lifestyle risk screening provides an opportunity for General Practices to better understand their patient populations and deliver targeted preventative care and management. Lifestyle risk factors include alcohol and smoking intake and allergies.
Here you will find resources and information that will assist your practice with the development of strategies to routinely screen your patients, improve practice systems to support patients at risk and integrate quality improvement activities.
Alcohol
Data and Dashboard
Quality and Improvement
Resources
Template - Social and lifestyle
The Patient
Patient information links:
- Central Coast https://www.ccpatientinfo.org.au/
- HNE http://www.patientinfo.org.au/
Resources for patients
How can you reduce or Quit alcohol?
Managing your alcohol intake | healthdirect
Families & friends affected by the drug or alcohol use of someone close (nsw.gov.au)
Alcohol Reduction Program » Get Healthy NSW
English - Where can I get help when alcohol or drugs are a problem? — MHCS (nsw.gov.au)
Allergy
Screening, resources and tools regarding allergies.
Data and Dashboard
Using Pen CS for lifestyle risk factors
Quality Improvement
Recording of Allergies and Adverse Reactions
Resources
Template - social and lifestyle
The Patient
PatientInfo
- Central Coast https://www.ccpatientinfo.org.au/
- HNE http://www.patientinfo.org.au/
Resources for patients
ASCIA patient information - Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA)
Resources - Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA)
Medication - Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia (allergyfacts.org.au)
Drug allergy - Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA)
Allergies and anaphylaxis (nsw.gov.au)
Patient education: Allergy to penicillin and related antibiotics (Beyond the Basics) - UpToDate
Smoking
Data and Dashboard
Coding smoking status into the clinical software
Pen CS CAT4 Smoking, Allergies, Alcohol
User guide for practices - proportion of patients with a smoking status
Quality Improvement
Resources
Template - Social and Lifestyle
The Patient
PatientInfo
- Central Coast https://www.ccpatientinfo.org.au/
- HNE http://www.patientinfo.org.au/
Resources for patients
iCanQuit | Quit Smoking NSW | Learn How to Quit Smoking
Campaigns | Department of Health - Don’t Make Smokes your Story
Nicotine vaping products: Information for consumers | Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA)
Healthy Weight
Data and Dashboard
Quality Improvement
Resources

Bounce into better health & wellbeing
The PHN recently launched a campaign designed to encourage and raise awareness of the benefits of a healthy lifestyle and to support local primary health practitioners’ efforts in preventative care. The “Bounce into better health & wellbeing campaign” will support the Hunter New England and Central Coast areas and provide primary health professionals access to tools and resources to improve preventative care of patients across the region.
Being overweight, obese or underweight is a major public health issue, as well as being a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and other chronic diseases.