Article Types
Research letters
Self-Poisoning With Prazosin and Its Off-Label Use in Australia, 2014–2024: Analysis of NSW Poisons Information Centre Data
NSW Poisons Information Centre data identified 1030 deliberate prazosin self-poisonings over 11 years, rising from 13 to 170 per year (2014–2024). Young women predominated, likely due to expanded off-label (but accepted) psychiatric use of prazosin. Better evidence on benefits of off-label use is needed to justify increasing risks.
Olivia B. E. Lal, Nicholas A. Buckley, Rose Cairns
Impact of the 2025 New South Wales Respiratory Syncytial Virus Prevention Program on Infant Notifications and Hospitalisations: A Population-Based Analysis
The 2025 NSW RSV Prevention Program, which achieved an estimated coverage of 63% maternal vaccination and 18% for infant immunisation, led to more than 40% reduction in RSV notifications and hospitalisations among infants aged younger than 6months.
Janaki Amin, Sally L. Ellis, Christopher Lambeth, Jessica Gugusheff, Christine Selvey
Kidney Failure After Living Kidney Donation in Australia: A National Registry Linkage Study, 2004-2024
National linkage of the Australia and New Zealand Living Kidney Donor Registry and the Australia and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant Registry provides the first Australian estimates of kidney failure treated with kidney replacement therapy (KRT) after living kidney donation (2004–2024). Out of 5291 donors (56,962 person-years; median follow-up, 10.96years), three donors underwent KRT (0.53 per 10,000 person-years). No events occurred within 10years of donation. Australian clinicians can now counsel and guide potential donors using local data: risk of kidney failure requiring KRT is very low, but late events warrant lifelong follow-up.
Melanie Wyld, Kate Wyburn
Emergency Department Presentations and Hospitalisations for Elder Abuse in People Accessing Aged Care Services in Australia: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study
Elder abuse can lead to serious physical injuries and long-term psychological consequences, but its recognition and documentation in healthcare settings remain limited. This study used linked data from four Australian states to examine elder abuse coded during emergency department presentations and hospitalisations among 965,986 older people assessed for aged care services between 2010 and 2019. Only 580 people (0.06%) had elder abuse coded during an emergency department presentation or hospitalisation, highlighting substantial under-recognition and under-reporting in hospital settings.
Stephanie L. Harrison, Sahar Barmomanesh, Bryan Morden, Maria C. Inacio, Gillian E. Caughey, on behalf of the ROSA Consumer and Community Advisory Committee
Malignant Otitis Externa in Central Australia: A 15-Year Retrospective Review Between 2009 and 2024
We performed a 15-year retrospective audit of all cases of malignant otitis externa (MOE) referred to Alice Springs Hospital in Central Australia from 2009 to 2024, the largest Australian series of MOE. Data on demographics, risk factors, microbiological culture results, management and outcomes were collected, identifying 64 cases of MOE, with the incidence increasing over time. The incidence of MOE was associated with Indigenous status and the presence of diabetes mellitus and chronic kidney disease. Pseudomonas, Staphylococcus aureus and fungal pathogens predominate as causal agents. Complications and mortality were common.
George P. Drewett, Mini Jacob, Belle Culhane, Amy Booth, Connor Wright, Sajan Thomas, Anjali Abraham
Adolescent Pregnancy Among Girls Known to Child Protection Services: An Australian Longitudinal Cohort Study Using Data Linkage
In a population cohort of 44,216 adolescent girls, about 73.5% of those who became pregnant were known to child protection services. Exposure to higher levels of child protection response was associated with increased cumulative incidence and an earlier age of pregnancy.
Oliver Watkeys, Kimberlie Dean, Kristin R. Laurens, Stacy Tzoumakis, Vaughan J. Carr, Melissa J. Green
Disease‐specific survival for people with chronic myeloid leukaemia, South Australia, 1980–2020: a retrospective cohort study
Disease-specific mortality for people with CML has declined substantially with the introduction of tyrosine kinase inhibitors
Kerri Beckmann · Brendon J Kearney · Naranie Shanmuganathan · David Yeung · Tim Hughes
The detection of avian influenza virus in human pathology laboratories in Australia, New Zealand, and South Pacific nations
Avian influenza viruses can be detected by human diagnostic testing platforms routinely used for testing for influenza A viruses
Lisa M Sedger · Vishal Ahuja · Katherine A Lau · Deane L Byers · Torsten Theis · Peter D Kirkland · Catherine Pitman
Medication delivery and dispensing interval preferences of people who use antihypertensive medications in Australia: a survey study
Most people prefer in-person pickup at pharmacies to postal delivery, and longer dispensing intervals, if it saves costs
Carissa Bonner · Michael A Fajardo · Rachael M Keast · Emily Atkins · Niamh Chapman · Kristie R Weir · Anthony Rodgers · Aletta E Schutte
Treatment outcomes for people with hepatitis C referred to tertiary care in Victoria, 2021–22: a retrospective observational study
Greater awareness of care integrated into primary care services for people who use drugs would support HCV elimination strategies
Elly Layton · Nicole Matthews · Brendan Quinn · Nasra Higgins · Gabrielle Lindeman · Mielle Abbott · Jennifer MacLachlan · Elizabeth Birbilis · Margaret E Hellard · Joseph Doyle · Benjamin C Cowie · Mark Stoové
Estimated carbon emissions for PBS‐subsidised prescription respiratory inhalers, Australia, 2019–2023: a descriptive analysis
Reducing the use of high emissions inhalers is a high priority for decarbonising health care in Australia
Luise Kazda · Alexandra L Barratt · Sean Docking · Kristen Pickles · Darlene Cox · Ross S Bailie · Kate Wylie · Katy JL Bell
Symptom burden, quality of life, and diagnostic journey of people with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, Australia, 2021–24: a descriptive patient registry data study
Longitudinal research, with diverse patient groups and treatment-focused approaches, is needed to improve outcomes
Marie‐Claire Seeley · Gemma Wilson · Eric Ong · Amy Langdon · Jonathan Chieng · Danielle Bailey · Kristina Comacchio · Amanda Page · Dennis H Lau · Celine Gallagher
Nirsevimab immunisation of infants and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)‐associated hospitalisations, Western Australia, 2024: a population‐based analysis
Immunising 71% of infants was associated with 57% fewer hospital admissions with the leading cause of hospitalisation of infants
Lauren E Bloomfield · Nevada V Pingault · Rachel E Foong · Sarah French · Jo‐Anne Morgan · Ushma Wadia · Hannah C Moore · Christopher C Blyth · Peter C Richmond · Paul K Armstrong · Paul V Effler
The oral health care needs of people living in residential aged care, Australia, 2016–20: a retrospective cross-sectional study
Oral health policy and practice reforms are needed to improve the health and wellbeing of aged care residents
Gillian E Caughey · Tracy Air · Miia Rahja · Maria C Inacio
Methylphenidate and (lis)dexamfetamine toxicity‐related deaths of adults, Australia, 2000–24: analysis of NCIS data
People for whom greater caution is warranted including those with histories of substance misuse or mental health problems
Shane Darke · Amy Peacock · Johan A Duflou · Michael Farrell · Julia Lappin
Cannabis poisonings in Australia following the legalisation of medicinal cannabis, 2014–24: analysis of NSW Poisons Information Centre data
Edible cannabis forms may be less harmful than smoking cannabis, but the acute poisoning risk they pose must be considered
Rose Cairns · Sara Allaf · Nicholas A Buckley
Use of ChatGPT to obtain health information in Australia, 2024: insights from a nationally representative survey
An estimated that 9.9% of Australian adults asked ChatGPT health-related questions in the first half of 2024
Julie Ayre · Erin Cvejic · Kirsten J McCaffery
Surgical clinical trial activity in Australia, 2010–20, by specialty: analysis of trial registration data
The relatively low number of clinical trials in surgery suggests that strategies for supporting surgical trials are needed in Australia
Claire Greenwell · Angela Webster · Ian A Harris · David Beard · Angie Barba · Sarah J Lord
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander infants admitted to the Hunter New England neonatal intensive care unit, 2016-2021: a retrospective medical record audit
Effective strategies for culturally safe NICU care, including localised approaches, requires further research
Jessica Bennett · Michelle Kennedy · Jamie Bryant · Amanual Mersha · Larissa Korostenski · Michelle Stubbs · Justine Parsons · Luke Wakely
Medicare‐subsidised mental health service use during the first 15 years of life in New South Wales: a population cohort study
Additional work is needed to ensure equitable access to mental health services for all young people in Australia
Oliver J Watkeys · Kimberlie Dean · Kristin R Laurens · Vaughan J Carr · Melissa J Green
Gender affirmation testosterone therapy, Australia, 2021–22: a review of PBS dispensing data
Knowing how many people use testosterone for gender affirmation is important for service provision and quality of care
Brendan J Nolan · Sav Zwickl · Jeffrey D Zajac · Ada S Cheung
Notification of acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease in hospitalised people in the Midwest region of Western Australia, 2012–2022: retrospective administrative data analysis
Clinician awareness of notification requirements and automated technology that facilitates ARF/RHD notifications are needed
Ingrid Stacey · Yolande Knight · Claire MX Ong · Amy Lee · Suresh Karuppannan · Allison Christou · Judith M Katzenellenbogen
An outbreak of reactive infectious mucocutaneous eruption (RIME) after Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections in Sydney, 2024: retrospective case series
RIME causes significant pain and distress, but the prognosis is good, with recovery expected within 14 days
Joseph Joseph · Kelvin Truong · Artiene Tatian · Orli Wargon
A rise in Mycoplasma pneumoniae respiratory infections in Victoria in late 2023 and early 2024 detected at two major testing laboratories
The number of M. pneumoniae infections in Victoria began increasing in October 2023, but no signals for greater disease severity were detected
Maryza Graham · Thomas Tran · Changxu Zhang · Michelle Sam · Andrew Daley · Kathy Jackson · Chuan Kok Lim
Intimate partner violence and reproductive coercion: cross‐sectional study of women attending a Perth sexual health clinic, 2019–20
Effective screening programs are needed to recognise, respond to, and refer for support people at risk of intimate partner violence
Mariana Galrao · Catherine B Brooker · Alison Creagh · Richelle Douglas · Sarah Smith
