Article Types
Research
Estimated impacts of alternative Australian alcohol taxation structures on consumption, public health and government revenues
Is there a politically feasible way to meet the urgent need for reducing alcohol-related harm in Australia?
Christopher M Doran BEc(Hons), PhD · Joshua M Byrnes MHealthEcon, MEcon, PhD · Linda J Cobiac PhD · Brian Vandenberg BAppSc, BA(Hons), MPH · Theo Vos PhD
Mental health consumer and carer participation: why we bother
To the Editor: It is becoming increasingly recognised that consumer and carer participation improves both quality and outcomes of health care.1 The Children of Parents with Mental Illness (COPMI) national initiative is a health promotion program supporting better mental health outcomes for children whose parents have a mental illness (http://www.copmi.net.au). COPMI produces and provides information ...
Lydia C Trowse · Joanne G Cook · Tyson J A Clooney
Intervention programs for children whose parents have a mental illness: a review
AbstractObjective: To identify and describe intervention programs to improve outcomes for children whose parents have a mental illness.Data sources: Grey and black literature was sourced from (i) three previous reviews/scoping studies, (ii) PsycINFO and MEDLINE searches of English, German and Dutch papers, and (iii) in consultation with researchers, clinicians, consumers and ...
Andrea E Reupert PhD, GradDipCounsPsych, BA · Rose Cuff DipOT · Louisa Drost MSc · Kim Foster PhD · Karin T M van Doesum PhD · Floor van Santvoort MSc
Obstetric and neonatal outcomes of pregnant women with severe mental illness at a specialist antenatal clinic
AbstractObjective: To evaluate the obstetric and neonatal outcomes of pregnant women with severe mental illness (SMI) who attended a specialist multidisciplinary antenatal clinic in Perth, Western Australia.Design, setting and participants: A retrospective case-note audit of outcomes from the Childbirth and Mental Illness Antenatal Clinic (CAMI clinic) at King Edward Memorial Hospital ...
Thinh N Nguyen MB BS, FRANZCP, CertChildAdolPsych · Deb Faulkner MPsych, PhD · Jacqueline S Frayne MB BS, DRANZCOG, FRACGP · Suzanna Allen RN, RM, BScN · Yvonne L Hauck BScN, MSc, PhD · Daniel Rock PhD, FRSPH · Jonathan Rampono MB BS, FRANZCP
Enhancing parenting skills for parents with mental illness: the Mental Health Positive Parenting Program
AbstractObjective: To determine the effect of the Mental Health Positive Parenting Program (MHPPP) on parenting practices of parents reporting a mental health problem.Design, setting and participants: A prospective before-and-after examination of positive parenting skills and parent-reported child outcomes among parents of children aged 2–10 years who had self-reported a mental health problem. One hundred ...
Ruth F Phelan BA, DipEd, AccredTriplePFacilitator · Deborah J Howe BA(SocSci), MPH, MHA · Emma L Cashman BSc(Psych)(Hons) · Samantha H Batchelor BAppSci(OT), GradCertPH
Goal setting within family care planning: families with complex needs
AbstractObjective: To identify the key goals that are established by children and parents from families in which parents have substance use and/or mental health problems, and the level of progress achieved towards goals over 1 year of case management.Design, setting and participants: Participants from three rural sites of a New South Wales non-government agency ...
Darryl J Maybery PhD · Melinda J Goodyear BBSc, MBSc · Andrea E Reupert BA, GradDipCounsPsych, PhD · Marillyn K Harkness
Difficult-to-treat-depression: what do general practitioners think?
AbstractObjective: To understand the perspectives of a group of general practitioners regarding management of patients with difficult-to-treat depression (DTTD).Design, setting and participants: A qualitative approach using a focus group and semi-structured telephone interviews conducted in 2011 with 10 GPs from urban and rural Victoria. Five main topics were explored: (1) understanding of DTTD; (2) understanding of other terms used to describe DTTD; (3) ...
Kay M Jones BSW, MT · David J Castle MD, FRANZCP, FRCPsych · Eleanor M Curran MB BS(Hons), BMedSc(Hons), MPM · Leon Piterman MB BS, MD, FRACGP
Measuring the incidence of hospital-acquired complications and their effect on length of stay using CHADx
The Classification of Hospital Acquired Diagnoses reporting system might seem complex, but this study shows that automating it can allow users to analyse complication rates by clinically meaningful factors, such as specialty or ward. Potential applications include assessing the benefits of patient safety initiatives and identifying ways of preventing lengthy hospital stays.
Kevin M Trentino BCom · Stuart G Swain BCM · Sally A Burrows BMath, GradDipMedStat · Peter C Sprivulis MB BS, PhD, FACEM · Frank F S Daly MB BS, FACEM, FLWA
Global trends in testosterone prescribing, 2000–2011: expanding the spectrum of prescription drug misuse
A multinational survey finds substantial increases in testosterone prescribing over the past two decades, encouraged by permissive guidelines that promote off-label prescribing for older men. This overuse of testosterone may lead to increased incidence of cardiovascular disease among older men.
David J Handelsman MB BS, FRACP, PhD
Summer of sorrow: measuring exposure to and impacts of trauma after Queensland’s natural disasters of 2010–2011
Weather-related natural disasters in Queensland in recent years have damaged not only property, but also the mental condition of those affected.
Susan L Clemens MPH · Helen L Berry PhD · Brett M McDermott MD, FRANZCP · Catherine M Harper MPH
Can’t escape it: the out-of-pocket cost of health care in Australia
Out-of-pocket expenses account for almost a quarter of the total health care costs in Australia, with older households spending slightly more than younger households despite the older households having significantly lower income and more access to health care cards.
Farhat Yusuf BSc(Hons), MA, PhD · Stephen R Leeder MD, PhD, FRACP
Sickness certification of workers compensation claimants by general practitioners in Victoria, 2003–2010
In Victoria, a high proportion of medical certificates recommend complete absence from work, particularly for patients with mental health conditions. These trends present major challenges in terms of return to work and issues such as viability of the compensation system, and are important given the growing evidence on the health benefits of work.
Alex Collie BA, BAppSc(Hons), PhD · Rasa Ruseckaite BSc, MSc, PhD · Bianca Brijnath BA(Hons), PhD · Agnieszka A Kosny BA, MA, PhD · Danielle Mazza MD, FRACGP
General practitioners’ use of different cardiovascular risk assessment strategies: a qualitative study
GPs disclose a range of factors influencing why they might follow or disregard guidelines recommending the use of absolute risk assessment.
Carissa Bonner MPH · Jesse Jansen PhD · Shannon McKinn MIPH · Les Irwig MB BS, PhD · Jenny Doust MB BS, PhD · Paul Glasziou MB BS, PhD · Andrew Hayen PhD · Kirsten McCaffery PhD
Mobile garbage bins and hand injuries in older people
A simple design modification to standard wheelie bins could prevent serious and painful hand injuries in older people.
Rui Niu MB BS · Adam B Woodbridge MB BS · Belinda J Smith BAppSc · Stephen J Ruff MB BS, FRACS · Richard D Lawson MB BS, FRACS
Non-reporting of reportable deaths to the coroner: when in doubt, report
Objective: To better understand the non-reporting of reportable deaths by determining the frequency and nature of reportable deaths referred to the Coroners Court of Victoria (CCOV) by the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages (BDM).Design and setting: Review of referrals from BDM to the CCOV between 2003 and 2011 where an external cause of death was recorded on the death certificate, with detailed ...
Sandra L Neate MB BS, DA(UK), FACEM · Lyndal C Bugeja BA(Hons), PhD · George A Jelinek MD, DipDHM, FACEM · Heather M Spooner LLB · Luke Ding BCom, LLB · David L Ranson BM BS, LLB, FRCPA
“They liked it if you said you cried”: how medical students perceive the teaching of professionalism
This qualitative study gained a clear picture of students’ dissatisfaction with current methods of teaching and assessing professionalism. Teaching methods need review in light of students’ preference for experiential learning and informal group reflection with their peers.
Hudson H Birden MPH, PhD · Tim Usherwood MD, FRACGP, FRCP
Asbestos exposure during home renovation in New South Wales
Over 60% of do-it-yourself home renovators reported exposure to asbestos during renovations, and more than 20% reported that their partner and children had also been exposed, with only 12% of renovators regularly using respiratory protection.
Eun-Kee Park MASc, PhD · Deborah H Yates MB BChir, MD, FRCP · Rebecca A Hyland MPH · Anthony R Johnson MB BS, MOHS, FRACP
Cost savings from a telemedicine model of care in northern Queensland, Australia
Objective: To conduct a cost analysis of a telemedicine model for cancer care (teleoncology) in northern Queensland, Australia, compared with the usual model of care from the perspective of the Townsville and other participating hospital and health services.Design: Retrospective cost–savings analysis; and a one-way sensitivity analysis performed to test the robustness of findings in net savings.Participants and setting: Records of ...
Darshit A Thaker MB BS, FRACP, ClinDipPallMed · Richard Monypenny BIngAgr, PhD · Ian Olver MD, PhD · Sabe Sabesan BM BS, FRACP
Quad bike related injury in Victoria, Australia
More safety regulations are necessary to prevent and reduce the risks from quad bike-related injuries which cause deaths, hospital admissions and emergency department presentations, not least among children.
Angela J Clapperton MCounsel, GradDipEdPsych, BSc · Emily L Herde BNurs, BHSci, GradCertCFHN · Tony Lower BEd, MEd, PhD
Impact on diabetes management of General Practice Management Plans, Team Care Arrangements and reviews
A study examining the impact of the Medicare items introduced in Australia to increase support for the management of chronic illness shows some significant improvements in outcomes for patients with diabetes.
Leelani K Wickramasinghe BSc, PhD · Peter Schattner MD, MMed, FRACGP · Marienne E Hibbert BAppSc, MAppSc, PhD · Joanne C Enticott BSc, PhD · Michael P Georgeff BSc, BE, PhD · Grant M Russell FRACGP, MFM, PhD
Prevalence and perceptions of overweight and obesity in Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal young people in custody
This study adds overweight and obesity to the list of chronic disease risk factors highly prevalent among incarcerated youth. Changes to the food environment and the approach to physical activity in custody are needed.
Leigh Haysom PhD, MMed(ClinEpi), MB BS · Devon Indig PhD, MPH, BSc · Elizabeth Moore PhD · Louise L Hardy PhD, MPH(Hons) · Paul A van den Dolder PhD, MSc MPhysio
The influence of Australian eye banking practices on corneal graft survival
This study finds that interstate air transport of donor corneas is a significant risk factor for graft failure and that efforts to avoid domestic air transportation of corneal tissue may therefore be warranted.
Miriam C Keane BPsych(Hons), PhD · Marie T Lowe BSc · Douglas J Coster MB BS, DSc, FRANZCO · Graeme A Pollock PhD, MPH · Keryn A Williams PhD
Human rights trauma and the mental health of West Papuan refugees resettled in Australia
West Papuan refugees living in Australia are experiencing ongoing living difficulties and distress, after exposure to human rights violations and separation from their homeland.
Susan Rees PhD · Derrick M Silove MD · Kuowei Tay MPsych · Moses Kareth BA
The medical management of missed miscarriage: outcomes from a prospective, single-centre, Australian cohort
Prospective clinical outcomes and patient experiences after medical management of missed miscarriage in women treated on an outpatient basis at a single maternity hospital suggest it is safe and effective.
Scott G Petersen MB BS, FRANZCOG, CMFM · Anneliese R Perkins FRANZCOG, MB BS · Kristen S Gibbons BInfoTech, BMaths(Hons), PhD · Julia I Bertolone BNurs · Kassam Mahomed MB BS, FRANZCOG
Unexplained variation in hospital caesarean section rates
Comparing caesarean rates between hospitals and groups of women with differing pregnancy characteristics showed persistent variation after adjusting for casemix. Reducing variation in practice has potential to reduce the concerningly high caesarean rate in Australia.
Yuen Yi (Cathy) Lee BMathAdv(Hons), MBiostat · Christine L Roberts MB BS, DrPH · Jillian A Patterson BScAdv(Hons), MBiostat · Judy M Simpson BSc(Hons), PhD, CStat · Michael C Nicholl MB BS, FRCOG, FRANZCOG · Jonathan M Morris MB ChB, FRANZCOG, PhD · Jane B Ford BA(Hons), PhD
