Research

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

While improvements in drinking behaviour are apparent from the results of this study, women who are at high risk of having babies with alcohol-related birth defects need public health policies and programs that will reach them.

Cate M Cameron PhD, MPH, BSocWk(Hons) · Tamzyn M Davey PhD, MPH, BPsych(Hons) · Elizabeth Kendall BA, DipPsych, PhD · Andrew Wilson MB BS, PhD, FRACP · Roderick J McClure MB BS, BA, PhD

More than 40% of women taking parental leave during their specialist training experienced negative comments about their leave in the workplace, and more than 25% reported being questioned about their intentions for future pregnancies in relation to job applications.

Caroline M de Costa PhD, FRANZCOG, FRCOG · Michael Permezel MD, MRCP(UK), FRANZCOG · Louise M Farrell MB BS, FRANZCOG, FRCOG · Anne E Coffey MB BS, FRANZCOG · Ajay Rane PhD, MD, FRANZCOG

A new tutorial support program delivered face-to-face and by distance is helping specialist international medical graduates in anaesthesia prepare for their College examinations.

Niall S Higgins GDipeH, PhD · Kersi Taraporewalla MB BS, MClinEd, FANZCA · Sisira Edirippulige GCertHigherEd, MSc, PhD · Robert S Ware PhD · Michael Steyn MB ChB, MSc, FANZCA · Marcus O Watson BSc(Hons), MSc, PhD

Objectives: To characterise management of suspected acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in Australia and New Zealand, and to assess the application of recommended therapies according to published guidelines.Design, setting and patients: All patients hospitalised with suspected or confirmed ACS between 14 and 27 May 2012 were enrolled from participating sites in Australia and New Zealand, which were identified through public records and health networks. Descriptive and ...

Derek P Chew MB BS, MPH, FRACP · John French MB BS, FRACP · Tom G Briffa PhD · Christopher J Hammett MB ChB, MD, FRACP · Christopher J Ellis BM, FRACP, FCSANZ · Isuru Ranasinghe MB ChB, MMed(ClinEpi), FRACP · Bernadette J Aliprandi-Costa RN, BHSc · Carolyn M Astley RN, BN, DrPH · Fiona M Turnbull MB ChB, PhD, FAFPHM · Jeffrey Lefkovits MB BS, FRACP · Julie Redfern PhD, BAppSc(Physio)(Hons), BSc · Bridie Carr BA, SRN, OND · Greg D Gamble MSc · Karen J Lintern MNurs, BHlth(ClinStud), CCC · Tegwen E J Howell BEcon, MEcSt · Hella Parker RN · Rosanna Tavella BSc(Hons), PhD · Stephen G Bloomer PhD, HPM · Karice K Hyun BSc, MAppStats · David B Brieger MB BS, PhD, FRACP

Over the past decade, NPS MedicineWise implemented several educational programs to improve cardiovascular management in primary care. This study finds that four such programs had small but clinically relevant beneficial effects.

Svetla V Gadzhanova PhD, MSc · Elizabeth E Roughead PhD, MAppSc, BPharm · Mark J Bartlett BSc, MPH, GradDipAppEpi

Even in the hands of experts, listening through a stethoscope is not the best way to screen for rheumatic heart disease in Indigenous children, according to this cross-sectional screening survey of more than 1000 children

Kathryn V Roberts MPHTM, FRACP, MB BS · Alex D H Brown BMed, MPH, PhD · Graeme P Maguire PhD, FRACP, MB BS · David N Atkinson MPH, MB BS · Jonathan R Carapetis PhD, MB BS, BMedSci

Objective: To determine the utility of exercise electrocardiography testing (EET) in evaluating suspected coronary artery disease in a remote Australian setting where a significant proportion of patients are Indigenous Australians.Design: Retrospective cohort study with grouping based on EET results.Patients and setting: 268 patients with suspected coronary artery disease who underwent EET at Alice Springs Hospital — a specialist teaching hospital ...

Patricia N Hurune MB ChB · Justine M O’Shea MB BS · Graeme P Maguire MB BS, PhD, FRACP · Saliya S Hewagama MB BS, FRACP

This first decision-impact study of the Oncotype DX breast cancer assay in Australia provides evidence that recurrence score information influences treatment recommendations for hormone receptor-positive early-stage invasive breast cancer in the multidisciplinary meeting setting

Richard H de Boer MB BS, FRACP · Caroline Baker MB BS, FRACS · David Speakman MB BS, FRACS · Calvin Y Chao MD · Carl Yoshizawa PhD · G Bruce Mann MB BS, PhD, FRACS

Liver transplantation is an established treatment modality in Australia, but there continues to be a significant disparity between availability and demand. A way to reduce this gap is to maximise the use of extended-criteria deceased donor livers, with donation after cardiac death being one such option.

Jorieke M van der Stelt · Deborah J Verran MB ChB, FRACS · Ronald A deRoo MD · Hazel Christine · Michael Crawford MB BS, FRACS