Topics
General medicine
Splenic abscess complicating gastroenteritis due to Salmonella Virchow in an immunocompetent host
Splenic abscesses are a rare but potentially life-threatening complication of non-typhoidal bacteraemia
Jonathan R Sillar BEng(Hons)/BCom, MB BS(Hons) · Aiveen M Bannan MB BS, FRACP, MPH · Leigh Dahlenburg BMedSc, MB BS(Hons), FRACP
State-based legal requirements for Schedule 8 prescriptions: why so complicated?
Inconsistent Schedule 8 prescription requirements between Australian states and territories create unnecessary complexity for health professionals
Andy C Hua BPharm · Finna Shen BPharm · Xiaoting Ge RN, CCRN
Eight challenges faced by general practitioners caring for patients after an acute coronary syndrome
Many smokers quit on their own, and unassisted quitting should be considered before other methods
Peter L Thompson MD, FRACP, FACC · Alistair W Vickery MB BS, FRACGP
General practice after-hours incentive funding: a rationale for change
The PIP after-hours incentive funding mechanism does not preferentially support practices that provide after-hours care
Amanda L Neil BSc(Hons), GradDipEc, PhD · Mark R Nelson MB BS(Hons), PhD, FRACGP · Tracy Richardson BBus, GradDipHlthHumServ · Meghan Mann-Leonard BSpThy · Andrew J Palmer BMedSc, MB BS
Geographical mobility of general practitioners in rural Australia
Understanding push and pull factors helps in targeting medical workforce maldistribution in rural and remote areas
Matthew R McGrail BSc(Hons), GradDipIT, PhD · John S Humphreys BA, DipEd, PhD
Ensuring safe exercise participation in clinical populations: who is responsible?
An overview of recent advances and ongoing challenges in exercise participation-related risk
Kade Davison BAppScHMS, BHealthSc(Hons), PhD · Christopher D Askew PhD, BAppSci(Hons)
Telehealth in remote NT: bridging the gap
Improving health care access in northern Australia
Simon Quilty BEng, MPhilPH, FRACP · Lisa Bachmayer BAppSc(OT) · Andrew Congdon BAppSc(OT)
Coordinated care versus standard care in hospital admissions of people with chronic illness: a randomised controlled trial
A nurse-led coordinated care intervention was equivalent to standard care for patients with chronic illness
Natalie A Plant MHSc, BSc(Hons) · Patrick J Kelly BMath(Hons), PhD · Stephen R Leeder MD, FRACP, PhD · Mario D’Souza PhD, MSc · Kylie-Ann Mallitt BSc(Hons), MSc · Tim Usherwood MD, FRACGP, FRCP · Stephen Jan PhD, MEc, BEc · Steven C Boyages MB BS, PhD, FRACP · Beverley M Essue MPH, PhD · Justin McNab PhD, MPhil, BSc · James A Gillespie PhD, BA(Hons)
Knowing when to stop antibiotic therapy
Unnecessary or unnecessarily long courses of antibiotics promote resistance
Gwendolyn L Gilbert MD, FRACP, MBioethics
Communicating the health effects of air pollution
Reducing particulate levels in our air should be a health priority
Ben D Ewald BMed, PhD
Talking About The Smokes: a large-scale, community-based participatory research project
Objective: To describe the Talking About The Smokes (TATS) project according to the World Health Organization guiding principles for conducting community-based participatory research (PR) involving indigenous peoples, to assist others planning large-scale PR projects. Design, setting and participants: The TATS project was initiated in Australia in 2010 as part of the International Tobacco Control Policy Evaluation Project, and surveyed a representative sample of 2522 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults to assess the impact of tobacco control policies. The PR process of the TATS project, which aimed to build partnerships to create equitable conditions for knowledge production, was mapped and summarised onto a framework adapted from the WHO principles. Main outcome measures: Processes describing consultation and approval, partnerships and research agreements, communication, funding, ethics and consent, data and benefits of the research. Results: The TATS project involved baseline and follow-up surveys conducted in 34 Aboriginal community-controlled health services and one Torres Strait community. Consistent with the WHO PR principles, the TATS project built on community priorities and strengths through strategic partnerships from project inception, and demonstrated the value of research agreements and trusting relationships to foster shared decision making, capacity building and a commitment to Indigenous data ownership. Conclusions: Community-based PR methodology, by definition, needs adaptation to local settings and priorities. The TATS project demonstrates that large-scale research can be participatory, with strong Indigenous community engagement and benefits.
Sophia Couzos FAFPHM, FACRRM, FRACGP · Anna K Nicholson GDipPH, BPhty(Hons) · Jennifer M Hunt MPH, FAFPHM, PhD · Maureen E Davey MB BS, FAFPHM · Josephine K May · Pele T Bennet BHSc · Darren W Westphal MPH · David P Thomas MB BS, PhD, FAFPHM
General practitioner management of notifiable diseases is central to communicable disease control
GPs have an important role in communicable disease control
Catherine R Bateman-Steel MB ChB, BSc, MSc · Aditya Vyas MB BS, MPH · Leena Gupta MB BS, MPH, FAFPHM
Changes in psychological distress and psychosocial functioning in young people visiting headspace centres for mental health problems
The first major review of outcomes for young people using mental health services at headspace centres
Debra J Rickwood BA(Hons), PhD, FAPS · Kelly R Mazzer PhD · Nic R Telford MSocSc, BSocSc · Alexandra G Parker PhD, MPsychol(Clin), BA(Hons) · Chris J Tanti BSW · Patrick D McGorry PhD, FRCP, FRANZCP
Rural and remote health: a progress report
Doing better, but we still need to sort out who is responsible for what and strengthen primary care
John Wakerman MTH, FAFPHM, FACRRM
Proton pump inhibitors: too much of a good thing?
A new suite of free resources supports their quality use
Lynn M Weekes
Securing a rural health workforce for the next generation of rural Australians
Policy direction is clear, but increasing competition for funds leads to uncertainty
David M Lyle MB BS, PhD, FAFPHM · Lesley M Barclay PhD, MEd, BA
Strengthening primary health care: achieving health gains in a remote region of Australia
Partnership between community-controlled and government organisations leads to improved health service access for remote-living Aboriginal people
Carole Reeve FRACGP, FACRRM, FAFPHM · John Humphreys BA, DipEd, PhD · John Wakerman HonDSc, FAFPHM, FACRRM · Maureen Carter · Vicki Carroll BSc(Hons) · David Reeve DrPH
Point-of-care testing for coeliac disease antibodies — what is the evidence?
A position statement from Coeliac Australia’s Medical Advisory Committee scrutinises the technology used in currently available kits
Evan D Newnham Jason A Tye-Din on behalf of the Coeliac Australia Medical Advisory Committee
Where are general practitioners when disaster strikes?
GPs, inevitably involved in disasters, should be appropriately engaged in response and recovery systems
Penelope L Burns BMed, MPHTM · Peter J Aitken MB BS, FACEM, EMDM · Beverley Raphael MB BS, MD, FRANZCP
Getting the levers right: a way forward for rural medicine
Placement in rural general practices is a key part of medical student training
David Garne MB ChB, DCH, MIPH(Hons) · Ian G Wilson FRACGP, MAssessEval, PhD
First use of creatine hydrochloride in premanifest Huntington disease
A potentially important option for patients with Huntington disease that warrants further study
Chris Tuckfield MB BS(Hons), MPhil
Dorothy Helena Herbert AM, BSc, MB BS, DObstRCOG
Rural doctor, aviatrix and embodiment of the Australian pioneering spirit
Anthony R Herbert MB BS, FRACP, FAChPM · Paul J Mercer MB BS, DipRACOG, FRACGP · Rev Ronald W Herbert
Obesity management in general practice: does current practice match guideline recommendations?
Doctors should be encouraged to improve their documentation of measures of obesity
Lyle R Turner BSc(Hons), PhD · Mark F Harris FRACGP, DRACOG, MD · Danielle Mazza MD, FRACGP, DRANZCOG
Identified health concerns and changes in management resulting from the Healthy Kids Check in two Queensland practices
A more comprehensive evaluation of outcomes is needed
Karyn E Alexander MB ChB, MPH · Bianca Brijnath PhD, BA(Hons) · Danielle Mazza MD, FRACGP, DRANZCOG
Identified health concerns and changes in management resulting from the Healthy Kids Check in two Queensland practices
Long-term follow-up is essential
Rae Thomas PhD · Christopher B Del Mar MD, FRACGP, FAFPHM
