Social determinants of health

Sustaining human engagement after retirement from medical practice

Alexander K Cohen AO, MD, FRACP, FRCP

Population health implications of the 2012 Queensland health workforce cuts

Patrick Harris

Implementing recommendations of the parliamentary inquiry and international codes of practice on employment of IMGs

Carlos Zubaran MD, MHM, PhD · Susan Douglas MD, FACRRM, GradDipHE

Lessons for public health priorities in Australia

L Claire Hooker PhD · Christopher Mayes PhD · Chris Degeling PhD, BVSc · Gwendolyn L Gilbert MD, FRACP, FRCPA · Ian H Kerridge BMed(Hons), FRACP, FRCPA

Asylum seekers are not receiving acceptable standards of medical care. Should doctors boycott the system?

John-Paul Sanggaran MB BS, MHMed, BHSc · Grant M Ferguson BSc(Hons), MB BS · Bridget G Haire PhD, MBioethics

Vaccinated women need to be screened

Annabelle Farnsworth MB BS(Hons), FRCPA, FIAC

In reply: The emergency principle may be applied legally without any prior approval or documentation

Kerri Eagle · Christopher J Ryan

Children in out-of-home placements have complex health needs

Klaus Martin Beckmann

Expanding data sources for surveillance offers hope for improving child protection

Steven L Guthridge MB BS, MTH, FAFPHM · Philip Ryan MB BS, BSc, FAFPHM · John R Condon MB BS, PhD, FAFPHM · John R Moss MSocSci, MB BS, BEc · John Lynch PhD, MPH

Objectives: To examine experiences of racism in health settings and their impact on mental health among Aboriginal Australians. Design, setting and participants: A cross-sectional survey of experiences of racism and mental health was conducted in two metropolitan and two rural Victorian local government areas (LGAs) between 1 December 2010 and 31 October 2011. Participants included 755 Aboriginal Australians aged over 18 years who had resided in the relevant LGA for at least a year. The response rate across all LGAs was 99%. Main outcome measures: Being above or below the threshold for high or very high psychological distress on the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale. Results: 221 participants reported experiences of racism in health settings in the past 12 months. The results suggested that people experiencing racism in health settings (OR, 4.49; 95% CI, 2.28–8.86) and non-health settings (OR, 2.66; 95% CI, 1.39–5.08) were more likely than people who did not experience racism to be above the threshold for high or very high psychological distress. Conclusions: Experiencing interpersonal racism in health settings is associated with increased psychological distress over and above what would be expected in other settings. This finding supports the rationale for improving cultural competency and reducing racism as a means of closing the health gap between Aboriginal and other Australians. Capitalising on this investment will require explicitly evaluating the impact of these initiatives on reducing patient experiences of racism.

Margaret A Kelaher BSc, PhD · Angeline S Ferdinand BA, MPH · Yin Paradies PhD

Discussions with men about sexual health may also help identify life-threatening disease

Mark Wenitong · Michael Adams · Carol A Holden

GPs are best placed to begin discussions about end-of-life care, and being well prepared is important

Liz Marles

A university program is pioneering urban community-based medical education

Sarah Mahoney

MSF reflects on the emergency medical response in the wake of a disaster

Daniel Martinez Garcia MD · Alexandra L Brown BA

Comparing data between centres and nationally is complex but necessary

Debra J Rickwood · Nic R Telford · Alexandra G Parker · Chris J Tanti · Patrick D McGorry

How should we treat patients who may lack the capacity to decide in their own best interests?

Joanne F Bradbury BNat(Hons), BA(Psych), PhD · Matt Ireland BA(Psych)(Hons) · Helen Stasa BA(Hons), PhD

Morphine’s use in Australia has shaped public perception and current challenges

Matthew Grant MB BS, DipPallMed, MBioethics · Jennifer Philip PhD, FAChPM, MB BS · Anna Ugalde BA(Hons), PhD

A recent Senate Committee report makes for welcome reading for lesbian, gay and bisexual Australians

Jed Horner BA, BHSc(Hons) · Nick J Roberts BSc(Hons)Psych

Even in settings with well developed infrastructure, few potentially eligible prisoners get hepatitis C treatment

Michael M Mina MB ChB(Hons), MRCP, MIPH(Hons) · Paul J Clark MB BS(Hons), PhD, FRACP · Holly M Beasley BSc, PostGradDip (IntHealth) · Lilie Herawati MD, MPH · Tony G Butler MSc, PhD · Andrew R Lloyd MB BS, MD, FRACP

Australia’s treatment of asylum seekers in closed detention causes ongoing mental health issues

Gillian Triggs LLB, LLM, PhD

What we do for asylum seekers while they are in detention has the potential to prevent future loss of life

Nicholas G Procter PhD, MBA, RN · Diego De Leo AO, DSc, PhD · Louise Newman AM, MB BS(Hons), PhD, FRANZCP