Pub Date : 2024-09-10DOI: 10.1016/j.anzjph.2024.100186
Bridgette J. McNamara , Jessica McDonald , Kelvin Heard , N. Deborah Friedman , Frances Diver , Eugene Athan , Amanda J. Wade , Fiona Brennan , Melissa Warburton , Caroline Bartolo , Callum Maggs , Nicole Miller , Megan Smith , John Stenos , Daniel P. O’Brien
Objectives
To describe the operational model, epidemiology and outcomes of COVID-19 cases managed by the first decentralised Victorian Public Health Unit (PHU) in the Barwon South-West (BSW) region in 2020.
Methods
The Barwon Health team used a clinician-led, locally-based interprofessional model of care, combining clinical care and monitoring, contact tracing and public health measures.
Results
From 7th March to 5th October 2020, 575 confirmed COVID-19 cases (82 in Wave 1; 493 in Wave 2) were identified in residents of the BSW region. Overall, 4.7% were admitted to local hospitals (0.7% to intensive care units) and 1.7% died. COVID-19 incidence in the region was 129 cases/100,000. Wave 2 in the region featured community transmission in high-risk settings and among culturally and linguistically diverse and mobile populations. Within 3 months of the initial local case in Wave 2, SARS-COV-2 was eliminated from the community.
Conclusions
A local interprofessional model of care was key to the containment of community transmission and complex outbreaks with the elimination of COVID-19 in the community.
Implications for Public Health
Key successes and learnings from the BSW PHU contributed to the improvement of statewide systems and responses and provided an impetus for the implementation of a decentralised public health model for Victoria.
{"title":"Act fast, stop COVID: The successful implementation of the first decentralised Victorian COVID-19 contact tracing and monitoring unit","authors":"Bridgette J. McNamara , Jessica McDonald , Kelvin Heard , N. Deborah Friedman , Frances Diver , Eugene Athan , Amanda J. Wade , Fiona Brennan , Melissa Warburton , Caroline Bartolo , Callum Maggs , Nicole Miller , Megan Smith , John Stenos , Daniel P. O’Brien","doi":"10.1016/j.anzjph.2024.100186","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.anzjph.2024.100186","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objectives</h3><p>To describe the operational model, epidemiology and outcomes of COVID-19 cases managed by the first decentralised Victorian Public Health Unit (PHU) in the Barwon South-West (BSW) region in 2020.</p></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><p>The Barwon Health team used a clinician-led, locally-based interprofessional model of care, combining clinical care and monitoring, contact tracing and public health measures.</p></div><div><h3>Results</h3><p>From 7th March to 5th October 2020, 575 confirmed COVID-19 cases (82 in Wave 1; 493 in Wave 2) were identified in residents of the BSW region. Overall, 4.7% were admitted to local hospitals (0.7% to intensive care units) and 1.7% died. COVID-19 incidence in the region was 129 cases/100,000. Wave 2 in the region featured community transmission in high-risk settings and among culturally and linguistically diverse and mobile populations. Within 3 months of the initial local case in Wave 2, SARS-COV-2 was eliminated from the community.</p></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>A local interprofessional model of care was key to the containment of community transmission and complex outbreaks with the elimination of COVID-19 in the community.</p></div><div><h3>Implications for Public Health</h3><p>Key successes and learnings from the BSW PHU contributed to the improvement of statewide systems and responses and provided an impetus for the implementation of a decentralised public health model for Victoria.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8620,"journal":{"name":"Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health","volume":"48 5","pages":"Article 100186"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1326020024000621/pdfft?md5=309560f4019f8330e433fa8f1aaf3f22&pid=1-s2.0-S1326020024000621-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142162397","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-09-10DOI: 10.1016/j.anzjph.2024.100188
Hannah J. Morgan , Hazel J. Clothier , Philip Witowski , James H. Boyd , Gonzalo Sepulveda Kattan , Gerardo Luis Dimaguila , Aishwarya N. Shetty , Jim P. Buttery
Objective
Post-licensure vaccine safety surveillance of adverse events following immunisation is critical to ensure public safety and confidence in vaccines. This paper aims to describe the governance structure and data linkage methodology behind the establishment of the largest linked vaccine safety surveillance data resource in Australia – The Vaccine Safety Health Link (VSHL).
Methods
The Vaccine Safety Health Link contains linked records from the Australian Immunisation Register with records from hospital, perinatal, mortality, and notifiable disease datasets in near real-time. Linkage is done by the Centre for Victorian Data Linkage who receive the datasets in an identifiable format which then undergo standardisation, enrichment, linkage, quality assurance and de-identification, prior to being supplied for analysis.
Results
The VSHL data resource allows sensitive and rapid analysis of a broad spectrum of suspected adverse events to ensure the safety of all vaccines administered. It is also used to refute spurious concerns where no associations are found, upholding trust, and maintaining vaccine confidence.
Conclusions
The Vaccine Safety Health Link's surveillance design complements existing vaccine safety surveillance methods. Challenges encountered and lessons learnt using Vaccine Safety Health Link would benefit linkage projects globally.
Implications for public health
In its first two years, The Vaccine Safety Health Link has been used for 14 vaccine safety investigations. Studies into these conditions would not have otherwise been possible. The Vaccine Safety Health Link also partners with the Global Vaccine Data Network™ for approved collaborative studies with a combined population of over 300 million people.
目的 对免疫接种后的不良事件进行许可后疫苗安全监测对于确保公众对疫苗的安全和信心至关重要。本文旨在介绍澳大利亚最大的链接疫苗安全监控数据资源--疫苗安全健康链接(VSHL)--建立背后的管理结构和数据链接方法。方法疫苗安全健康链接包含来自澳大利亚免疫登记册的链接记录,以及来自医院、围产期、死亡率和应通报疾病数据集的近乎实时的记录。链接由维多利亚州数据链接中心(Centre for Victorian Data Linkage)完成,该中心以可识别的格式接收数据集,然后对数据集进行标准化、丰富化、链接、质量保证和去标识化处理,最后提供给分析机构。结论疫苗安全健康链接的监测设计是对现有疫苗安全监测方法的补充。在使用疫苗安全健康链接过程中遇到的挑战和吸取的经验教训将使全球的链接项目受益。如果没有疫苗安全健康链接,就不可能对这些情况进行研究。疫苗安全健康链接 "还与 "全球疫苗数据网络"(Global Vaccine Data Network™)合作,开展已获批准的合作研究,研究对象总人数超过 3 亿。
{"title":"Establishing the Vaccine Safety Health Link: A large, linked data resource for the investigation of vaccine safety concerns","authors":"Hannah J. Morgan , Hazel J. Clothier , Philip Witowski , James H. Boyd , Gonzalo Sepulveda Kattan , Gerardo Luis Dimaguila , Aishwarya N. Shetty , Jim P. Buttery","doi":"10.1016/j.anzjph.2024.100188","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.anzjph.2024.100188","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><p>Post-licensure vaccine safety surveillance of adverse events following immunisation is critical to ensure public safety and confidence in vaccines. This paper aims to describe the governance structure and data linkage methodology behind the establishment of the largest linked vaccine safety surveillance data resource in Australia – The Vaccine Safety Health Link (VSHL).</p></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><p>The Vaccine Safety Health Link contains linked records from the Australian Immunisation Register with records from hospital, perinatal, mortality, and notifiable disease datasets in near real-time. Linkage is done by the Centre for Victorian Data Linkage who receive the datasets in an identifiable format which then undergo standardisation, enrichment, linkage, quality assurance and de-identification, prior to being supplied for analysis.</p></div><div><h3>Results</h3><p>The VSHL data resource allows sensitive and rapid analysis of a broad spectrum of suspected adverse events to ensure the safety of all vaccines administered. It is also used to refute spurious concerns where no associations are found, upholding trust, and maintaining vaccine confidence.</p></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>The Vaccine Safety Health Link's surveillance design complements existing vaccine safety surveillance methods. Challenges encountered and lessons learnt using Vaccine Safety Health Link would benefit linkage projects globally.</p></div><div><h3>Implications for public health</h3><p>In its first two years, The Vaccine Safety Health Link has been used for 14 vaccine safety investigations. Studies into these conditions would not have otherwise been possible. The Vaccine Safety Health Link also partners with the Global Vaccine Data Network™ for approved collaborative studies with a combined population of over 300 million people.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8620,"journal":{"name":"Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health","volume":"48 5","pages":"Article 100188"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1326020024000645/pdfft?md5=0af56a2e57d7231086bad6cdb1352b25&pid=1-s2.0-S1326020024000645-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142162399","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-09-05DOI: 10.1016/j.anzjph.2024.100185
Imogen S. Page , Claudia Pagliaro , Alize J. Ferrari , Harvey Whiteford , Sandra Diminic
Objective
The objective of this study was to determine regional variation in need for mental health care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults (18+ years).
Methods
Three Australian Indigenous health surveys were analysed, and prevalence rates of high/very high psychological distress (as per the Kessler-5 tool) by the Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage were computed and combined via meta-analysis. These estimates were applied to census population data to estimate regional needs and summed to geographic planning regions. Final estimates were assessed for face validity by comparing with other existing estimates of mental health need.
Results
The Index of Relative Socioeconomic Disadvantage had a dose–response relationship with high/very high psychological distress, whereby the more disadvantaged an area, the greater the levels of reported distress. This methodology resulted in varying levels of need within South East Queensland.
Conclusions
The approach was found to have good face validity and provides a data-driven method to determine relative levels of need.
Implications for Public Health
To ensure equity of mental health service provision, planners should account for variation in levels of need within a catchment. This method may be used throughout Australia to determine regional variation in need for care where other data are lacking to ensure evidence-based investment planning decisions at the local level.
研究目的本研究旨在确定土著居民和托雷斯海峡岛民成年人(18 岁以上)在心理保健需求方面的地区差异:方法:对三项澳大利亚原住民健康调查进行了分析,并按相对社会经济劣势指数(Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage)计算出了高/极高心理压力流行率(根据凯斯勒-5工具),然后通过荟萃分析进行了合并。将这些估算值应用于人口普查数据,以估算地区需求,并汇总到地理规划区域。通过与其他现有的心理健康需求估计值进行比较,对最终估计值的表面有效性进行了评估:结果:相对社会经济劣势指数与高/极高心理压力之间存在剂量-反应关系,即一个地区越是劣势,报告的心理压力水平就越高。这种方法导致昆士兰东南部地区的需求水平各不相同:结论:该方法具有良好的表面效度,为确定相对需求水平提供了一种数据驱动方法:对公共卫生的启示:为确保心理健康服务的公平性,规划者应考虑到服务范围内需求水平的差异。这种方法可在澳大利亚全国范围内使用,以确定缺乏其他数据的地区在医疗需求方面的差异,从而确保在地方层面做出以证据为基础的投资规划决策。
{"title":"Estimating levels of mental health service need by small geographic area: A case study for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults living in South East Queensland","authors":"Imogen S. Page , Claudia Pagliaro , Alize J. Ferrari , Harvey Whiteford , Sandra Diminic","doi":"10.1016/j.anzjph.2024.100185","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.anzjph.2024.100185","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><p>The objective of this study was to determine regional variation in need for mental health care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults (18+ years).</p></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><p>Three Australian Indigenous health surveys were analysed, and prevalence rates of high/very high psychological distress (as per the Kessler-5 tool) by the Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage were computed and combined via meta-analysis. These estimates were applied to census population data to estimate regional needs and summed to geographic planning regions. Final estimates were assessed for face validity by comparing with other existing estimates of mental health need.</p></div><div><h3>Results</h3><p>The Index of Relative Socioeconomic Disadvantage had a dose–response relationship with high/very high psychological distress, whereby the more disadvantaged an area, the greater the levels of reported distress. This methodology resulted in varying levels of need within South East Queensland.</p></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>The approach was found to have good face validity and provides a data-driven method to determine relative levels of need.</p></div><div><h3>Implications for Public Health</h3><p>To ensure equity of mental health service provision, planners should account for variation in levels of need within a catchment. This method may be used throughout Australia to determine regional variation in need for care where other data are lacking to ensure evidence-based investment planning decisions at the local level.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8620,"journal":{"name":"Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health","volume":"48 5","pages":"Article 100185"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-09-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S132602002400061X/pdfft?md5=39e53a2353ce46de6e49e5bd298f316e&pid=1-s2.0-S132602002400061X-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142145001","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The objective of this study was to develop Service, Research and Policy priorities to prevent the impact of family adversity on child mental health and determine comparative priorities of diverse stakeholders to those with lived experience of adversity.
Methods
Value-weighting approach conducted in a staged process: (i) professionals and experts with lived experience from health, education, justice and social care sectors attended a national symposium to identify priorities for family adversity and mental health and (ii) a subsequent resource allocation survey gathered views from participants and external experts on symposium priorities.
Results
Consensus was reached on priorities. Service priorities included establishing intersectoral hubs for children and families and early childhood nurse home-visiting programs. Research priorities included scaling up evidence-based interventions and evaluating cross-sector, flexible funding models for services addressing childhood adversity. Policy priorities included developing evidence-based policies with evaluation and implementation plans and flexible funding models to support integrated care.
Conclusions
Our results provide detailed and actionable clarity on next steps to address family adversities.
Implications for Public Health
The priorities call for a focus on cross-sectoral approaches to preventing or mitigating the effects of family adversity. The current Australian policy environment provides a timely opportunity to action the proposed interventions.
{"title":"Identifying Service, Research and Policy priorities for preventing the impacts of family adversity on children’s mental health: An Australian national resource allocation study with professional and lived experience experts","authors":"Harriet Hiscock , Ashraful Kabir , Suzy Honisett , Tamara Morris , Leanne Constable , Suzie Forell , Sue Woolfenden , Sharon Goldfeld , Anthony Jorm","doi":"10.1016/j.anzjph.2024.100184","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.anzjph.2024.100184","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objectives</h3><p>The objective of this study was to develop Service, Research and Policy priorities to prevent the impact of family adversity on child mental health and determine comparative priorities of diverse stakeholders to those with lived experience of adversity.</p></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><p>Value-weighting approach conducted in a staged process: (i) professionals and experts with lived experience from health, education, justice and social care sectors attended a national symposium to identify priorities for family adversity and mental health and (ii) a subsequent resource allocation survey gathered views from participants and external experts on symposium priorities.</p></div><div><h3>Results</h3><p>Consensus was reached on priorities. Service priorities included establishing intersectoral hubs for children and families and early childhood nurse home-visiting programs. Research priorities included scaling up evidence-based interventions and evaluating cross-sector, flexible funding models for services addressing childhood adversity. Policy priorities included developing evidence-based policies with evaluation and implementation plans and flexible funding models to support integrated care.</p></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>Our results provide detailed and actionable clarity on next steps to address family adversities.</p></div><div><h3>Implications for Public Health</h3><p>The priorities call for a focus on cross-sectoral approaches to preventing or mitigating the effects of family adversity. The current Australian policy environment provides a timely opportunity to action the proposed interventions.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8620,"journal":{"name":"Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health","volume":"48 5","pages":"Article 100184"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-08-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1326020024000608/pdfft?md5=816ade3be1cece2dc71015be4ea8acab&pid=1-s2.0-S1326020024000608-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142098514","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-08-29DOI: 10.1016/j.anzjph.2024.100182
Francis Nona
{"title":"Traditional community-based knowledge for envisioning climate change action for the Torres Strait","authors":"Francis Nona","doi":"10.1016/j.anzjph.2024.100182","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.anzjph.2024.100182","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":8620,"journal":{"name":"Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health","volume":"48 5","pages":"Article 100182"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S132602002400058X/pdfft?md5=39d77137163d5a0653fc30b2e16785bd&pid=1-s2.0-S132602002400058X-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142098579","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-08-23DOI: 10.1016/j.anzjph.2024.100180
Adrian Bauman, Ding Ding
{"title":"Lack of progress in physical activity in Australia: decades of national inertia?","authors":"Adrian Bauman, Ding Ding","doi":"10.1016/j.anzjph.2024.100180","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.anzjph.2024.100180","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":8620,"journal":{"name":"Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health","volume":"48 5","pages":"Article 100180"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-08-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1326020024000566/pdfft?md5=79c2ef677519cd9265ae3765240613a7&pid=1-s2.0-S1326020024000566-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142054791","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-08-01DOI: 10.1016/j.anzjph.2024.100165
Lin Fritschi , Timothy R. Driscoll , Ha Nguyen , Kamil Abdallah , Renee N. Carey
Objective
This survey aimed to investigate exposure to welding fume in Australian workplaces and the use of protective and control measures among workers.
Methods
Data were collected via a cross-sectional online survey of workers and employers involved in welding in Australia. Survey questions focused on the determinants of exposure to welding fume, welding experience and qualifications, and use of control measures.
Results
There were 634 respondents to the survey across Australia of whom 577 (91%) were assessed as being exposed to welding fume, most at high levels. Welders undertook a wide range of types of welding, and higher-risk welding such as in confined and restricted spaces was common. Most workplaces did not have any form of mechanical ventilation, and use of air-supplied respiratory protection was poor even when ventilation was not used.
Conclusion
Welders in Australia are exposed to several carcinogens, particularly welding fume, hexavalent chromium (CrVI) and nickel, and the use of control measures is sub-optimal.
Implications for Public Health
Higher-order controls are the best way to reduce exposure to carcinogens in the workplace. The lack of use of these controls by Australian welders is concerning and needs to be a focus of attention by regulators and companies.
{"title":"Occupational exposure to welding fume in Australia: An online survey","authors":"Lin Fritschi , Timothy R. Driscoll , Ha Nguyen , Kamil Abdallah , Renee N. Carey","doi":"10.1016/j.anzjph.2024.100165","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.anzjph.2024.100165","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><p>This survey aimed to investigate exposure to welding fume in Australian workplaces and the use of protective and control measures among workers.</p></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><p>Data were collected via a cross-sectional online survey of workers and employers involved in welding in Australia. Survey questions focused on the determinants of exposure to welding fume, welding experience and qualifications, and use of control measures.</p></div><div><h3>Results</h3><p>There were 634 respondents to the survey across Australia of whom 577 (91%) were assessed as being exposed to welding fume, most at high levels. Welders undertook a wide range of types of welding, and higher-risk welding such as in confined and restricted spaces was common. Most workplaces did not have any form of mechanical ventilation, and use of air-supplied respiratory protection was poor even when ventilation was not used.</p></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>Welders in Australia are exposed to several carcinogens, particularly welding fume, hexavalent chromium (CrVI) and nickel, and the use of control measures is sub-optimal.</p></div><div><h3>Implications for Public Health</h3><p>Higher-order controls are the best way to reduce exposure to carcinogens in the workplace. The lack of use of these controls by Australian welders is concerning and needs to be a focus of attention by regulators and companies.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8620,"journal":{"name":"Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health","volume":"48 4","pages":"Article 100165"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1326020024000402/pdfft?md5=ed410ace772f9f9b0dc054bca82ee4b2&pid=1-s2.0-S1326020024000402-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141747348","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-08-01DOI: 10.1016/j.anzjph.2024.100171
Benedicta Natalia Latif , Leanne Coombe , Tim Driscoll , Anita van Zwieten , Catherine Sherrington , Saman Khalatbari-Soltani
Objective
To explore the amount and type of research funded under relevant Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) Initiatives that addressed public health and prevention from 2018 to July 2023.
Methods
Projects funded by six MRFF Initiatives, with objectives relevant to public health and public health nominated as “field of research” by >25% of applicants, were evaluated against a set of public health research criteria and were categorised based on levels of prevention.
Results
Fifty-seven per cent of 249 funded projects were categorised as public health research. Projects with curative features, focusing on tertiary (32%) and quaternary (4%) prevention, were as common as projects with earlier preventive features, focussed on primordial (7%) and primary (28%) prevention. The Preventive and Public Health Research Initiative had the lowest proportion of public health research (48%) of the six evaluated Initiatives and a dominance of curative (39%) and non-preventive (26%) research over preventive research (30%).
Conclusion
This study highlighted variable levels of public health research across public-health-relevant MRFF Initiatives and generally low proportions of primary and primordial prevention. A greater emphasis on primordial and primary prevention research in public-health-relevant Initiatives could advance prevention in Australia.
Implications for public health
There appears to be scope for improvement in the prioritisation of upstream prevention research in public-health-relevant MRFF Initiatives and projects. Addressing this may enhance the benefit of MRFF to Australian public health.
{"title":"Public health and prevention research within the Medical Research Future Fund","authors":"Benedicta Natalia Latif , Leanne Coombe , Tim Driscoll , Anita van Zwieten , Catherine Sherrington , Saman Khalatbari-Soltani","doi":"10.1016/j.anzjph.2024.100171","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.anzjph.2024.100171","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><p>To explore the amount and type of research funded under relevant Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) Initiatives that addressed public health and prevention from 2018 to July 2023.</p></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><p>Projects funded by six MRFF Initiatives, with objectives relevant to public health and public health nominated as “field of research” by >25% of applicants, were evaluated against a set of public health research criteria and were categorised based on levels of prevention.</p></div><div><h3>Results</h3><p>Fifty-seven per cent of 249 funded projects were categorised as public health research. Projects with curative features, focusing on tertiary (32%) and quaternary (4%) prevention, were as common as projects with earlier preventive features, focussed on primordial (7%) and primary (28%) prevention. The Preventive and Public Health Research Initiative had the lowest proportion of public health research (48%) of the six evaluated Initiatives and a dominance of curative (39%) and non-preventive (26%) research over preventive research (30%).</p></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>This study highlighted variable levels of public health research across public-health-relevant MRFF Initiatives and generally low proportions of primary and primordial prevention. A greater emphasis on primordial and primary prevention research in public-health-relevant Initiatives could advance prevention in Australia.</p></div><div><h3>Implications for public health</h3><p>There appears to be scope for improvement in the prioritisation of upstream prevention research in public-health-relevant MRFF Initiatives and projects. Addressing this may enhance the benefit of MRFF to Australian public health.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8620,"journal":{"name":"Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health","volume":"48 4","pages":"Article 100171"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1326020024000463/pdfft?md5=7162f4d20493130defb743f7ea4e319e&pid=1-s2.0-S1326020024000463-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141858937","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-08-01DOI: 10.1016/j.anzjph.2024.100172
Joanne C. Nixon , Kevin Freeman , Rob W. Baird
Background
We describe the recent temporal patterns of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and influenza virus detections in the Northern Territory (NT) of Australia, between 2020 and 2023.
Methods
This retrospective analysis of patients presenting with respiratory diseases utilised a multiplex viral nucleic acid detection assay for RSV, influenza and SARS Cov2 (COVID-19) to determine the relative frequency of non-COVID-19 respiratory viral detections by age and month during the study period.
Results
During this period of the NT COVID-19 epidemic, disruption of the usual annual wet season RSV outbreak patterns occurred, and the yearly influenza peak was absent for two annual cycles. Our data also reveals that 25% of RSV infections were occurring in patients greater than 40 years of age, compared to 32% of influenza infections presenting in the same period, documenting a greater burden of adult disease than previously documented in the NT.
Conclusions
Loss of non-COVID-19 viral seasonality and a substantial unrecognised RSV adult burden were noted. We will continue to monitor seasonality, and the RSV burden and this will help to target the populations benefiting from recently released RSV vaccine.
{"title":"Altered epidemiological patterns of Respiratory Syncytial Virus and influenza detections in a tropical Australian setting 2020 to 2023","authors":"Joanne C. Nixon , Kevin Freeman , Rob W. Baird","doi":"10.1016/j.anzjph.2024.100172","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.anzjph.2024.100172","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>We describe the recent temporal patterns of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and influenza virus detections in the Northern Territory (NT) of Australia, between 2020 and 2023.</p></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><p>This retrospective analysis of patients presenting with respiratory diseases utilised a multiplex viral nucleic acid detection assay for RSV, influenza and SARS Cov2 (COVID-19) to determine the relative frequency of non-COVID-19 respiratory viral detections by age and month during the study period.</p></div><div><h3>Results</h3><p>During this period of the NT COVID-19 epidemic, disruption of the usual annual wet season RSV outbreak patterns occurred, and the yearly influenza peak was absent for two annual cycles. Our data also reveals that 25% of RSV infections were occurring in patients greater than 40 years of age, compared to 32% of influenza infections presenting in the same period, documenting a greater burden of adult disease than previously documented in the NT.</p></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>Loss of non-COVID-19 viral seasonality and a substantial unrecognised RSV adult burden were noted. We will continue to monitor seasonality, and the RSV burden and this will help to target the populations benefiting from recently released RSV vaccine.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8620,"journal":{"name":"Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health","volume":"48 4","pages":"Article 100172"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1326020024000475/pdfft?md5=c74fca0086aa14f4c57d11f750db4232&pid=1-s2.0-S1326020024000475-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141765065","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-08-01DOI: 10.1016/j.anzjph.2024.100169
Kim Ann Beadman , Juanita Sherwood , Paul Gray , John McAloon
Objective
The importance of self-determination in restoring the wellbeing of Australian First Nations peoples is becoming understood. For thousands of years, Aboriginal women gave birth on Country and Grandmothers’ Lore and Women’s Business facilitated the survival of the oldest living civilisations on earth. Following colonisation, however, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander practices of maternal and perinatal care were actively dismantled, and self-determination by Aboriginal people was destroyed. This had significant implications for the wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and their Cultures and practices.
Methods
A Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses–based systematic review of research about programmes of birthing and perinatal health care for Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and their children was undertaken. The review’s primary aim was to assess the Cultural context of programme development and delivery, its secondary aim was to assess the Cultural appropriateness of programme components. Electronic databases SCOPUS, PsycINFO, Medline, and CINAHL were searched for peer-reviewed studies published in English in Australia between 2000 and 2023.
Results
Twenty-eight publications met inclusion criteria. Included studies were assessed for their methodological characteristics, birthing-support characteristics, perinatal care and continuity of care characteristics. Overall, programmes were limited in meeting the Cultural needs of women, children, and individual Communities. The role of Aboriginal Communities in identifying, delivering, and reviewing programmes was also limited.
Conclusions
Findings articulate the importance of self-determination in maintaining strong Indigenous Cultures and informing the Culturally appropriate development and delivery of Culturally safe programmes of perinatal care for Aboriginal women, children, and Communities.
Implications for Public Health
Programmes and services for use by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people must involve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and their Communities in processes of programme planning, delivery, and review. The evaluation of a programme or service as “Culturally safe” represents a determination that is most appropriately made by service users based on their experience of that programme or service.
{"title":"Self-determination in programmes of perinatal health for Aboriginal Communities: A systematic review","authors":"Kim Ann Beadman , Juanita Sherwood , Paul Gray , John McAloon","doi":"10.1016/j.anzjph.2024.100169","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.anzjph.2024.100169","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><p>The importance of self-determination in restoring the wellbeing of Australian First Nations peoples is becoming understood. For thousands of years, Aboriginal women gave birth on Country and Grandmothers’ Lore and Women’s Business facilitated the survival of the oldest living civilisations on earth. Following colonisation, however, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander practices of maternal and perinatal care were actively dismantled, and self-determination by Aboriginal people was destroyed. This had significant implications for the wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and their Cultures and practices.</p></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><p>A Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses–based systematic review of research about programmes of birthing and perinatal health care for Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and their children was undertaken. The review’s primary aim was to assess the Cultural context of programme development and delivery, its secondary aim was to assess the Cultural appropriateness of programme components. Electronic databases SCOPUS, PsycINFO, Medline, and CINAHL were searched for peer-reviewed studies published in English in Australia between 2000 and 2023.</p></div><div><h3>Results</h3><p>Twenty-eight publications met inclusion criteria. Included studies were assessed for their methodological characteristics, birthing-support characteristics, perinatal care and continuity of care characteristics. Overall, programmes were limited in meeting the Cultural needs of women, children, and individual Communities. The role of Aboriginal Communities in identifying, delivering, and reviewing programmes was also limited.</p></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>Findings articulate the importance of self-determination in maintaining strong Indigenous Cultures and informing the Culturally appropriate development and delivery of Culturally safe programmes of perinatal care for Aboriginal women, children, and Communities.</p></div><div><h3>Implications for Public Health</h3><p>Programmes and services for use by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people must involve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and their Communities in processes of programme planning, delivery, and review. The evaluation of a programme or service as “Culturally safe” represents a determination that is most appropriately made by service users based on their experience of that programme or service.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8620,"journal":{"name":"Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health","volume":"48 4","pages":"Article 100169"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S132602002400044X/pdfft?md5=6dab8a2e80788f09e241540cf6d68e6f&pid=1-s2.0-S132602002400044X-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141787165","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}